When you’re playing ping pong regularly, your paddle is bound to pick up dust and dirt that can accumulate alongside getting covered in sweat from the palms of your hands.
If you’re wondering how to clean a ping pong paddle thoroughly, you’re in the right place.
In this article, I will provide you with step-by-step guides on how to clean and recondition ping pong paddles.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
How To Clean A Ping Pong Paddle With Water
Step 1: Fill A Bowl With Room-Temperature Water
To begin, you will need to fill a bowl with 1 to 2 cups of distilled or bottled water that is room temperature.
Note: While you can use tap water, you might find that the minerals in the tap water might soak into the ping pong paddle and could begin to alter the way that the paddle feels over time.
The reason why it’s better to use room temperature water is because hot water can cause the rubber to deteriorate, while cold water can cause the rubber of your paddle to harden over time.
Step 2: Wipe Down The Ping Pong Paddle
To begin the cleaning process, you will first need to wipe any dust or oil off the ping pong paddle with a cloth.
This step is important to carry out first to ensure that no dust gets into your bowl of water when you dip your cloth into the water.
Step 3: Dip A Sponge Or Cloth Into A Bowl Of Water
Next, you should dip a fresh, clean sponge or cloth into your bowl of water.
If you opt for a cloth, make sure that it is a clean, soft cloth. If you’re using a sponge, use a brand new sponge that hasn’t been used for another purpose.
Step 4: Wipe Both Sides Of The Paddle
Once your cloth has been dampened with water, you will need to thoroughly clean and wipe off any marks from one side of the paddle.
Make sure that you are wiping the paddle in parallel strokes upwards and away from the handle in one direction, as this will prevent any dust or residue from getting stuck in the rubber.
You don’t need to press hard, as this can damage the paddle.
Once the first side has been cleaned thoroughly, you will then need to flip the paddle over and clean the other side.
Step 5: Wipe A Dry Cloth Over The Handle To Remove Any Sweat Or Oil
Next, you will need to run a dry cloth over the paddle to ensure that it is free of any sweat or oil.
For this step, simply wrap a microfiber cloth around the handle, and wipe back and forth to ensure that you have removed any sweat or oil residue from those competitive ping pong games.
Step 6: Allow The Paddle To Air Dry
You will need to allow the paddle to air dry completely before storing it away. Generally speaking, this can take from anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes for the rubber to dry out completely.
Step 7: Store The Paddle Safely
Lastly, store the paddle in its case in a safe place so that it is clean and ready to use the next time you want to play a game of ping pong!
Although it is essential that you clean your paddle on a regular basis to keep it in the best condition, you will also need to occasionally recondition the rubber with a rubber cleaner.
While this doesn’t need to be as regular as your cleaning regime, you will need to recondition your paddle to ensure that it’s tack is up to scratch.
The tack is a reference to how sticky a ping pong paddle is. The stickier your paddle is, the better you will be able to play, as it’s much easier to serve and put spins on the ping pong ball when the tack is up to scratch.
To test whether it’s time to use a rubber cleaner, lay the ping pong paddle flat on a table.
Hold the ping pong paddle 3 to 4 inches away from the paddle and drop it on the paddle. If the ball doesn’t bounce or bounces once, then it’s fine.
However, if the ping pong ball bounces multiple times, then it’s time to restore the rubber on your paddle.
A Guide On How To Recondition A Ping Pong Paddle With Rubber Cleaner
Step 1: Spray The Ping Pong Paddle With Rubber Cleaner
To begin, you will first need to spray a quarter-sized dollop of liquid or foam cleaner on your paddle.
Step 2: Rub The Cleaner Into The Ping Pong Paddle
Next, you will need to take a clean cloth and rub the spray into the rubber paddle.
This will help to recondition the rubber while also restoring the tack on the paddle, making it more easy to use when you’re playing ping pong.
Step 3: Repeat The Process On The Other Side Of The Ping Pong Paddle
Following this, you will need to repeat the process on the other side of the ping pong paddle.
Step 4: Wipe Down The Handles With A Cloth
Once you have rubbed the rubber cleaner into both sides of the ping pong paddle, you will need to wipe down the handle with a clean cloth.
