[applebwoi]

How do you clean leather gloves? Can you just wash them off with water, air dry and then treat with something like mineral oil?

 

[Buz Green]

I use glycerin soap and then when they are just about dry I rub in some leather conditioner.

 

[whodoctor]

I have rubbing alcohol in a small spray bottle. Its worked well for 3 years. Sure wish I could go back to not using gloves!

 

[Ravenseye]

I just wash mine in dishwasher detergent...dry them and then rub a little saddle soap or mink oil into them. Seems to work just fine.

 

[concrete-bees]

-- Baby powder!!!!!!!!

its the best thing ive every used - once they get sticky with proplis just give them a dusting and say goodby sticky --- bees dont care about the baby sence

 

[sqkcrk]

How do you clean leather gloves? Can you just wash them off with water, air dry and then treat with something like mineral oil?

Get yourself some Nytrol gloves. They wash well and your hands come out of them cleam too. I wear these now and the bees don't seem to try to sting them much. I don't bother to put my cuffs over them either, though the cuffs are down inside the gloves.

I think you can get them from the supply catalogs.

 

[Dubhe]

Nitrile work great, but there's nothing like the smell of leather gloves and propolis.

 

[alpha6]

Hot water and then while still damp run in some saddle soap. Keeps um nice and soft.

 

[Brenda]

I tried Nitrile and I couldn't stand how much they make your hands sweat.
Now I use these nitrile and cloth gloves-
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Garden-...11S/ref=rsl_mainw_dpl?ie=UTF8&m=A1FP4O0YRN3UF

They aren't sting proof, but they keep the sticky off your fingers, they breathe and they are washable.

 

[StevenG]

Another possibility is simply don't wear gloves. That was the hardest thing for me to adjust to. But it has made me a better beekeeper. And yes, I do take stings on my hands... not a whole lot, but enough to help my arthritis! :thumbsup:

Now, one caveat, when I happen upon a really bad day, or hot hive, I do have the gloves with me to don if necessary. But more and more it isn't necessary. Although one day last summer I couldn't wait to get them on...about 4 stings too late. :doh:

 

[applebwoi]

Thanks for all the replys. I started just using cheap cotton work gloves this year, but the nitrile sounds like something I'd like to try. Not quite to the no glove stage but I figure the cotton may be a step in the right direction. They certainly aren't sting proof but they do stop a lot of the stingers from making solid contact. seems like if the stinger doesn't get stuck direcly into the skin, its usually not as bad. I still get a dose of venom so it may help me build up the tolerance I'd like to have.

 

[D Coates]

I keep mine soft (relatively) with cheap olive oil. I did not like the nitrile at all because I sweat like a pig if it's warm at all. I'd lift my arms to do something and a couple of tablespoons or more of sweat would pour up my arms into my shirt. That combined with VERY pruned fingers and a rubber sweat smell had me dropping those gloves in the trash a month later (I gave it the college try). I didn't really start going without gloves until last year (4th year). I do get stings on occasion, but they are mostly due to my fault. Not wearing gloves makes me a lot more careful but doesn't slow me down. You end up thinking ahead before acting. I only use gloves during super removals, cut outs and hot hives (as I'm finding the queen to "remove" and requeen).