SUP Board Maintenance: How to clean and care for your inflatable SUP board
The best moments in life leave their mark. You probably remember those special SUP sessions where you hiked along a rugged forest path to reach your spot, inflated your SUP board on the rocky shore, and had the beautiful mountain lake all to yourself?
Unfortunately, such sessions leave behind not only great memories but also plenty of dirt in the form of stains on your SUP board.
A SUP board is a piece of sports equipment that you want to enjoy for as long as possible. From time to time, you should clean and maintain your SUP board so that you can use it for many years, after all, you did spend some money to acquire it.
How to clean your SUP board after a session
Before you roll up your iSUP after a session, you should wipe the surface with a cloth to remove small stones and sand. This ensures that no stones rub against the surface while rolling it up, which could potentially leave unsightly marks. While rolling up the board, you can also check it for damage. You should only fold and pack the board once it has dried completely. Otherwise, you risk mildew stains and possibly even mold if you store the board damp in its bag for a longer period.
In principle, it is optimal for the durability of an inflatable SUP board to store it slightly inflated in a cool and dry room. Never leave your SUP board fully inflated in the hot sun for hours or even days. In the worst case, the SUP board could burst!
If you have been using your board in saltwater, you should rinse it off with fresh water after the session, as saltwater can damage the material.
Maintaining your SUP board at regular intervals
- Find a shaded spot, because cleaning and maintaining your board should not be done in direct sunlight.
- Inflate the SUP board.
- Using a non-aggressive cleaning agent or a special SUP board cleaner, such as one from Yachticon, and a soft cloth or sponge, clean the board to remove stains, dust, and sand.
- Pay extra attention to the deck pad, as discolorations are a bit more difficult to remove here. A sponge or soft brush is best for removing dirt from the deck. For particularly stubborn dirt on the deck pad, a melamine foam sponge (magic eraser) can help!
- Check the board for any damage.
- Only pack the board away once both the board and the deck pad are completely dry. As mentioned, we recommend storing it in a slightly inflated state in a dry room.
- To seal the board and provide better protection against aggressive UV radiation, you can treat it with a special SUP board care product at the end. Apply the product to the surface (avoiding the deck pad) with a soft cloth and let it dry. Treating it with this care product keeps the material nicely elastic and protects the board against fading and weathering.
- These measures significantly increase the lifespan of your SUP board.
