How to clean golf grips
Cleaning golf clubs’ grips is an important task that needs to be done by all golfers to ensure consistent and accurate shots with their golf clubs. If you ask any professional golfer, they’ll tell you that the grip holds equal importance to any other parts of a golf club.
It’s important to maintain the grip of the golf club to be able to firmly hold your golf club. A good and clean golf club grip helps in keeping the hand stable, and ensures that the golfer can use to use a light pressure grip.
Cleaning the golf club makes you grip feel like new every time you use your golf club after it’s cleaned. Another important reason for cleaning the golf clubs is the evolution of the colors of golf club grips. Formerly, the grips could easily be maintained using traditional black hue to hide any flaws and wear-and-tear.
However, the recent trend of vibrant grips has made it more important than ever before to clean your grips regularly. This is because environmental particulates, grease, oil and sunscreen from your hand is more visible on a vibrant style grip.
The negative effects of a dirty grip need to be combated by golfers. Grips can be cleaned using different methods ranging from using a simple bucket of soapy water, or making the best use out of the devices found at driving ranges.
Steps to clean a golf club grip:
- To start with the process of cleaning a golf club grip, you first need to clean the entire club. It’s recommended that you first use a plastic bucket filled with water. A kitchen or bathroom sink will also perform the job pretty well.
- Next, you’ll need washing liquid, warm water (slightly warmed), any type of brush with plastic bristles, and an old cloth piece or towel.
First, clean the golf club:
- Fill the plastic bucket with lukewarm water. The water level should be filled enough for dipping the heads of the iron without the water reaching over the ferrules.
- Now squirt a little amount of washing liquid into the water. Make sure that the water is mildly warm and not too hot as it will loosen the ferrules.
- Place the bucket down with the golf clubs submerged in the warm water.
- Keep the grips soaked until the grease, and excess dirt loosens up from the grooves.
- After soaking for a few minutes, clean the grooves golf club using a brush with plastic bristles, like a toothbrush. This step is important as removing the dirt from the grooves. This helps in increasing the surface area of contact between the golf club and ball at the time of impact.
- After cleaning the grooves, clean the back of the clubhead and sole of the iron to remove any grass, sand, or mud.
- After removing the mud, rinse off the clubhead with clean water.
- Dry the clubhead with the old towel and run the towel down the shaft to ensure that it is dried completely before going back into the bag.
- You can also dry the grips using an air dryer, but the towel is a better option as it ensures that no residue is left behind.
Best way to clean golf grips
Golf grips can also be cleaned with other methods besides the standard bucket and detergent solution method.
One of the best ways to clean golf grips is by using grip cleaning wipes that are available on the market for about $5.99.
By following one simple step, you can easily clean the grip of golf clubs using the golf club cleaning wipes.
- Firstly, remove the wipes from the packet and then reseal the package for using again in the future.
- Take the wipe and run it down the golf grips.
Two golf wipes are enough to clean the whole golf club set at the cost of 80 cents. Since you don’t need to keep the golf clubs soaked in or dried, the wipe method is faster and easier to do than the water and bucket method.
During the heat of summer, the golf club grips can get gritty after playing a few rounds. To keep the clubs in good condition, spray some water on the grips using a spray bottle. Spray the club at 3-4 times so the grips are wet enough. Once wet, dry the grips with a towel.
If you are willing to give the grips a thorough clean after soaking them in the lukewarm water, spray some household cleaner on the grips. The cleaner will break up the grease and oil in between the grips and make them look as good as new. However, it is important to rinse the grips with water after using the household cleaner. The cleaner may contain ammonia, which can dry up the grips and result in damage.
You can use a microfiber golf towel that is specially designed for the cleaning of golf club grips. After the cleaning steps, to give your golf club grips a nice finish, you can use metal, steel, or chrome polish (depending on your club) to add a nice finish to the club.
What to use to clean golf grips?
The requirements for cleaning golf club grips vary according to the method you are using for cleaning them. You can either put in money into cleaning kits or opt for a DIY approach using household supplies.
- Water is the most basic component for cleaning any equipment. For best results, while cleaning the golf club grips, lukewarm water is recommended.
- Water that is too hot can run you into the risk of loosening up the ferrules. As a result, the ferrules can slip down the shaft. Similarly, cold water will not be effective in removing out dirt.
- A bucket can be used to prepare the soap mixture and then soak in the clubheads into it.
- Washing detergent is important for removing stubborn stains. Liquid soap is recommended as it makes the process of cleaning much easier. Don’t use bleach or heavy agents as they can affect the color and texture of the grip.
- A plastic brush with bristles allows you to clean the grooves of the clubhead with ease. It is recommended to use a brush with soft bristles, so the texture remains undamaged.
- A sponge helps in holding enough water to clean the entire club without wasting too much water or soap in the process.
When to clean golf grips
Golfers should clean their golf clubs once or twice each year. However, if you use play golf frequently, the grips should be cleaned once per month. The oils and sweat from the hands, dirt, change in temperature, and other factors can contribute to the grip wear.
The worn grips are firmer to play in contrast to the first time they were used, and as a result of the deposits, the clubs lose their original tackiness. This increases the grip pressure, and it becomes difficult for the golfer to get the correct wrist release.
Grips with little to no tackiness are likely to have a great impact on squaring the clubhead even with the slightest slip and affect the performance of the golfer. To extend the life of grips, the golfers should clean the grips several times in each season to remove any excess oil or dirt which is deposited due to frequent use.
How often should you clean golf grips?
