How to Clean and Maintain Your Pickleball Gear for Longevity

A good paddle, a decent pair of court shoes and a few tubes of balls add up quickly. A little care makes each of them last noticeably longer, which is the easiest discount there is.

Paddles

Clean the face

Dust and ball residue build up on the face and reduce grip, especially on raw carbon. Wipe the face with a damp microfiber cloth after play. For stubborn marks, many brands sell cleaning erasers made for textured faces. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive pads.

Replace the grip

A worn, slippery grip makes you squeeze harder, which hurts both your touch and your forearm. An overgrip is cheap and takes a couple of minutes to fit. Replace it when it feels smooth or starts to fray.

Protect the edges

Scraping the paddle on the court when you reach for low balls wears the edge guard and can crack the face. Keep an eye on the edge guard and use a paddle cover in your bag.

Avoid heat

Heat can weaken the adhesives that hold a paddle together. Do not leave paddles in a hot car for long periods.

Balls

• Store balls at room temperature. Outdoor balls crack faster when they are cold.
• Rotate balls during practice so one ball does not take all the wear.
• Retire balls that go soft, lose their shape or crack. Playing with a dead ball changes your timing.

Shoes

• Wear court shoes only on court. Walking on pavement wears the outsole faster.
• Let them air-dry after play instead of sealing them in a bag.
• Replace them when the tread is smooth or the heel feels unstable. Worn shoes are an injury risk.

Your bag

A bag with a ventilated shoe compartment and a padded paddle sleeve does more than tidy things up. It keeps sweaty shoes away from paddles and protects the paddle face in transit.

When it is time to replace

A paddle with a dead spot, a cracked face or a loose core should be replaced. When that time comes, check our pickleball promo codes first. For balls and shoes, see our guides to indoor vs. outdoor balls and pickleball shoes.