cleaning your bat
saksham sharma Unknown
Submitted on 26-Nov-2009 10:55:16 PM
Last updated on 01-Jan-2010 09:39:06 AM
You Asked
how do i clean my table tennis bat?
and Alois Rosario said...
Hi Saksham,
The easiest way is to just use a sponge with a little water on it. Just wipe down your bat before and after you play.
The main thing is to keep the dust off the rubber.
Comments on this question
Mike Unknown commented...
on the 22-Dec-2009 10:04:50 AM
You say it is easier to clean your bat with (tap?) water, but does that really get the rubber clean enough? Most players seem to use all manner of cleaning products, which suggests you can't rely on just water to get rid of grease, sweat, dust. To keep your rubbers behaving properly, don't you have to use special products?
Ji-Soo Woo commented...
on the 22-Dec-2009 03:27:15 PM
I used to think the same way...but after getting advice from Alois I've started just breathing on my rubbers and wiping it clean with my palm. I've been cleaning it that way for almost the past year, and haven't noticed any drop off in rubber performance. Occasionally, probably about once every 3-4 months, I do use a rubber cleaner...but mainly because I still have a bottle lying around.
Mike Unknown commented...
on the 23-Dec-2009 01:42:55 AM
Ji-Soo, thanks for your comment - I appreciate it! I think it comes down to confidence, and I think you have more than me! I have always wondered if my lack of consistency with mainly forehand topspin shots is due to my skill level (definitely possible!) or the state of my rubbers. When I do get new rubbers, there is usually a real improvement for a while but it doesn't seem to last, and I end up wondering if they are getting greasy and I'm not cleaning them properly, or whether I make more of an effort with my technique when I KNOW they are new and therefore MUST be OK! I think you have convinced me to concentrate more on my technique.
One other thing - I keep my bat in a small plastic bag to keep dust etc. off, with the theory that if there were any traces of dust or whatever in the bag, it would either stay there or transfer to the bat and disappear as the bat is cleaned. Does that sound OK?
Eric DSouza commented...
on the 28-Dec-2009 12:54:11 PM
I tend to use rubbing alcohol applied on cotton to clean my rubber sheets after every playing session. Dirt, grime and grease come off very easily and so far I haven't noticed the alcohol effect the playing characteristics of the rubber sheet.. A racket case is a good idea to keep the bat clean but you can also cover the rubber sheets in the paper wrap that comes originally with the rubber sheet or get a set of sticky plastic covers to protect your rubber sheets.
Ji-Soo Woo commented...
on the 29-Dec-2009 10:46:31 AM
Mike
I use cut-out transparencies on my rubbers. I change these about as often as I change rubbers as they get dirty after a while. I guess a plastic bag might be okay but you have to make sure it is quite clean inside. Also, I wonder if the air in the paper bag would be harmful...anyone? If you are worrying about how to take good care of your rubber, I suspect your rubbers are in good condition. A lot of people don't care at all. Just be careful about dirt and grime building up on your rubbers and then keep working on your technique. Good luck!
Eric
I wonder if using alcohol to clean your rubbers regularly wouldn't dry them out too much?
Eric DSouza commented...
on the 30-Dec-2009 01:37:13 PM
Hey Ji-Soo,
So far, I have been using the alcohol cleaning method for about 2 months, and the rubber sheets play really nice so far. I keep the rubber cuttings from when I glued the rubbers when brand new for comparison as I also had doubts about this method at first, but so far they seem to be relatively the same. The only deterioration I have noticed is the one which happens due to normal wear and tear.
Please note that I use alcohol to clean the rubber sheets only at the end of each playing session and not in between games, the old breath and palm technique works nice for me, just don't wear a ring when you wipe the rubber sheet with your palms :D.
Kronos Chow commented...
on the 31-Dec-2009 05:51:16 PM
I too use water with sponge to clean my bat.
Anyway, how do you clean a pimpled rubber effectively?
Piers Grey commented...
on the 01-Jan-2010 09:39:06 AM
You clean a pimpled rubbered bat by liturally, getting a toothbrush wet (as though you are going to clean out your mouth after you've used the toothpaste) and brush over with the toothbrush onto your pimpled rubber.
What this does is pull out all the dirt, grime and sweat out of the bat, making the rubber more effective and responsive to use during a game.
