Do you REALLY need Goalkeeper Glove Cleaner?

I am constantly asked by my students, do I believe in paying money for goalkeeper glove cleaner that you now see advertised on goalkeeper coaching shops.

Too be honest, I do not think its worth paying any money.

By the way, I am not saying these glove cleaners are bad, they are not because I have spoke to a few goalkeeping students of mine who swear by this stuff, but me personally I would rather save the money and not buy this cleaner, then put this money saved towards a new pair of gloves.

Goalkeeping Gloves are a VERY fragile products and if you wash them wrong, you could easily ruin them. I have done this with my gloves sooooo many times over the years were i washed them wrong and had to throw them away, and I had only used them once!

So what do i use if i do not use glove cleaner?

As basic as it sounds, i just use clean luke warm water, and i DO NOT add any detergent, cleaner etc, I use pure water. This has worked very well for me in my 20+ years of playing in goal at the highest levels. And my gloves have always lasted me a long time doing it this way, thus saving me money!

Another tip:
One of the things that i do after a game as sad as this sounds is I jump in the shower wearing my gloves and clean them this way. Yes I know very sad but it works for me.

Another thing that i do is when i get home, is fill a bowl of luke warm water, i then:

1: Gently wash my gloves with my fingers until I get the dirt off.

2: Rinse my Gloves.

3: Repeat number 1 and 2, so you are getting all dirt off gloves.

Cleaning my goalkeeper gloves in this manner has helped my gloves last longer and preserved my grip, so please give my go a bash. Plus it saves you money!

Best of Goalkeeping

Ray Newland

goalkeeper-glove-cleaner