The correct care of our equipment is a fundamental issue to be able to use it at its best. We know that choosing a surfboard represents a critical and important phase for all surfers and for this reason its maintenance will have an equally significant impact on our surf. That’s why we want to talk to you about cleaning a surfboard.
If you are approaching this world, you will be wondering what the board should be cleaned from, if it is just sand or something else. Well, attention, we tell you!
Paraffin Wax
Paraffin Wax or simply Wax is one of those main elements that all surfers use daily, and it must be attached to the board! To keep adhesion it is necessary to put a layer of this wax on our board.
What happens over time is that wax, in addition to losing its properties, starts to become dark. Therefore it must be removed and reinserted. Here the importance of knowing how to clean the surfboard comes into play, but first of all, we want to advise you to use wax made with natural products to respect the environment!
How to clean the surfboard: 3 fundamental factors
Now that you know what needs to be removed from the surface of the surfboard, we want to give you some tips on how to clean the surfboard. If you are already a professional and want to give us your advice on a used and tested method, you can do it by leaving a comment on this post.
If you are starting or have recently approached this sport, follow us because it will surely be useful.
1. Heat is our best ally
Wax sticks to the board in a way that we can maintain adhesion by avoiding slipping. Then it hardens and in that state it will be difficult to remove it. We can’t forget that this product is still a wax, so the heat will help us a lot.
If you went out on the beach and after a day of surfing you want to clean the board directly on the beach and make it come back like new, hope that the sun is shining. In this way, you can leave it under the rays for a few minutes until the wax softens and then proceed with the removal of the layer.
If it is cold and you want to clean it for the next session, you can use a hairdryer, but don’t forget to evenly distribute the heat over the entire surface, don’t focus on a single point because you could deteriorate the material. Most likely, now that you have softened wax, you may be wondering how to remove it. Keep reading!
2. Get a wax comb
There are many homemade tricks to remove larger wax pieces, old papers or plastic scrapers to remove ice from car glass, but our recommendation is to use a good wax comb.
Boards are our most precious resource, if not one of the most precious resources, so it is essential to know how to properly clean the surfboard: never use metal scrapers or objects with sharp edges because you could break the board.
The wax combs for cleaning the board have special edges, in many cases each one for a specific function or part, since this surface is not flat and that is why they are presented in various forms.
Pass the wax comb evenly on the board in order to remove the thicker wax blocks, if you are on the beach do not forget to collect them to throw them later, if you are at home, prepare the space before starting to make collection easier.
If you have already passed the wax comb on the surface of the board, you will be wondering how to clean the surfboard from those remains that are almost unnoticeable. Let’s see how!
3. Remove the remains
Finally, leaving the board completely shiny and ready for another layer of new wax, we recommend using a natural product that removes the wax. There are products based on citric acid or similar that are respectful of the ecosystem, better always without chemicals product!
And not only to maintain the environment, chemicals product can damage the surface of your board, so don’t take risks and take care of it from the first moment!
Another basic advice on how to clean the surfboard is to use a cloth or sponge to apply the removal product, without using a tea towel because it leaves marks on the surface of the board. Apply it in circular motions until the board shines again. You can also rinse the surface with a little water later, but remember to let it dry before applying a new layer of wax.
You already know how to clean the surfboard! Do you want to learn this wonderful sport? We have the best instructors! Come and meet us at our surf school in Fuerteventura on surfintrip.com, we are waiting for you!
