Pickleball paddles need to be cleaned regularly. Have you ever done so? There is a possibility that your pickleball paddle will become quite dirty if you do not clean it. Grit on your pickleball paddle can catch dirt, making it less effective for spinning the pickleball and less smooth. The gritty, textured surface of the pickleball paddle benefits from regular cleaning, so it plays more “like new”.
How to Clean a Pickleball Paddle
Cleaning your pickleball paddle can be done in a couple of ways:
- Clean Magic Eraser – I use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to clean my pickleball paddle (a tip I received from Senior Pickleball Pro, Steve Kennedy). Remove dirt from your paddle surface using the Magic Eraser. Once the pickleball paddle is dry, wipe it with a damp cloth. Allow drying after wiping away any water residue.
- Microfiber Cloth and Glass Cleaner – Another way to clean your pickleball paddle is with a microfiber or lint-free cloth and glass cleaner. Clean the glass with the glass cleaner by spraying it onto a cloth and scrubbing it lightly. Leave your pickleball paddle to dry after cleaning it. Avoid using a heavier cleaning solution on your pickleball paddle, as it may leave a residue.
Please note that if your pickleball paddle starts to wear out, do not be alarmed. As pickleball players over time play more and more, this is normal and simply a sign of their activity.
Replace Your Pickleball Grip
Also, you should replace your pickleball paddle grip occasionally. Your grip can lose its tackiness, which causes a slippery grip (especially when wet or sweaty), and wear down, which decreases the support you receive for your fingers and palm. Make sure you change your pickleball grip from time to time to avoid dropping your paddle on the winning point.
Why Clean a Pickleball Paddle?
Many amateur pickleball players wonder why it’s important to clean their paddles. Aside from the obvious “keeping things clean and healthy is always a good idea!” answer, this also has a technical reason for being done.
But the main reason has to do with how pickleball paddles are made. Pickle paddles have a textured hitting surface that allows players to impart spin during play.
A dirty pickleball paddle can lose its texture if it isn’t cleaned regularly, resulting in the paddle losing its texture, which will change the way it plays for the player. Therefore, you would have an increasingly difficult time controlling your shots as a player.
Players may also find that the surface becomes smoother, making it harder to impart spin.
In addition, the paddle may wear out more quickly due to dirt and sweat accumulating on the surface and handle. Your pickleball playing will be more expensive if you have to change your paddles more often.
It’s true that pickleball paddles aren’t as expensive as tennis paddles, but they can accumulate quickly if they aren’t maintained properly. Find out how to choose a pickleball paddle for beginners (here are the best pickleball paddles for beginners)
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Other Pickleball Paddle Care Methods
Make sure you avoid extreme weather conditions
Extreme weather conditions can severely damage paddles when they are exposed to extreme heat or cold. In order to protect them from such types of weather, they should be covered and left indoors whenever possible.
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Keep it in a safe place
Properly storing your paddle is one of the most important things you can do to keep it in good condition. A new paddle can be thrown into a vehicle or even into the house after the novelty wears off, leaving the paddles exposed to the elements without considering that they could shorten their life expectancy.
Keep the paddle in your vehicle as far as possible and do not expose it to the elements. Please see our storage section below for more information.
Ensure that paddles do not collide
It is common for paddles to collide during rallies, but do not intentionally high-five your way through them. Do not high-five if you are reading this during a pandemic! Use your hands and fists instead! In any event, stay away from playing doubles during peak Covid season.
When ‘high-paddling’ with your partner, the excessive force could damage your equipment in the heat of the moment.
Lifting balls with paddles is not recommended
When professional racket sports players lift the ball off the court with their rackets or paddles, that looks super cool on television, but it comes with its own cost – the possibility of damaging the paddle.
Your paddle will last longer if you avoid doing this.
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Keep Paddles off the Ground
Paddles shouldn’t be left lying around on the ground or on the court to prevent someone from trampling over them by mistake.
Water exposure should be avoided
There’s no fishing rod here, it’s a paddle! You should avoid getting it wet or exposed to moisture.
The paddle will stay dry if you hide it under your shirt between points if the match goes on in the rain.
Pickleball paddles can be irreversibly damaged by moisture because of the material used to manufacture them, which is why they can’t be used.
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Be careful not to throw it away
It’s inevitable to feel frustrated or even angry during a match, but that doesn’t mean you should throw your paddle. You are not only disrespecting your paddle, but you are also putting it at risk of damaging it.
Changes in Pickleball Grip
Above, we briefly mentioned that paddle grips should be changed.
Keeping your pickleball paddle in good condition requires that you pay attention to its grip. Be sure to keep an eye on how your grip feels and whether it needs to be replaced.
Because sweaty palms rub against the paddle grip, you don’t want to use a paddle like that, regardless of how much care you take.
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Bring Your Pickleball Paddle Inside
Pickleball paddles should not be left outside or in cars. Keep your pickleball paddle inside when it is not in use, as it is a prized possession. Pickleball paddles – or pickleball – may be affected by weather conditions if left outside or in your car. Your pickleball paddle won’t suffer from this needless wear and tear if you keep it indoors when not in use.
To prolong the life of your pickleball paddle, clean your paddle, change your grip, and store your paddle indoors when you are not using it.
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Final Word on How to Clean a Pickleball Paddle
In order to maximize the life of the pickleball paddle and ensure optimum performance, it is imperative to maintain it.
Among other things, you can extend the life of your paddle by cleaning and replacing the grip, as well as a few other aspects of the maintenance.
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