Step 5: Place The Paddle In A Ping Pong Paddle Case
Lastly, place your paddle into its case and store it in a safe place that is away from direct sunlight to ensure it doesn’t fade.
A Guide On How To Remove Stains From A Ping Pong Paddle With Dish Soap
Step 1: Make Your Cleaning Solution
Pour 1 to 2 cups of bottled water into a bowl and add a pea sized amount of dish soap.
Mix the soap into the water to make your cleaning solution.
Step 2: Dip A Clean Cloth Into The Cleaning Solution
Next, you will need to take a clean cloth and dip it into the cleaning solution. Rub the cloth onto the stain and move it around in a circular motion.
This should remove the stain, but if not, repeat the process again until the stain comes away from the paddle.
Step 3: Wipe The Ping Pong Paddle Down To Remove Any Residue
Once you have removed the stain, you will then need to wipe the ping pong paddle down with a clean cloth to remove any leftover soap residue.
During this step, be careful not to touch the sides of the paddle with your hands, as the natural oils from your skin will rub off onto it, leaving fingerprints.
Step 4: Wipe The Handle Down
Next, you will need to wipe the handle down and place the ping pong paddle back into its case.
Step 5: Store In A Safe Place
Last, but by no means least, store your clean ping pong paddle in a safe place away from the sun in a cool, dry location.
How To Keep A Ping Pong Paddle In Good Condition
Wipe Down Your Paddle After Every Use
Everyone knows how competitive a game of ping pong can become, and the more competitive it gets, the more you’re likely to sweat.
To ensure the ping paddle stays cleaner for longer, you will want to make sure that you wipe your paddle down with a damp cloth or sponge after every playing session to keep the oil and dirt from building up.
Store The Ping Pong Paddle In A Case
To keep a ping pong paddle in the best condition, it’s best to ensure that a ping pong paddle is always covered when it’s not being used.
This is why investing in a high quality ping pong paddle case will help to keep it clean and in better overall condition.
Store The Ping Pong Paddle In A Suitable Location
When choosing the location to keep a ping pong paddle, you will need to make sure that it is somewhere that is out of the sun as well as avoiding extremely hot or cold temperatures.
In a store cupboard is the best option, as a place that gets extremely cold, such as a garage can cause the ping pong paddles to deteriorate at a quicker rate.
Always Remember To Wipe Down The Handles
While everyone knows to clean the ping pong paddle, a lot of people forget that you must wipe down the handles, too!
As I’ve mentioned, your hands can become very sweaty and transfer oil to the handle, so they need some TLC every time you wipe down a ping pong paddle.
After all, you don’t want to ruin all your hard work by covering the ping pong paddle in grease as soon as you pick it up and start playing with it again!
Recondition A Ping Pong Paddle With Rubber Cleaner
You will need to make sure that you are reconditioning a ping pong paddle with rubber cleaner, especially if you play ping pong competitively.
This comes down to the fact that if the surface of the paddle is too smooth, then you will struggle to spin the ball and/or control the ball when you are serving.
Know When It’s Time To Replace Your Paddle
If you play ping pong on a regular basis, then you should replace your paddle every single year.
While cleaning it is essential to keeping your paddle in the best condition, replacing your paddle every year is important to ensure that you’re at the top of your game.
After all, you want to be able to keep up with your components and play competitively, and you can’t do that without a good quality ping pong paddle.
In Summary
So, there you have it! Hopefully after reading this article you have a better idea of how to clean a ping pong paddle and keep it in the best condition.
Always make sure that you are keeping it in a ping pong paddle case and ensure that you are storing it in a safe location away from the sun.
If the paddle feels like it’s in need of rubber cleaner, make sure that you take the steps to recondition it.
Hi! My name is Dave White, and I have been playing ping pong semi-professionally for the last 5 years. It is a big passion of mine, and I want others to experience the joy that comes with this sport themselves.
Through Spin Galactic I will be providing readers with all the information they need to know. From the best paddles and accessories to buy, to the easiest techniques for beginners to use. This site is the ultimate guide to all things ping pong and table-top sport related.
