As with all racket sports equipment, rubbers have a shelf life, but the long or short life span of the rubber depends on what type you choose. You have to take great care of your ping pong paddle and clean it . It is essential to keep your ping pong paddle sticky if you want higher performance.
In ping pong, stickiness refers to the level of grip that the rubbers should have. You can get a better grip on the ball with a sticky paddle. With the passage of time, dust on the rubber reduces the tackiness of the rubber.
There are simple and easy steps that you can take to make your paddle sticky again.
What is the purpose of a sticky paddle?
Spin dominates table tennis. It is important to have enough grip on the ball to generate more spin. Your opponent can then read and return trickier shots, which gives you an advantage.
If your rubber loses its stickiness, it will no longer be able to block spin shots from your opponent. The smooth rubber on a blade can make the ball slip off due to its lack of grip. You may find that the ball ends up in a strange position, or you may experience a weak return stroke as a result. Simply put, playing with smooth rubber can make a big difference in your game.
The Difference between Grip and Tackiness
In order to move forward, we first need to understand the difference between tackiness and grip. The spin is determined by the rubber’s grip. It describes the rubber’s ability to maintain contact with a single point on the ball.
Rubber’s tacky quality is determined by its ability to stick to the ball. If you hold your bat upside down and press the rubber against a ball, you can easily test the tackiness of the rubber.
You can think of tackiness as a subclass of grip. The rubber can be grippy without being sticky in other ways. When the ball is placed on a soft sponge, it can sink into it more deeply, which increases the area of rubber in contact with the ball.
What do you need to make your paddle sticky?
Assess your current rubbers to determine if they are grippy or sticky. When were they made? Can you see through the rubber if they have pimples? Do they have eroding edges?
Test your rubbers by pinching them and pushing from left to right, then see how much they resist. If you have a bat, you can strike the ball up in the air to produce a sidespin by throwing it against it. Adjust your angle to counteract the Your bat should have enough spin to send the ball straight up into the air. Your bat will have more grip if you can hold it at a greater angle.
You may want to consider getting a new set of rubbers if yours aren’t very grippy. It’s better to spend more on good rubber. Getting cheap rubber is tempting. Good rubbers will hold their grip longer, and they will last longer.
Clean Your Rubbers
If you have a good grip on the rubber, so now it’s time to extend this grip. The first step is to clean your rubbers.
Rubber easily collects dirt and dust. Tacky rubber is particularly prone to this. The balls of table tennis frequently land on the floor and gather any dirt that happens to reside there. There is a lot of dirt on the floors and all this dirt ends up on your bat. It is important to regularly clean your bat.
Maintaining the sticky or grippy properties of your paddles can be achieved by cleaning the rubber regularly.
How to Clean Table Tennis Rubbers
The rubbers on table tennis tables are very easy to clean. Table tennis bat cleaners are available for cleaning rubbers. After each game, spray the solution on each side of the paddle to remove the dirt. It takes less than 10 seconds for you to do so.
For more details please visit https://www.pingpongbay.com/how-to-clean-table-tennis-racket/
Using water and a sponge
Rubber can also be cleaned with water. Some players clean their tacky rubbers with water. By simply wiping down your paddle with water and a sponge, you can remove a lot of dust and grime. Wipe the paddle rubber with a damp sponge and warm water.
The only problem with using water alone is that it doesn’t lift dirt as well. It is possible to get a coating of ball residue on your bat after opening a box of training balls for multiball. Rubber cleaners work well for removing this kind of buildup.
Rubber Cleaning Solutions
You can get rid of most of the grime and dust from your paddle by using water and a sponge, but it won’t remove everything. To get rid of everything, you need a rubber cleaner. Table tennis paddle rubbers can be cleaned with a variety of rubber cleaning products. Your paddle will be completely free of dust and grime when you use these products. Do not overuse these products as the chemicals can degrade rubber if overused. Once or twice a week is enough.
You can visit https://www.killerspin.com/products/rubber-cleaning-spray-kit
Protective sheets and a case should be used
The next step is to store your bat properly after it has been cleaned. A case is necessary to keep dirt and dust away from your paddle. Some paddles are very expensive, so it is recommended to store them in a case to avoid dust.
Either you can get a cheap case or you can spend more money on something more expensive.
The application of protective sheets is a less-known method of prolonging rubber. This method consists of simple plastic sheets that stick directly onto the rubber. Because your bat is already in a case, protecting sheets are not necessary. Most of the dirt and dust will be kept out of the case.
How to Make Rubber Sticky
You can make your table tennis rubber even more sticky and grippy by artificially boosting it. A new lease of life is given to dying rubbers by using this remedy.
Whatever you apply to your rubbers to improve their grip is temporary. You may notice results in just a few minutes.
In order to understand how substances fit into the ruleset, you need to understand how they work. I am going to list some methods that are prohibited by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). In order to participate in sanctioned events, you should not use anything other than rubber cleaner.
A fascinating fact about boosted rubbers is that they are totally legal in table tennis, provided that the manufacturer applies them.
Apply Booster
An ideal way to rejuvenate old rubber is by boosting it with a booster. Falco Tempo Long Booster is one of the most popular kinds out there. Boost will come in a 150ml bottle, which should yield 40–60 layers. You can find more details on https://www.megaspin.net/store/default.asp?pid=andro-fraser-double-red&aid=ppruler
It is best to apply a booster to the sponge rather than the top sheet. The sponge expands when a booster is applied. When glued to the blade, the top sheet has a better grip. Most rubber rejuvenation methods last approximately 8-12 weeks. After the booster fades, it is simply reapplied.
Here is the step-by-step process:
- If you have a rubber protector, remove it and take your rubber off the blade, if it is attached.
- Using table tennis glue, apply a thin coat.
- Let the glue dry for 20 minutes.
- Spray the sponge with a booster.
- Let the booster dry for 24 hours.
- Another thin layer of booster should be applied to the sponge
- Let the booster dry for 24 hours.
- Put table tennis glue on your bat to attach the rubber.
You should notice that the rubber will begin to dome after you apply a few layers. This is entirely normal. Falco recommends using no more than 3 layers of the booster at a time.
Apply Oils
Many people who have no connection to the sport will use this technique online. Sunflower oil is the most common ingredient I see, but I’ve also seen lemon juice and baby oil.
It is applied with a brush on the rubber and then allowed to dry. Repeat at least three times. This technique has never been used by me personally. Methods like this won’t last long. In the unlikely event that any effects do occur, I can almost guarantee that they will wear off within a week.
Conclusion
A high-performance paddle needs to have tackiness on the rubber. You cannot beat your opponent with a dusty paddle as you are unable to produce enough spin. You will be in a good position to perform well if you take care of your paddles by using one of the above methods, keep your paddles in a case to prevent dust and grime from collecting on them, and replace your rubbers when they have worn out.