What happens if grip tape gets wet

Getting mud on your grip tape is bad, it clots, sticks together, makes your skateboard look bad and reduces the overall grip. This is especially bad if you need the best performance from your grip. This method is the least damaging to your grip but it takes the longest time to do and it will use a lot of paper towels and not get ALL the dirt out.

It can be a bit cumbersome and annoying, to be honest, but if you are patient and persistent, you will have pretty clean grip tape. Finally, I recommend using a single sheet of the towel roll and patting it down so it can really get into the grip and absorb the dirty water.

This is key to effectively getting the scrubbed up dirt out. You simply rub the rubber back and forth across your grip and the dirt comes out. You can buy the cleaner at your local hardware store or even off Amazon — some skate companies are now selling small affordable sizes of these. This is the easiest, cleanest and sustainable method in my opinion and probably the best for coarse longboard grip tape. After riding in wet conditions, electric skateboards should always be wiped down and dried out.

In the end, trust your instincts. Some people have ridden in the rain and their boards were just fine. Others have ended up with a wrecked board. Always check for the IP rating of an electric skateboard and use our guide. Question Title:. The Deck or Board The deck of the skateboard is usually made of wood. The Bearings and Bolts When skateboards get wet, their bearings can lose their lubrication and the bolts can rust. Other parts of the skateboard to consider for the impact of water: Grip tape works well to give your feet traction on the board, even when wet.

But grip tape can lose adhesion over time with repeated wetting and drying. If that happens, the tape will start to peel off the deck. Skateboard trucks can withstand water for some time, but if they get wet too frequently, they will soon start to rust. Made of synthetic hard rubber, skateboard wheels have absolutely no problem with getting wet.

After Wetting, What Next? Some of the necessary things to do are: Remove the hardware in order to disconnect the deck from the trucks. You can then use a towel or a rag to dry the board, the hardware, the trucks and the grip tape.

Remove the wheels, then dry the inner and outer parts of the bearings. Spray some lubricant on the bearings. This will remove leftover grime and dirt while making sure that your grip tape is not ruined and that it will still offer you good grip to skateboard. You can buy grip gum online or at your local hardware shop, or better yet, at your local skate shop.

This is a cheap investment into the care of your skateboard, longboard or scooter. Rub the grip gum on your board as if it were an eraser and then remove the residue. This is truly the best way to thoroughly clean your grip tape without ruining your grip tape. As we've previously mentioned, the best way to clean your grip tape without ruining it is by not using water.

However, if you're not able to get a soft wire brush or grip gum but want to clean your grip tape, you can use simple household items. This method involves getting your grip tape a little wet, only as much as necessary, therefore it is not ideal but it is still effective and a great option when you cannot get a hold of the other items necessary in the method above.

You'll need a firm toothbrush, a bit of soapy water add detergent to water and a cloth. Avoid paper towels as it will create residues when wet. This method will also take a little longer than the previous. With that being said, let's begin! The first step is to brush your board from one end to the other with the toothbrush to remove dirt. Make sure your toothbrush is still firm as an old toothbrush won't be effective.

This dry brushing will help remove dirt form the grip tape. However, if you have deeper mud or dirt in your grip tape, you'll need to continue to the next steps in order to remove the stains.

To remove bigger stains, dip the toothbrush in the soapy water you have prepared by mixing detergent and water in a cup. Make sure the toothbrush isn't too soaking as we don't want to wet the grip tape too much. Now use the toothbrush to brush any difficult stains on your grip tape. As soon as you use the wet toothbrush and see the mud or dirt coming out, use the cloth to dry the area and pick up the stain.

This way you remove the stain as fast as possible and avoid leaving your grip tape wet for a long time as that will ruin it. Repeat step 2 and 3 until the stain is off. Once you're happy with the result, leave your board to dry for a couple of hours before you go out skating again.