How to Clean Skateboard Grip Tape (Easy 9 Steps)

Grip gum is considered one of the key elements for cleaning. Grip tape is the protection of a skateboard. All the bags of dust mostly accumulate in the grip tape. People use various kinds of methods for cleaning the grip tape. Brush, detergent, water and towel are mostly used. Apart from this people also use some other options. Cleaning the skateboard is necessary. Otherwise, people face some difficulties to use this. Cleaning is also important to avoid viruses and bacteria in the grip tape. There are few steps for cleaning the skateboard grip tape. One can also consider the grip tape condition while cleaning this.

Methods for Cleaning the Skateboard Grip Tape

There are a good number of cleaning methods. However, people have to follow the methods which are not harmful to the grip tape. The materials of grip tapes are not able to cope up with all situations. Cleaners have to choose the method by considering this. Otherwise, these wills decrease the lifetime of a grip tape.

Some of the best methods of cleaning are discussing below:

Belt sander: This is the easiest and safest way for cleaning the grip tape. One can buy this from Amazon at a cheap price. That is work as an eraser. This is so convenient to use in the grip tape. This can also use while the grip tape gets a dust spot. The belt sander is fit for use immediately. This is not always capable of removing the dust from grip tape completely. Especially the deep dust spot is quite hard to clean with the belt sander.

Clean through brush: This is one of the cheap ways for cleaning the skateboard grip tape. People just need a toothbrush and some detergent water. The task is so easy. People need to get a good quality toothbrush. At first, the cleaner has to wet the grip tape with less amount water. Cleaners have to do this in the dust spot of a skateboard grip tape. Then people can clean this through the toothbrush. This way makes less harm to the grip tape. The cleaner must push harder through in the circle of dust. Otherwise, this will not remove. A Paper towel is also needed in this process of cleaning. For removing the dirty water, a paper towel works.

 Clean through wire brush: This is one of the hardest ways for cleaning the skateboard grip tape. Users can clean all of the dust through this. People should not use this in a rough way to the grip tape. Otherwise the grip tape hampers. For this method of cleaning, users need to get an adequate amount of detergent water, a paper towel and a wire brush. The quality of the wire brush should be good. The wire brush is much efficient than any other thing. People can remove the dirt quickly with this. However, one should not clean this haphazardly. A wire brush can hamper the body of grip tape. A Paper towel is essential for removing the dirty water from the grip tape.

 Apart from this common method, there are also some others methods. People should consider effectiveness rather than efficiency. Changing a grip tape is more costly than cleaning this.

What are the elements for cleaning skateboard grip tape?

The most famous thing is grip gum. This is mostly used for cleaning the grip tape. The grip tape has made with such good quality. Electric Skateboard can easily remove dirt and dust through this. There are others elements are available for cleaning.

This is Discussing Below Briefly

Detergent and soap water: This element is good. However, this cannot remove dirt like grip gum. People who want to clean their grip tap through toothbrushes and wire brushes use this. This element has fewer side effects. People have to maintain some cautiousness in terms of cleaning with detergent water. The flow of the brush should make carefully. Wire brushes are a little dangerous to use in the skateboard grip tape. This can lose the stickiness of the grip tape.

Ammonia solution: This is the alternative product of soap or detergent water. Two or three drops of ammonia are enough for a little water. This can also use through a toothbrush or wire brush. The user has to care about the number of drops. This is a chemical material. There is a high chance of getting worse if an adequate amount of ammonia is not used.

Vinegar: The acid inside vinegar also able to clean the grip tape of the skateboard. People are using this hardly. For using this material people need a towel and a soft brush. This can bring a fruitful result if vinegar is used properly.

Glass cleaner: Glass element is also one of the best elements for cleaning. The inside material of glass is positive for grip tape. With a paper towel, people can use this. The light amount of dirt and dust are removable with this.  

Apart from these elements of cleaning, people can use other purposes cleaner. However, people should find out the best solution for them. Good ranges of cleaning material are in the market. Some materials are best some are not. People should use them based on the need for a skateboard grip tap.

