Care instructions are part of the product
A customer needs to know how to prepare, clean and store a new pair, not just how it looks in the box. For a brand or academy, clear care information also makes product feedback easier to interpret. Keep a care card, product-page instructions and customer-service guidance consistent.
The routine below draws on official Reusch and uhlsport guidance for latex-palmed goalkeeper gloves. Follow the instructions supplied for the actual glove and palm compound where they differ. Special wet-weather foams or specific care products may have their own preparation requirements.
Before use: prepare the actual material
Both brands advise washing new palms before first use to remove manufacturing residues and moistening the grip for play. Reusch gives separate preparation guidance for its Aqua palms. Ask for the correct routine for your selected material instead of transferring a branded compound's timing to a different glove.
For a sample trial, photograph the unused pair and record the preparation method. Use the same routine for samples being compared. Otherwise, a difference in preparation can be mistaken for a difference in palm performance.
After play: clean gently and dry away from heat
Reusch recommends hand cleaning after play with water no hotter than 35°C, avoiding washing machines and harsh detergents. uhlsport advises cleaning with hands rather than brushes. Use only a cleaning product that is suitable for the glove and follow its instructions.
Both manufacturers advise air drying away from direct sun and heat. Do not speed the process on a radiator. Keep the palms from sticking together while drying. Once ready for storage, protect the gloves from damaging light and follow the supplied storage instructions.
| Moment | What the care card should explain |
|---|---|
| First use | Material-specific washing and preparation |
| Before play | Whether and how to moisten the palm |
| After play | Hand-cleaning routine and permitted cleaner |
| Drying | Air drying, safe placement and heat avoidance |
| Storage | Suitable environment and palm separation instructions |
Make the routine workable for an academy
Assign each pair to a player or a clearly identified kit set. Store care instructions where gloves are issued, and explain the routine when a player receives them. A short demonstration can reveal confusing wording before the same question reaches dozens of customers.
Plan the workflow around the academy's real facilities. Decide where hand cleaning happens, where gloves can dry safely and who checks that equipment is returned to storage. A care card is less useful if the only available drying location is unsuitable or players do not know which cleaner is intended for the gloves.
Separate wear observations from assembly concerns
Reusch notes that soft grips can show normal wear. Visible palm abrasion therefore needs context rather than an instant conclusion from one photograph. At the same time, a seam opening, detached component or unexpected material change deserves its own review and should not be dismissed with a general wear statement.
When collecting feedback, ask for the product code, purchase or issue date, number of sessions, surface, preparation, care and clear photographs. Record the problem in the player's own words. This information supports a fair assessment; it does not replace the applicable sales terms or the customer's rights.
- Photograph the full pair and a close-up of the affected area.
- Include both hands to show whether wear is localized.
- Record surfaces and sessions instead of relying only on calendar age.
- List cleaners or grip products applied, if any.
- Keep sample-trial records separate from customer-service cases.
Review the instructions before a repeat order
Use recurring questions to improve the next care card. If a palm or packaging component changes, ask whether preparation or storage guidance must change too. Translate instructions for the intended market and have someone unfamiliar with the project follow them before approval.
Avoid promising a fixed number of matches. A useful support page explains the routine, identifies what information is needed for a product concern and gives a clear contact route. That is more actionable than a lifespan claim that ignores player technique, surface and use.
Further reading
Independent background reading. These brands are not presented as KeeperSource partners.
Reusch: official goalkeeper glove care instructions ↗uhlsport: washing, drying and storing goalkeeper gloves ↗