Who wants his baseball bat gets messy? Yep, people don’t want their baseball bats to get dirty. So, it’s expected that you will want to clean your desired bat to clean after getting dirty.
But, wrong steps to clean the bat could result in more scratches at the end. But, if you know how to clean a baseball bat properly, you can get almost a new vibe from your old baseball bat.
By the way, aluminum bats, composite bats, and wood bat, are all dirty softball bat that needs particular care to clean. So, let’s clean your bat, whether it is a baseball bat or a dirty softball bat.
Before Starting How to Clean a Baseball Bat: Why Should You Clean Your Bat?
Okay, before getting to the point, first let me clear one thing. As there is such an arrangement to clean your bat, it might raise the question, does a clean bat really matter?
Yes, most often, it matters for many reasons.
- First, it is a matter of cleanliness. Cleaning a baseball bat will keep it fresh. Also, it looks pretty well. As a baseball enthusiast, I always will want to keep my bat fresh.
- Secondly, a clean and fresh bat never lets any fungi grow in your bat. You know, a fungus attack could destroy your bat’s performance. Also, a fungus-free bat last for a longer time, no doubt.
Cleaning Metal Bats: Composite and Aluminum Bats
Suppose you have a metal bat, either an alloy or composite bats. You need to remove ball marks or any other dirt efficiently.
As a first move, use a clean cloth to remove the dirt first. Before starting to remove ball marks, it’s a pre-condition.
By the way, it's a trick that is from the manufacturer's instructions. Manufacturers always suggest using dish soap and water. By the way, you should use warm water, not much cold or boiling water.
Soak a sock or clean and soft cloth(washcloth) in the soap water. Use a sufficient amount of dish soap/mild soap and water. No need to waste a lot of soap.
Now, after entirely soaking the cloth, start rubbing your bat gently. In this way, you should succeed in removing ball marks and stains that are easy.
But, if there are some stubborn stains still remain, you need to go for a more tough way.
Additional Read: How To Clean Baseball Batting Gloves To Keep Them Safe And Long Lasting
Using Brush to Clean Metal Baseball Bats
In this way, you will need running water. You can use a bathtub, a hose attachment, or water tape. All three are okay. But, I use a water hose in such a situation.
By the way, take your bat under the running water and start rubbing with a brush. A small toothbrush could be an easy solution for smaller stains.
But, if the stains are more stubborn, you might need something rough like a brush of bristles. Rub with the bristles and check if the stains are removed or not.
Hope this time the method should work.
Aside from this, you can use nylon scouring for more stubborn stains. But, there is no chance that the stain to stay. They must get rid of it!
By the way, don’t forget to rinse the bat thoroughly and dry it. Before drying, also don’t forget to wipe the bat with a clean cloth.
Like baseball bats, baseball pants also get stubborn grass stains. It also would be a good read to know How to Get Grass Stains Out of Baseball Pants | 5 Easy Solutions
Cautions
- Don’t be too rough while using the bristles or rough brushes. It may hamper the paintwork of the bat.
- Also, rough and tough rubbing can put scratches on the bat too. So, as a whole, keep the rubbing gentle and give proper pressure.
- Don’t get the gripping tape wet. Use semi-dry soaping for the handle. Otherwise, the grip could be hampered.
How to Clean a Wooden Bat?
You may ask (If you are just starting baseball or you are a high school baseball player) why I am describing the wooden bat cleaning process separately.
Because the wood surface and the metal are not the same elements. As wood, it can absorb water in it. As a result, you cannot use water to clean bats of wood.
So, regarding cleaning wooden bat, rubbing alcohol is the best solution. Removing pine tar, grime, ball mark, and sweat from wooden bats is highly efficient.
By the way, let’s see how to use rubbing alcohol in wood bat to take off stains.
Read Also: How to Wash a Baseball Cap? Easy Job
Method of Using Rubbing Alcohol
At the very beginning, use a paper towel to remove the loose dirt. It is not a wise step to use rubbing alcohol on the deep dirt.
- Keep the bat on your lap, and start using a cloth that is dampened in the alcohol. Rub the bat with cloth thoroughly all over the bat surface.
- Let the bat dry. It is crucially important to let the bat dry for proper handling.
- Thoroughly wipe the bat so that any leftovers can’t remain.
- Now for the final finish, you can use another wood bat or wood rolling pin to rub the rough spots. This will smoothen your bat’s surface.
- However, give attention to the bat’s handle because most of the sweat stays on the bat’s handle. Properly clean the handle to restore the grip.
- Now, dry out the bat properly. Keep the bat in a dry place. Make sure you don’t put your wooden bat under direct sunlight.
By the way, to give your bat a new look, like almost brand new, wood polish could be used. When you apply the wood finish, this will be absorbed by the wood and give a glanced surface.
Cautions
- Don’t use rubbing alcohol too much. This could make the bat wet though alcohol gets dry fast.
- Also, don’t use much wood polish to make it shiny. Too much wood polish can make the bat soft and breakable.
More Ways to Clean a Baseball Bat
Aside from these two methods, there are several methods to use to clean a baseball bat. Let’s check them out.
Magic Eraser
The Magic Eraser is one of a few ways that take off stains and ball marks from a baseball bat in the fastest time. It is a type of sandpapers that is backed with Durafoam.
By the way, ultimately, the magic eraser is more efficient in taking off the stains from bats than any other way. But, remember, if you scrub it too much or roughly, you may also remove the paint from the bat.
However, the magic eraser is more suitable for wooden bats.
Aside from the magic eraser, you also can use fine-grit sandpaper for your wooden bats.
Natural Methods
Aside from chemicals, soap, and water, there are natural ways to remove your bat’s stains. You can use olive oil to take off any type of adhesive.
After that, a mixture of lemon juice and water could be scrubbed on the bat to remove the marks. By the way, this method is for metal bats. After scrubbing, rinse the bat with clean water.
Jansport company makes good sports backpacks. But sometimes they get dirty too. If you have one, you may like to know how to wash a Jansport backpack properly.
How to Take Care of Your Bat?
Taking care of baseball bats is important as like as cleaning. So, you can follow the following tips to keep your bats maintained.
- Make sure you carefully use your bat. Don’t make your bat a public bat. You know what I mean (Keep your bat yourself, allow no people to use it).
- Avoid harsh environments to use your bat. It is recommended to keep your bat in a safe place when the temperature is under 16° C.
- Store your bat in a neutral environment. No extreme cold, not hot weather.
- Use bat cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you remove water from a bat?
It’s so easy. Take a clean and dry cloth. Wipe up the entire bat thoroughly to remove the water. You can also use a paper towel to do so.
What happens if a bat gets wet?
Your baseball bats should be dry. A wet bat could drive it to a broken one. A minimum extensive repair could be required.
Wrapping Up
Keeping your baseball bats clean is your responsibility. If you know how to clean a baseball bat, it could be great for you to keep your bat in good condition.
A dirty bat is always a bat that could be broken or perform less due to external leftovers. So, clean your bat immediately after getting dirty after a game or practice session.
However, while using chemicals, one must take safety measures. Also, don’t clean or over-scrub the bat. Keep an eye on the paint job too.
Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.