Getting your Griptape dirty is an inevitable part of skateboarding, especially living in the UK. Often dust and the general dirt your feet transfer to the grip don’t make much of a difference. Sometimes however you may transfer mud (or worse) and be faced with a horrible sight every time you look down at your board. There’s nothing worse than trying to learn a trick or doing one you’re fond of as clean as possible when your griptape is anything but. Stubborn dirt can also diminish how effective your griptape is, making things slippery as well as aesthetically displeasing. In short, it’s something we all hate but it is easily remedied.
Griptape Cleaners have hit the scene and are definitely something worth investing in, they do the lion’s share when it comes to removing dirt from your griptape. They will also last a long time and be on hand to give your grip a quick once over even when it’s not super dirty. Griptape cleaners are sturdy blocks of natural rubber which clean the surface grime from your griptape, they are very easy to use and especially good at removing ground in dust.
All you need to do to tackle the dirt is to rub your grip cleaner up and down the length of your griptape while applying downwards pressure. Rub it in strips from tail to nose and work your way along it’s width. Rubbing it thoroughly will remove the dirt which sticks to the rubber, bringing up excess which can then be brushed away. Griptape cleaners are a great invention and a handy addition to the toolbox. You will notice how well they work straight away but may find that some more stubborn dirt can’t be lifted by them. For this we recommend using a soft wire brush. Rubbing this on the problem area in a circular motion should be enough to tackle any bits the griptape cleaner was missing. Having dusted away what the soft wire brush liberated, another once over with your griptape cleaner should finish the job.
You may find other guides online which recommend using water and other solutions to scrub away dirt. We advise against this for the soggy board knock-on effect. It’s just not worth it. Griptape cleaners will be up to the task in most instances but if you are faced with really filthy grip there is another option. It could be time to consider re-gripping your board. This may sound ominous but it’s really not. You will find all the information you need in our guide on How To Remove Griptape From A Skateboard Deck. This takes you through the process in easy to follow steps. Once it is time to apply the grip again we recommend you watch our How to Grip Tape A Skateboard Deck video first. There is always something you can do to tackle this problem but avoiding those muddy shoes in the first place will help to keep the cleaning process at bay.
Add a Griptape Cleaner to your shopping cart and keep your board looking fresh. If it's swamped in grime and beyond saving then check out our healthy selection of Skateboard Griptape to add new life.