How to clean a skateboard grip tape

All the necessary belongings and methods are discussed above. Besides, there is much another way for cleaning a grip tape. There are two types of grip tape skateboard. One is a small deck skateboard and the other is a large deck. This will not be a good decision to use a uniform method for both types. Two types of grip tape are not the same in their size and quality.

The cleaning Procedure is Describing

First of all the skateboard holder should remove the wheel from the skateboard if possible. This will give far better results to the skateboarders.

• Use grip gum: People need to use this first. One should use grip gum based on the dirt and dust on the surface. A good amount of dirt will cost most grip gum. Grip gum is necessary for removing dirt and dust. This element of cleaning is much efficient to use. This can work amazingly at the primary level of cleaning.
• Use a brush: After removing the dirt through grip gum, the next step is to use a brush. People can use a toothbrush or wire brush. A toothbrush works slowly than a wire brush. That time the brush needs soap or detergent water. This brush can remove the dirt and dust deeply.
• Use a towel: This is the easiest process for drying the grip tape. One can use an electronic dryer. This will do the job faster.

 If the surface of the grip tape needs to clean more, people can repeat this process.

The process also varies due to the size of the grip tape. All the elements are not fruitful for use in the same size grip gum.

Uses of cleaning elements in different sizes of grip tape are showing below with a table:

The amount of soap or detergent water is varying according to the size of a grip tape. To hold the quality of grip tape, people must use their cleaning elements carefully.

What are the things to avoid while cleaning a grip tape?

There are also some avoidable things. People cannot randomly clean a grip tape. People need to maintain the following avoidable things.

The Avoidable things are Given Below

Keep away the water from the skateboard: Water can be the cause of harm. The grip tape needs a little amount of water. Soap or detergent water is mostly used in terms of cleaning. Grip tape is not waterproof. Extra water can hamper the quality.

Using steel brush hard: Steel brush is hard. This can damage the quality of grip gum. The user should softly use a steel brush. This will damage the grip tape if anyone cleans this through hard pressure.

Bad cleaning materials: This can also harm the grip tape in the long run. Excessive acid type cleaning material is not perfect at all. People should clean their grip tape with normal detergent and soap.

Some hacks for cleaning skateboard grip tape:

• Before cleaning the skateboard, keep the grip tap out in the sun. Don’t keep this for a long time. The hit from the sun will assist to remove the dirt and dust easily.
• Not only clean the grip tape but also clean the wheels and under the deck of the skateboard. This will give more lifetimes to the skateboard.
• Whenever the grip tape faces dirt, clean them immediately.
• Don’t use extra water for cleaning the grip tape. This will hamper the quality of the grip tape as well as the skateboard.

 How do I keep my Grip from Getting Dirty?

Skateboard riders should aware of this. People need to avoid a muddy roads. In the rainy season, the Skateboard Decks becomes dirtier. People can keep clean the grip tape by wearing a clean pair of shoes. Besides, the rider can clean the dirt day after day for removing the deep dirt on their grip tape. People can also ride with the skateboard on the dry road. This also keeps this safe from the dirty.

So is Cleaning Your Grip Worth it?

This depends on the quality and price of the skateboard. Cleaning is costs less than replacing. People can clean their skateboard grip with fewer amounts of money and less effort. Whereas the new grip tape is much pricier. If anyone wants to take a new and quality grip tape, this is a different issue. But in the normal case, cleaning is the best solution for saving money and keeping the skateboard fit to use.

How to Remove the Old Grip Tape?

People are not always interested to use old grip tape on their skateboards. There are some steps for removing the grip tape. For this to happen, people have to use a hairdryer at the tail of the grip tape. The hair dryer can produce enough amount of heat to separate the stickiness. At that time people can use a sharp knife to remove the grip tape from the deck. After repeating the process one can remove the old grip tape.

Final words

Cleaning a skateboard is not a hard task. By following some necessary instructions one can easily do it. People can follow our above recommendation to clean a grip tape. Grip tape is a vital part of the skateboard. This helps to move and take turns safely. This will not become possible if the situation of a grip tape is dirty. So the skateboard riders should clean their grip tape regularly.