How to Store Motorcycle Gloves Between Seasons
Leather motorcycle gloves that are stored correctly come out of the off-season ready to ride. Gloves that are stored incorrectly — dirty, compressed, in the wrong environment — come out stiff, cracked, or mildewed. The storage process for deerskin gloves takes less than 30 minutes and determines whether those gloves last another season or end up in the trash in spring.
Step 1: Clean Before You Store — Always
Storing dirty gloves is the single most common storage mistake. Road grime, sweat salt, sunscreen residue, and skin oils left on the leather continue to degrade the material through the off-months. Salt residue in particular is destructive to deerskin — it draws moisture out of the fiber structure, causing drying and eventual cracking from the inside out.
Before storing, wipe down the exterior with a slightly damp cloth and allow the gloves to dry completely at room temperature. For accumulated grime in seam areas, use a soft brush. Do not use soap, detergent, or saddle soap on deerskin — these strip the natural lanolin. A damp cloth followed by air drying is the correct cleaning method before storage.
Step 2: Condition Before Storing
After cleaning and before storage, apply a light coat of lanolin-based conditioner and allow it to absorb overnight. Storing the gloves with this fresh conditioning layer provides a buffer of oil in the fiber structure against the drying effects of low-humidity storage environments. Do not apply heavy conditioning — excess oil can become tacky in storage and attract dust. A light application is correct.
Step 3: Shape Retention During Storage
Never store deerskin motorcycle gloves compressed or folded. Folding the palm tightly over itself creates a permanent crease in the leather that will not fully relax after months of compression. Store gloves flat or lightly stuffed with acid-free tissue paper to maintain their open shape.
Do not store gloves hanging by a single finger from a hook — the weight of the glove creates stretch in the finger that affects fit over time. Flat storage on a shelf or lightly stuffed in a breathable cotton bag is the correct method.
Step 4: Storage Environment
Deerskin gloves should be stored in a cool, dry environment with moderate humidity. Extreme dryness — such as a heated basement or attic that drops below 30% relative humidity in winter — accelerates moisture loss from the leather. Extreme humidity — a damp garage or storage shed — promotes mold and mildew growth on natural leather.
A temperature range of 60–75°F and 40–60% relative humidity is ideal. An interior closet or drawer in the living space of the home typically meets these parameters. Avoid garages, basements with moisture issues, and attic storage for leather gloves.
What to Do in Spring Before the First Ride
When you retrieve your gloves at the start of the riding season, apply another light conditioning treatment and flex the leather by hand before the first ride. Allow the conditioner to absorb for a few hours. This rehydrates the fiber structure after months of static storage and prepares the glove to break in again to your grip in the first few rides of the season.
Well-stored deerskin gloves from the American-Made Motorcycle Gloves collection should look and feel close to their end-of-season condition when retrieved in spring, with only minor stiffness at the flex points that resolves within the first few rides.
Shop American-Made Deerskin Gloves: Browse the full lineup of Deerskin Short Wrist Touchscreen Gloves and all other models at Legendary USA — American-Made Motorcycle Gloves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I store leather motorcycle gloves in a plastic bag?
Avoid airtight plastic bags for leather storage. Leather needs a minimal amount of airflow to prevent moisture buildup that leads to mold. A breathable cotton bag or open shelf is better than airtight plastic. If using a bag, leave it partially open or use a bag designed for leather storage with breathable panels.
How do I remove mold from deerskin gloves that were stored improperly?
Surface mold on deerskin can often be removed with a dry cloth or soft brush in a well-ventilated area, followed by a very light wipe with a cloth dampened with a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar. Allow to dry completely, then condition with lanolin conditioner. Deep mold that has penetrated the fiber structure may be unrecoverable. Prevention through dry, well-ventilated storage is more reliable than mold treatment after the fact.
Should I store winter gloves and summer gloves the same way?
The same storage principles apply to all leather motorcycle gloves: clean, light conditioning, flat or lightly stuffed storage, appropriate humidity and temperature. For Fingerless Deerskin Gloves going into fall storage, the same process applies — clean thoroughly before storing and condition lightly before retrieving next spring.