Cleaning leather gardening gloves

[OrlandaFuriosa]

my sister has inherited from our mother a set of Useful Gardening Gloves, the sort that gave fabric round the wrists and strong leather / chamois/ something for the palms and uppers. She asked me how to glean them .

I said I didn't know but would ask Mumsnet.

She said " I knew that's what you'd say! .

So here I am, asking that question. We both assume the washing machine would be a disaster.

I've never bothered as I use my gardening gloves so no point! You could always try saddle soap, which is for cleaning leather.

if it's grey leather with a matt surface, I believe it's called chrome leather, it's tanned a different way from shiny brown or black. You can actually throw them in a bucket of soapy water, or put them through a cool wash, like trainers.

Don't hot-wash as it will cook the leather, and don't leave them lying around damp as it will go mouldy.

The leather will go stiff after washing, so once it is dry, spray it with WD40 (this is not a joke).

Oooh, thank you. I washed them with washing up liquid last night but they are indeed lying around damp on a radiator, how should I dry them?

Will to the wd40 trick, sounds implausible and counter-intuitive, but obv will work!

hang on washing line to dry. Fresh air and a bit of breeze is better than heat.