The golfers who use their golf club regularly should wash the grips at least once a month. The amount of dirt and grease accumulated is likely to increase if the grips are not washed regularly and properly. This can affect the grip of golfer due to accumulation on the golf club.
Cleaning the golf club grips regularly increases their longevity and makes them as fresh as new. It is also preferable to clean the clubheads regularly after each round. Clean grips of golf clubs make a clear difference, especially in the summers as the oils and sweat from hand get on the grip and take away the soft, tacky feel.
However, the golf club shouldn’t be cleaned excessively with soapy water as the grips can get slippery and firm. To bring out some tackiness, you can scrub the grip with a rough piece of sandpaper. If you keep the clubheads in the car or garage, they’ll harden faster due to the warm temperature; therefore, the clubs should be kept in a cool place.
How to make golf grips tacky again
Golf grips can be made tacky again by cleaning them regularly, followed by sanding. Cleaning the grips ensure that no dirt or deposits are left behind on the grips.
There are two simple steps for cleaning the grips easily, which include dipping the golf club drips in lukewarm water mixed with liquid detergent and then cleaning them with a towel.
If the cleaning methods don’t help in regaining the tackiness of the golf clubs, it is better to get them replaced due to low tackiness, and the golfer might find it difficult to hit straight and accurate shots. Sanding the grips is an important step if you want to ensure that the golf club grips are tacky. Sanding can be done using the following steps:
- Use sandpaper of medium grit to rub against the grip. Before moving to the rough grit sandpaper, it is better to first check with medium-grit sandpaper. This would ensure that the grip is not damaged due to the rough surface of the sandpaper.
- Rub the sandpaper across the grip in up and down motions with a light hand. This would help in making the grip rougher. Don’t rub on the grip with a hard hand as you might end up sanding the grips off instead of making them tacky.
- Use a towel to remove any excess sandpaper dust and loose grip material from the golf club grip.
With these three steps done, your golf club’s grip will be tacky as before. It is preferable to clean the grips and sand them at least once a month, depending on the frequency of usage. You can also replace the grips in a year or two if your golf club is in regular use.
How to make leather golf grips tacky
To restore the tack on a leather golf club grip, you can use castor oil. It helps in restoring the tackiness of the golf grips quite easily. Applying a small amount, around 2-3 drops, will do the job pretty well. Vegetable oil can also be used to serve the same purpose. It works quite well, but if your hands get sweaty, the grips can turn slightly rancid.
If you have ever restored an old softball mint or baseball, you can get a dressing that can be used for making the golf grips tacky. You can also find it easily in a sports goods store. You can also use a little tine par for this purpose.
Best golf grip tacky spray
The 3M™ Super 77™ is a multipurpose grip tacky spray that can be used as an adhesive for a wide range of lightweight objects. It can be used to increase the tackiness of golf club grips. If you are in search of less messy options, then you can opt for bleach white and spray it on the grips.
The golfer can use a wet green Scotch Brite pad to scrub the grips as that also works quite well. The tacky spray can make the grip of the golf club sticky if it is used excessively. For a safer option, pine tar can be used as an alternative to the golf grip tacky spray.
Do white golf grips get dirty?
Yes, white golf grips do get dirty. White golf grips are less likely to get brown or dirty when kept well maintained and cleaned regularly. If you use the golf clubs rarely, then the white golf club grips wouldn’t require regular washing and cleaning.
The white grips can get dirty and stained if the golf club is used regularly. You can clean the grips with a bleaching agent. Some brands manufacture white grips made from rubber, which are resistant to getting dirty; hence, they can last all year long without getting any marks or stains of dirt.
How to clean a white golf grip
The ease of cleaning white golf grips depends on how regularly it is used. If the golfer uses it regularly, then depending on the manufacturer, the marks might get stubborn and difficult to remove. However, if the golf club is used twice a week, then the grips can easily be cleaned using the traditional soap and water method.
How to clean golf grips with Windex
Windex, combined with rubbing alcohol, does a good job of cleaning the golf club grips. It is ideal for use in summers as the golfer’s hands are more likely to get sweaty. Windex helps in keeping a stronghold on the grip.
How to clean golf grips with sandpaper
Sandpaper is a good way to repair worn out golf clubs temporarily.
- Firstly, wash the dirty grips with lukewarm water and soap to remove all the dirt and excess deposits from the grip.
- After drying the grip with a towel, use sandpaper to rough the grip up.
- You can use coarse sandpaper, but make sure that you don’t rub too hard on the paper. This method works ideally for cord grips.
How to clean Golf Pride Grips
The golf pride grips are made from rubber, so using bleach on them can damage the grips; therefore, it should be avoided.
Simple method to clean the Golf Pride Grips:
- All you have to do is soak the grips in lukewarm water with cleaning detergent mixed in it.
- After dipping it in for some time, rinse the grips and dry them up with a towel.
- For detergent, you can use mild dishwashing detergent or any other mild cleaning agent.
How to restore old leather golf grips
Lexon can be used for cleaning and restoring the old leather golf grips. Not only it cleans them, but it also helps in softening the leather grips, which makes it easier for the golfer to maintain a strong grip on the club. Lexon can be bought easily from any leather or sporting goods store. Castor or vegetable oil can also be used to serve the same purpose.
How to fix slippery golf grips
For cleaning and restoring golf club grips, soap and water can do the task pretty well. However, it is said that if the golf clubs grip becomes shiny and slippery, it is better to get them replaced.
200-grain sandpaper can be used to reduce the slipperiness of a golf grip as it removes the surface layer. It requires a lot of work, so replacing the grip of the golf club is a better option.
Further Reading: How to Regrip Golf Clubs