how to clean leather gloves, and suede and calf hair ones too

gloves take more wear than almost anything else you own: rain, hand cream, bus poles, coat pockets, the bottom of a bag. the good news is that leather, suede and calf hair all forgive a lot if you know what to do and, more importantly, what not to. our materials & care page covers the everyday basics for each material, so this guide goes further, problem by problem.

how do you clean leather gloves day to day?

for smooth leather such as nappa, a soft, dry cloth is all you need most of the time: wipe the gloves down after a wet or dusty day, and deal with any mark while it’s fresh. the habit that saves most gloves is a small one, letting hand cream and perfume dry completely before you put gloves on, because oils can mark leather.

what should you do if leather gloves get wet?

don’t panic, and don’t reach for the radiator. hestra’s drying advice for dress gloves is to press the water out gently rather than wringing them, because twisting can damage the leather and spoil the fit, then lay them flat to dry at room temperature, away from every heat source, which can take several hours¹. once they’re dry, put them on a few times so they relax back into the shape of your hands¹.

the reason heat is the enemy is that leather needs a little moisture to stay flexible. the canadian conservation institute, which advises museums on leather, warns that very dry conditions make leather lose moisture and turn brittle, and that locally high temperatures, such as near a radiator, can speed up its deterioration².

how do you soften leather gloves that have gone stiff?

wear them, first of all, since warmth and movement soften leather better than anything. if they still feel dry, condition them, but only once they’re completely dry, as hestra stresses¹, and only lightly: a little leather conditioner a few times a season, tested first on the inside of the cuff, is plenty. more isn’t better: the conservation institute notes that leather dressings can darken the surface of leather and attract dust².

can you wash leather gloves?

hestra describes washing its leather dress gloves on the hands in lukewarm water with a gentle, fat-rich soap, but says leather gloves shouldn’t be washed more often than absolutely necessary, because water can dry leather out¹. for fine nappa, suede and calf hair we’d say don’t: never wash, soak or tumble-dry gloves like ours, and spot-clean instead. hestra is clear that suede gloves should not be washed at all¹.

how do you clean suede gloves?

suede is leather with a brushed nap, which makes it soft and makes it absorbent³, so it wants dry care rather than wet.

• brush it regularly with a soft suede brush, always in one direction, to lift dust and keep the nap even.
• use a suede eraser on small marks, rubbing gently, then brush the nap back up.
• if suede gets wet, blot it without rubbing, let it dry naturally and then brush it.
• a suede protector spray before the first wear helps it shrug off light rain and marks.
• for a stubborn tidemark or stain, take the gloves to a leather specialist rather than trying a household cleaner.

the nap flattens a little where you grip, which is normal, and a quick brush lifts it again. our suede styles are the 003 checkerboard gloves and the plum and brown python gloves, and there’s more on the material in suede gloves.

how do you clean calf hair gloves?

calf hair, sometimes called pony hair, is cowhide with the hair left on⁴, and it’s cleaned along the hair, never against it.

• brush it lightly in the direction of the hair.
• spot-clean marks with a damp cloth, using a light swiping motion in the direction of the hair and no washing liquid, as roccamore recommends for its own pony hair⁴.
• keep it dry, and keep it away from rough bag straps and edges, which rub the hair away.
• never use a polishing wax on it⁴.

the hair wears down slowly where it rubs most, like the fingertips, so it rewards a little care. our calf hair style is the 002 spotted gloves.

how do you care for gloves with fringe?

fringe needs a little extra attention, mostly when it’s wet. if the strands tangle, separate them gently with your fingers rather than pulling. if the fringe gets soaked, blot it, lay the gloves flat with the strands combed straight with your fingers, and let them dry at room temperature, so the fringe dries straight instead of kinked. store fringed gloves flat with the fringe laid out, and keep them away from velcro and rough bag straps that can catch the strands. our 001 fringe gloves and 008 knotted fringe gloves both have leather fringe.

how do you care for printed suede?

the same way as plain suede, only more gently. brush in one direction with a soft brush, never scrub the printed areas, and use a suede eraser sparingly and lightly, testing it first on the plain palm. a protector spray before the first wear is especially worthwhile on a print, because it’s easier to prevent a mark than to lift one. our python styles, the plum and brown, are printed suede.

how do you care for cream and pale leather?

pale leather shows everything, and the main risk isn’t dirt but colour from other things. dark coats, bags and jeans can pass colour onto cream gloves when either is wet, so keep pale gloves for dry days or for dark coats whose dye is well settled. wipe them often with a soft, dry cloth, and treat any mark straight away. our cream styles are the 007 striped gloves and the 002 spotted gloves.

how do you get marks and stains off leather gloves?

blot rather than rub, and act quickly. for smooth leather, a barely damp cloth lifts most surface marks, followed by a dry one. don’t use household cleaners, wipes or anything with alcohol, which can strip colour and finish, and if a mark won’t shift, take the gloves to a leather specialist. one thing worth knowing in advance: dark leather and suede can pass colour onto pale clothes and bags when they’re wet.

how should you store leather gloves?

flat, dry and dark. store them flat in a breathable bag or box, away from sunlight and damp, rather than in plastic, which traps moisture. the conservation institute recommends steady conditions of around 45 to 55 percent relative humidity and 18 to 20°c for leather, and warns that light damage is cumulative and irreversible and that humidity above 65 percent encourages mould². in practice that means a drawer or a shelf in a room you live in, not a loft, a cellar or a sunny windowsill, and a check every few months over summer.

how do you stop gloves losing their shape?

most shape problems come from drying them badly or storing them crushed. dry them flat, wear them a few times after a soaking so they settle back to your hands¹, store them flat rather than balled up, and never stretch them over anything hot.

how do you freshen up leather gloves?

air, mostly. after a day of wear, let gloves rest flat in a room rather than going straight into a bag or drawer, so any moisture from your hands can escape. never spray perfume into them, since oils and alcohol mark leather, and if a pair smells musty, it’s a sign it has been stored damp: air it well and store it somewhere drier.

how do you look after gloves when you travel?

pack them flat between soft layers, not crushed in a corner of a suitcase, and keep them away from toiletries in case something leaks. if they get wet on the way, the rules are the same as at home: blot, dry flat at room temperature, never on a hotel radiator.

how long do leather gloves last?

with good care, many winters. the gloves that wear out fastest are the ones dried on radiators, stored damp or worn every single day without a rest. rotate two pairs if you can, dry them properly, condition nappa lightly now and then, brush suede and calf hair, and a good pair will soften and improve rather than wear out.

should you use leather conditioner on suede?

no. creams and conditioners made for smooth leather flatten and darken a suede nap. suede is looked after with a brush, an eraser and a protector spray instead, and calf hair with a soft brush along the hair.

what if a seam comes undone?

stop wearing the pair until it’s mended, because a small opening grows quickly with the pull of a hand. a leather specialist or a good shoe repairer can usually close a seam neatly. if it happens on a new wutong pair, email us rather than repairing it yourself, and see delivery & returns for how faults are handled.

what should you never do to leather gloves?

• wash, soak or tumble-dry them.
• dry them with heat, on a radiator, with a hairdryer or in direct sun¹².
• store them damp, or sealed in plastic.
• use household cleaners, baby wipes or anything alcohol-based on them.
• brush suede or calf hair against the grain.

when should you take gloves to a specialist?

when a mark won’t shift with a cloth or an eraser, when leather has cracked, or when a seam has opened. a good leather specialist or shoe repairer can often do far more than home remedies, and far less damage. if something is wrong with a new wutong pair, email us first, and see delivery & returns for how returns and faults work.