How To Clean Grip Tape On A Skateboard

What's one of the best feelings ever? Stepping onto sticky, sturdy, fresh skateboard grip tape.

What lasts possibly two seconds? Pasty, sturdy, fresh skateboard grip tape.

You know the feeling—you stride in sand or mud, your grip record gets slick, and your tricks are doomed. Only instead of direct-up peeling off and replacing your grip tape (a fussy and costly process), why non just clean it?

These simple steps will help you get your skateboard or longboard back in shape, and set up for skating within the same twenty-four hour period.

What You'll Demand

New grip tape costs about $5 to $10 per lath, but removing the one-time tape and applying new tape can exist tedious.

Instead, if your grip tape has gotten a little glace, start past purchasing:

1. A piece of natural prophylactic
2. A soft wire brush
3. A microfiber material.

In my opinion, these three inexpensive items should exist kept in every rider's board bag. They'll price most the same as fully replacing the grip tape, and will help extend the life of your skateboard—and your sweet tricks.

I matter that can help clean your skateboard grip tape is a Grip Record Cleaner like the 1 below. Cheap and elementary to use, this grip record cleaner is less than $x and volition make the entire process easier.

Buy on Amazon

What to Expect

This isn't a magic process—cleaning your grip record with these methods won't go far look brand-new. Only it WILL:

• Make your grip tape feel sticky again
• Keep your grip tape and skateboard (or longboard) intact without causing any harm
• Save you from the job of replacing the grip tape entirely
• Brand your grip tape last longer

If you lot practice desire your board to await brand-new again, consider replacing your grip tape if it'due south peeling, worn through or very slippery in some areas.

How To Clean Traditional Skateboard Grip Tape (Shortboards)

Step 1. Utilise Prophylactic to Remove Surface Crud

Most skate shops sell a piece of safety known as "Grip Gum," which is an effective style to get surface crud off your grip tape.

Little-known secret--y'all tin can get this same type of rubber, but cheaper, at an art supply store. It'due south a similar product, usually used to remove rubber cement. Go into a store similar Blick Fine art Materials, ask for "safety cement pickup," and a store attendant should exist able to assistance yous find what you demand for no more than a few dollars.

If you lot need a visual, this is what you're looking for:

(Image from Blick Art Materials)

Once yous've got the slice of safety in hand, firmly wipe it beyond all of your grip tape. Information technology should do its job and go rid of dust, dirt, and other unwanted grip tape invaders.

Footstep 2. Clean Deeper with a Soft Wire Brush

On some websites, yous'll run into bad "cleaning advice" where people will tell you to make clean your grip tape with window cleaning solution and a toothbrush. DON'T Practice THIS. Information technology's a bad idea for 2 reasons:

Reason #1: The window cleaning solution will soak through the record and into your board, making it soft and eventually ruining information technology.

Reason #2: Most toothbrushes aren't actually coarse enough to remove deep crud, and so the method isn't fifty-fifty effective.

Instead, what you lot'll want to do is hit upwardly your local hardware store and get a soft wire castor—again, for non much more a few bucks.

Scrub the grip tape in sections with the wire brush (and no cleaning solution!) to bring deeper, below-the-surface grime to the top. Then, leave your trusty slice of condom again, use it to remove the surface grime, and you're ready to ride.

How To Clean Coarse Longboard Grip Record

Longboard skateboards are usually outfitted with a thicker, coarse grip record that is notpermeable. This means you lot can use a window cleaning substance or water to remove the grime—no trouble.

Step 1. Scrub the Grip Tape

Start past filling a measuring cup with ½ loving cup of window cleaner or water. Dip your soft wire castor (from the final section) into the solution, and begin scrubbing the grip tape. First at one end of the board and work your way to the other cease, brushing in small sections to make sure you go rid of all the clay.

Step ii. Thoroughly Dry The Surface

Use a large microfiber textile (or several smaller microfiber cloths) to dry the grip record thoroughly before continuing.

For best drying results, lay the material on acme of the deck and pat information technology until it sticks to the grip tape. Don't try to wipe the cloth along the tape to dry it. Allow the textile sit down on the grip tape for three to iv hours, or until the record feels completely, absolutely, 100% dry.

One thing that can help make clean your longboard grip tape is a Grip Tape Cleaner similar the ane below. Cheap and simple to utilize, this grip tape cleaner is less than $ten and will make the entire process easier.

Buy on Amazon

Pace 3. Wipe it Clean with Safety

Reallyreally make sure your board is dry out earlier yous requite information technology a once-over with your safe piece--your Grip Mucilage or rubber cement remover won't piece of work properly if the grip tape is even a lilliputian bit damp. Wait until the grip is entirely dry, and wipe the piece of prophylactic over the whole affair until all of the grime is cleared away.

Have you successfully restored your grip tape'southward solid grip with household cleverness?Let us know in the comments!

Photo credit: RACINGMIX

Source: https://boardblazers.com/blogs/all/76923459-how-to-clean-your-skateboards-grip-tape

Posted by: johnsonjointlaim.blogspot.com

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