Cleaning my leather gloves

**superdough** · 03-04-2018, 04:29 PM

What is the best way to clean the sticky stuff off of my leather gloves?

**JTGaraas** · 03-04-2018, 05:05 PM

There is an old thread that has many answers: https://www.beesource.com/forums/show...leather+gloves

Basically, put on your gloves, wash your hands vigorously like you are scrubbing up for a doctor show with dish water soap (Dawn), rinse off soap, remove gloves, lay flat, and let dry. If slightly stiff, rub in a little mink oil or olive oil, and go to work with your bees. I am starting year five (5) with at least one (1) cleaning per year using a pair of goat-skin gloves.

**heybe** · 03-05-2018, 05:21 AM

I find oil the most effective to clean it off.

**faizfair82** · 09-03-2019, 11:26 AM

These are some of the useful ideas to clean the leather gloves.

**JWPalmer** · 09-03-2019, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by faizfair82

These are some of the useful ideas to clean the leather gloves.

I did not see any cleaning tips, just an Amazon site selling faux leather driving gloves, not even appropriate for beekeeping.

**JUGGERNAUT** · 09-03-2019, 06:39 PM

I just dont use gloves when handling bees. Not comfortable. Cant feel enough of whats going on with griping the frame or putting my finger in comb or on a bee. Suck it up guys! lol.

**WillH** · 09-04-2019, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by superdough

What is the best way to clean the sticky stuff off of my leather gloves?

I would spray some WD40.

**JWPalmer** · 09-04-2019, 05:17 PM

So I thought I would try cleaning. This weekend while working the hives I opened one that had the stickiest propolis I have ever seen. After scraping a golfball size amount off of just the tops of the frames, I realized I had a problem when I could get it off of my gloves, the ball of propolis that is. Once I finally did, all my fingers were sticking together and the frames I pulled were impossible to let go of. Fast forward to today. Grabbed my still sticky gloves, a bottle of Everclear, and a microfiber towel. Rubadubdub. The Everclear did nothing for the staining but it did remove the propolis with just a few minutes of scrubbing. Before and after photos of the same glove.

20190904_175346.jpg 20190904_180241.jpg

WARNING: Do not clean your gloves with Everclear and then attempt to light your smoker!

**Andhors** · 09-05-2019, 11:40 AM

I am very averse to stings, but switched to 9 mil nitrile gloves.
You CAN get stung if you force the stinger against a finger (I got cavalier), but even then the sting is less than 10% as painful or itchy as a bare skin sting . Been using these for months without a sting (because I am less clumsy, the stinger can’t penetrate, and because they don’t sense it as as stingable surface) and with great tactile sense. I was surprised that these gloves last longer than heavy dishwashing gloves (1 pair lasts over a month). Another plus is that they are so thin you can do fine work like grafting.

**JUGGERNAUT** · 09-05-2019, 03:59 PM

I too found the NITRILE gloves to work good when I was putting strips in the hive. good to know about their sting capabilities with those gloves. I have some in my bee gear just in case.

**elmer_fud** · 09-05-2019, 10:23 PM

I have started wearing these nitrile gloves

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have watched a a bee try to sting thru these gloves, and the stinger got stuck in the glove without going thru.

edit: I typically put a ponytail band over my jacket and the gloves at my wrists to make sure not bees can sneak thru. The elastic in the wrists of my old jacket got stretched out so I started doing this.