How to take care of a ping pong paddle?

Ping pong paddle/rubber care is required

As I wrote above, maintenance of the ping pong paddle and rubber is essential. Before knowing how to take care of a ping pong paddle the question comes in mind that why should you take care of a ping pong paddle.  

Below is a list of adverse effects that can occur without care. If you do not care for the paddle it will show you the following results…

• Performance drops
• Inhales sweat and becomes heavy
• Mold
• Cause damage
• Shorter life

If you do not care for the rubber it will be like these…

• Momentum gets worse
• The number of rotation drops
• Shorter life
• Shortening the feeling of exchange, adversely affecting the wallet

How to care for your paddle

In short,

• Let your paddle dry after practice
• Use a protective case for the paddle
• Replace grip tape more often
• Clean paddle rubbers using cleaner
• Clean your paddle frequently

Dry after practice

Take out the racket from the racket case and let it dry naturally. During the rainy season, you can prevent moisture by putting a desiccant in the paddle case together with the paddle.

ping pong paddles are made almost entirely of wood (more than 85% of carbon paddles are wood). Therefore, it has the property of being weak against moisture.

Read about best ping pong paddles.

If the paddle is excessively damp, it will become deformed or heavier and performance will be significantly reduced. However, table tennis is a sweaty sport. It is unavoidable that hand racks permeate the paddle.

Therefore, it is necessary to dry it appropriately after practice. You can keep your racket in good condition by letting it dry and letting out moisture.

However, overdrying is not good for a paddle. Care must be taken to ensure proper drying.

Do not dry too much

As I wrote above, the table tennis racket is made of wood. It is vulnerable to moisture, but it is also vulnerable to dryness. Therefore, it is not possible to dry it too much.

For example, excessively applying the hot air from the dryer or using a desiccant in the dry season of winter can be said to be excessive drying. Properly prevent moisture and dry appropriately. This is important.

You don’t have to be nervous, but with proper care, your racket will definitely last longer.

Put it in a racket case for protection

We recommend that you carry the racket in the racket case. This is because by putting it in the case, you can reduce the damage caused by an accident such as falling.

I often hear stories that the paddle was broken or cracked due to an unexpected accident. No matter how careful you care, it can be broken as you can’t control an accident.

Also, if you have a racket case, it will be quite useful for organizing your bag. You can put all the necessary equipment such as racket, cleaner, sponge, protective sheet, ball, etc. all in one.

Frequent replacement is required when wrapping the grip tape

I think that some people wrap the grip tape around the grip of the paddle so that it fits better in their hands. What I would like to pay attention to is that the racket may get moldy if the grip tape is left unwound for a long time.

If the grip tape continues to be wound, moisture will not escape forever. Therefore, the grip may get moldy.

When winding the grip tape, it is recommended to change it frequently. Even if you do not replace it, you should occasionally remove it and let the grip part dry naturally.

How to clean the back rubber and anti-rubber

Now, we are going to talk about how to care for the back rubber and anti-rubber. Maintenance is not rocket science. 

In the following, we will explain in detail how to care with images and text. I will write about some maintenance tips as well.

Tools required for care

1. Cleaner (foam type)
2. sponge
3. Protective sheet

Cleaner (foam type)

A cleaner that can be said to be the key to rubber maintenance. It is used to remove dust and dirt.

There are bubble type, liquid type, and mist type cleaners. For the back rubber and anti-rubber, please select the foam type cleaner. 

There are various types of cleaners from each manufacturer, but there is no big difference in performance, so you can choose any one.

sponge

A sponge for wiping off cleaner bubbles. Again, it doesn’t matter which one you choose. Personally, I recommend a double-sided sponge. You can reduce the maintenance time by using both sides.

Protective sheet

A protective sheet used to protect the surface of the back rubber. Be sure to attach a protective sheet after practice or when storing the racket for a long time.

There are two types of protective sheets. “Adhesive type” “Suction type”. Basically, either one is OK, but those who use adhesive rubber seem to have the effect that the adhesive type will last longer.

I used to use an ordinary soft rubber back but an adhesive type protective sheet.

Put the cleaner on the rubber surface

First, let the bubbles of the cleaner come out on the rubber surface. After this, use a sponge to stretch it out, try to produce an amount that is neither too much nor too small. 

If you don’t have enough, you can add bubbles later, so if you are not used to it, you can try adding a little to adjust it.

Spread the bubbles

Extend the foam on the rubber with a sponge. Extend so that the bubbles spread all over the rubber. When the bubbles are fully extended, wipe off the sponge bubbles.

You can use a sponge like the one in the picture, but I personally recommend a sponge that can be used on both sides. 

One side of the sponge is for “foaming out” and the other side is “for wiping out bubbles”. A sponge that can be used on both sides can shorten the maintenance time.

dry

After wiping off the bubbles, the rubber surface is damp. It will dry out after a while in this state. Natural drying is fine, but if you shake the paddle, it will dry faster.

It takes about 2 to 3 minutes to dry.

Stick a protective sheet

When the moisture on the rubber surface is completely removed, attach a protective sheet (you can use an adhesive sheet type, but there is no problem with an adsorption type protective sheet).

Basically, it is applied by hand, but if air gets in, you can apply it cleanly by rolling the cleaner while rolling it on the rubber surface without air entering.

The rubber protective sheet is square at the time of purchase. Therefore, you need to cut it according to the shape of your racket. Attach it to the square protective sheet rubber, and then cut it with scissors.

How to care for front rubber and high rubber

We will talk about how to care for the front rubber and high-rubber. 

The tools required for cleaning will also change from the back rubber. Be careful not to accidentally purchase a care tool for the back rubber. Be especially careful with the cleaner, as it is easy to make a mistake.

Tools required for care

1. Cleaner (liquid / mist type)
2. brush

Cleaner (liquid / mist type)

Unlike the rubber on the back, be sure to choose a liquid/mist type cleaner to clean the front rubber and high-rubber.

Mist type is convenient. When pushed, the cleaner liquid spreads like a spray. It is quite convenient because it can be easily sprayed over a wide area. it’s recommended.

brush

For the back rubber, use a sponge, but for the front rubber and high rubber, use a brush. Use a brush to remove any dirt or dust between the tabs. There is not much difference between products, so please choose the one you like.

Spray cleaner on rubber

Spray a cleaner on the rubber surface. 2 pushes are OK. If you spray it too much, it will be difficult for the rubber to dry.

Brush

Brush the rubber surface evenly. Brush it to remove dust between the tabs. You don’t have to use strong force, you can do it lightly with a dry foam.

dry

When the cleaner dries and the moisture on the rubber surface is removed, maintenance is complete.

How often you should clean your paddle?

You should clean your paddle in every 3-4 weeks in general. But it always depends on you and how often you use your paddle.

Conclusion

So, wrapping up the article we can see taking care of your paddle is basically depending on yourself. The more you care for your paddle the longer it will last.

Also keep two bats if you can. Try to avoid using one bat for a longer period of time.