Pickleball Paddle Maintenance

Top Tips for Maintaining Your Pickleball Paddle!

Pickleball paddles are a good investment since they are an essential part of the sport. They keep you having fun and getting exercise on the Pickleball court! If you’re looking to invest in a new paddle take a look at our Pickleball Paddle Reviews where we review the best Pickleball paddles. Like any good investment, it’s imperative to take care of what you have so it can last longer and keep giving you what you need. This is why you need to ensure that you’re Pickleball paddle maintenance is a priority so that you can keep this bit of sporting equipment in tip top shape which will help you enjoy your Pickleball game.

Apart from making sure that your Pickleball paddle lasts long, you also need to give it the attention it needs to keep it in tip top shape. This is where Pickleball paddle maintenance comes in.

Taking Care of Your Pickleball Paddle on the Court

It’s easy to maintain your Pickleball paddle and keep it lasting long if you take care of it on the courts. Here are a few things you really shouldn’t do with your paddle on the Pickleball courts:

1. Don’t use your paddle to lift balls from the ground. This will scrape the edges of the paddle and cause the edge-guard to wear out faster.
2. Don’t hit paddles after a game. In some sports, hitting rackets together or paddles together shows sportsmanship. In a Pickleball game, you’re just letting your paddle get damaged if you do this. Alternatives: Handshakes and fist bumps!
3. Don’t use you paddle to roll a ball along the ground – either to your partner or opponent. This can reduce the life of your paddle.
4. Be gentle with your paddle. Don’t throw it on the ground in a fit of rage, don’t drop it if you can help it and don’t put it in your gym bag with a whole pile of stuff on top of it.
5. Don’t fall on your paddle. If you do and it snaps, you’ll need to buy a new one. Check out some of the best paddles here.

Keeping Your Pickleball Paddle Safe From Extreme Temperatures

Another Pickleball paddle maintenance tip is to keep it away from extreme temperatures. This means storing it safely in the house when not in use and not keeping it lying in the car or garage when it’s snowing outside! This is because the cold can cause the inner core material to contract, thus damaging the functionality of the paddle and causing it to break faster.

Heat can also damage Pickleball paddles. If you forget your Pickleball paddle out in the sun in very hot temperatures, you’re likely to find it gives you a different level of play when you get back to it! Heat can soften both the core material and the facing material, thus destroying the paddle in terms of ball maneuverability, ball control and power. 

Pickleball paddle grips

The grip is the one part of the handle whose maintenance is absolutely essential to the life of the paddle. Most paddles come with ergonomic, high-absorption grips which are ideal for everyday handling of the paddle. However, as time goes by, the grip needs to be cleaned and maintained. The best way to do this is to clean it after playing with a damp cloth or towel. When the grip becomes loose and loses function in terms of comfort and cushioning, you may need to replace it. Playing on with such a grip can cause the paddle to fly out of your hand and get damaged.

Maintaining a Pickleball Paddle’s Edge Guard

As a Pickleball paddle gets older, there’s a chance the edge-guard may start to loosen from the edges. If this happens, you can get a small container of contact cement from your local hardware shop and fix it. Doing this can lengthen the life of your paddle quite significantly!

How do you clean a Pickleball paddle?

Cleaning is one of the most important aspects of maintaining your Pickleball paddle. No matter what type of paddle you have, cleaning it is remarkably easy. All you need to do is use a lint-free cloth with some glass cleaner and run it over the faces and edges of the paddle. Done!

If you don’t have any glass cleaner, you can opt to take a soft terry tower, dip it in slightly warm water and clean both sides of your paddle with it. Remove all traces of water with a dry towel. Water on the paddle may enter into the core material – if the edge-guard is worn out – and cause it to warp.

A good Pickleball paddle can last for years if you clean and maintain it well. Take care of it and it will give you some great games and amazing wins. Don’t, and it will show you who’s boss! Pickleball paddles do tend to wear out – especially the facing – when you love the game so much and keep playing. Don’t fret: you can buy a new one after checking out our Pickleball Paddle reviews!