Cleaning golf grips is something most golfers skip. But it is easy to do and it will make your grips last longer and play better. Learn more about the benefits of clean golf grips in this article.
You’ll need a bucket of warm and soapy water, a bucket of soap free water, a scrub brush and a towel. One at a time brush each grip with the soapy water, rinse them in the cold water and dry with the towel.
Using this method will yield some well-functioning grips but there are other methods to fix slippery golf grips. Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
What Can I Use to Clean Golf Grips?
You can use different methods to clean golf grips. Some are more gentle than others so it really requires which state the grips are in. If you have slightly dirty grips it is possible to get grip cleaning wipes that can be used fairly efficiently.
On the other hand, your grips can be so dirty that you’re not even able to hold on to the golf club, and in this case, we recommend a thorough cleaning.
This can be done with warm water and soap which is very effective paired with a brush and a dry towel.
The soap and water will not only clean your golf grips and get rid of excess dirt, but it will also restore them to original tackiness and bring new life to the surface layer of the grips.
Warm Water and Soap
This method is by far the best and most gentle way to do your grip cleaning. If there was only one method on how to clean golf grips this would be it. Further down you can learn about the other methods, but first let’s get into the soap and water method.
What You Will Need
Only a few household items are needed to restore your old grips to their former glory.
- A bucket of warm water
- Mild dish soap
- A bucket of lukewarm water
- Some kind of brush with plastic bristles
- An old towel or dry cloth
How To Clean Golf Grips With Soap and Water
Clean your grips regularly with this method and your golf game will improve with the regained tacky feel.
- Start by pouring a few drops of soap into the warm water.
- Rub the grips on all your golf clubs with the brush and the soapy water.
- Dip the grips into the lukewarm water and rinse off the soap.
- Dry the grips off with the towel or cloth and enjoy clean grips.
This method works for all grips whether it’s the putter grip, driver grip, rubber grips, cord grips, and even leather golf grips. It is recommended by Golf Pride, take a look at their easy instruction video below.
After ending the grip cleaning you can even drop your dirty golf clubs into the water with soap and give them a good clean while you’re at it.
Household Items To Clean Golf Grips
If you’re looking for an easier method to clean golf grips there are a few solutions out there.
Can You Use Windex on Golf Grips?
Maybe you’ve wondered if Windex can be used to clean golf grips. It can be used as a pretty effective method to clean your golf grips since it will remove excess dirt and oils from the hands that build up over time.
There is a downside though because Windex contains ammonia which will degrade the rubber slowly. Since it evaporates quite quickly it is no big deal, but if you use it regularly be aware.
Can You Clean Golf Grips With Vinegar?
Vinegar is mostly used to clean the shafts of golf clubs if they’re starting to rust. You can use it on the grips too since it is a natural degreaser and will remove oils from your hands.
The degreasing effect of vinegar is not really apparent compared to soap and water though.
Can You Use Alcohol to Clean Golf Grips?
You can use rubbing alcohol, but this is not the best way either. The alcohol will dry out the grip in the long run.
Using alcohol will effectively remove dirt and grime, so it’s okay to use if you don’t think you have the time to do a proper cleaning.
Putting the rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle will enable you to limit the amount of fluid that goes onto the grips and that way keep the durability.
How Do I Make My Golf Grips Tacky Again?
Newer golf club grips are made out of countless compounds and materials. Some of them are tacky, to begin with, but lose their tack due to normal use and wear and tear.
In most cases you can restore the tackiness by simply using the warm water and soap method.
Another method to restore tackiness is by using grip cleaning wipes to get dirt, dust, sweat, and hand oils off the grips.
This is a good solution to bring in your golf bag on the course, so you have a cleaning method on the go.
In some cases, tack can not be restored and new grips are the only way to go if you want something that works.
How Do You Restore Leather Golf Grips?
Leather grips are a bit different from rubber grips. Since they’re a natural material there are other ways to restore them.
First of all it is ill advised to use alcohol, Windex and other household cleaners since they will simply dry out the leather.
Applying a few drops of castor oil or vegetable oil and massaging the oil into the grip with a moist cloth is the best way to go about it.
After this treatment and letting the grips air dry for a few minutes they are ready to hit the driving ranges.
When Should I Regrip My Golf Clubs?
A good rule of thumb is to do a re-gripping of all your clubs except the putter once per year or every 30 rounds.
If you have your grips cleaned regularly most newer grips will have the durability to last quite long, so regripping is something that can be done less often for you to save money on this particular task.
FAQ
How Do I Know If My Golf Grips Are Worn?
If it is not obvious to you when just looking at the grips it will be shown in an increased grip pressure, so be sure to keep an eye on that.
Grip wear is apparent sometimes as just a teardown of the grip itself and other times as wear in the surface material.
How Do You Fix A Slippery Golf Grip?
Golf club grips can get quite slippery after many rounds of use. Using some grip cleaning wipes will dissolve the oils that have built up and restore the grip to what it once was.
What Are The Benefits of Clean Golf Grips?
Worn grips that are not properly taken care of will impair your game on the golf course. Spending top dollar for some nice Golf Pride grips and then not taking care of them is a big mistake.
Being able to grip the golf club properly will have many benefits. The correct wrist release is easier to obtain. Grip pressure can be lowered while maintaining the same connection to the club.
All it takes in most instances is to wipe the grip a few times on the round and the clean golf clubs and grips when you’re done with the round.
Should Golf Grips Be Tacky?
Normal rubber and leather grips should have a degree of tack to them. It all depends on what material they are made of etc.
Cord grips don’t have the same tackiness to them, but they rely on the friction that is made due to the resistance in the cord that is mounted on the surface of the grip.
Final Thoughts
Now you know a thing or two about how to clean golf grips. As you have seen there are a few different ways to restore your golf club grips to their former glory.
With a warm soap mixture from the kitchen sink and a dry towel, you will get far, and this time around simpler is actually better. This is by far the best method.
You can cut some corners by using a few household cleaner items like Windex vinegar or rubbing alcohol, but this is not good in the long run and is mostly for an emergency clean if you’re in a hurry.
