I use nitrile gloves. They're thin so dexterity is maintained, they offer excellent grip which reduces the likelihood of being dropped. As an added benefit, no body oil gets on the tubes, so they stay clean longer.
I use vintage tubes almost exclusively, and they almost always need to be cleaned gently with a soft, lightly moistened towel.
When I'm ready to insert the tube into the socket, on go the nitrile gloves!!!