How to Care for a Pair of Gloves

Winter is right around the corner. It is time to take your winter clothes and accessories out from storage bins to be placed front and center in your closet. After all, winter accessories are important. Hats and scarves do best if they match or at least "go together."

However, what about gloves? How can we keep our gloves looking perfect and not dingy looking so that they do match or go together with our hats, scarves, boots, and purses? Goodness, we have many winter accessories. My, do they all match or go together with my coat? I am not going to worry about that right now-I am here to discuss how we can keep our gloves in mint condition.

I do not know about you, but well fitting gloves that feel just right are difficult to come by and I want to make my few pairs last.

Tips for maintaining a pair of gloves- drying

With winter chill, can come winter rain and sleet. Our gloves can become wet. Do not place gloves on a heater to dry. That is what many of us have done and are used to doing. However, in placing gloves atop a heater, the hot air can warp knits and loosen leathers. No more well fitting gloves. Instead, blot with a towel and let the gloves air dry.

Tips for maintaining a pair of gloves- snag prevention

Have you ever put on pair of gloves only to have them be snagged on your fingernail or a ring? Sometime we can be in such a hurry that it is almost as if we yank them on. That is a no- no. Try this trick: scrunch the knit gloves up as you would a pair of panty hose. As you glide each on over each hand, gently unroll the glove.

Tips for maintaining a pair of gloves- Smoothness control

Have that perfect pair of leather gloves? Are you beginning to see creases in the gloves around the knuckle crevices? Iron away creases by holding each glove firmly between your hands and polish against the edge of a table. This achieves the desires smoothing, without stretching out the leather.

Tips for maintaining a pair of gloves- storage

Do you find that when it comes time to organize your winter accessories, you discover your packing of them was not in their best interest? Hats crumpled, scarves snagged and frayed. Store gloves in cloth or paper bags, not a plastic storage bin. Gloves need to breathe! This helps them maintain their shape and you will not find yourself wondering what happened between last winter and this winter that caused your well fitting gloves to no longer fit!