Skiing, Snowboarding

8 Top Ski and Snowboard Base Cleaners 2024

Snowboard Base Cleaners

Cleaning the base of your board is an important process before waxing, tuning, and doing any base or edge repairs. Having the best wax, the best wax iron, along with the best tuning and waxing tools is not enough to have your board in its best state. If it is loaded with debris, oil, traces of old wax, and other dirt, you will certainly have a difficult time waxing your board. What you need for your tuning and waxing kit to be complete is the right snowboard base cleaner.

If you have opted to go the DIY route of tuning and waxing your ski or snowboard, the waxing process will involve the following steps:

  • Cleaning the base
  • Application of wax
  • Scraping and buffing the base to give it a smooth finish

Waxing your board makes it glide fast and smooth on powder while also protecting it from abrasion hence giving it a longer useful life. This post is about base cleaners, therefore, we shall discuss the process of cleaning the base of your board in detail. Note that base cleaning is an important step that helps you with the removal of dirt, old wax, and grease to allow the new wax to penetrate well into the board surface.

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Demon Hyper X Universal 1 LB. Big Block Wax  4.8
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Swix 163N Ski Base Cleaner with Fibertex 150ml: ORM-D 4.5
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WINKWAX NEW Natural Prewax & Cleaner  4.0
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Technichem Corporation JG Base Cleaner Ski Base Cleaner (1 Gallon) 4.3
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Dakine Supertune Base Cleaner 4.1
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PURL Eco Ski & Snowboard Base Cleaner 4.9
SWIX Citrus Cleaner One Color One Size 4.9
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Dakine Supertune Base Cleaner 4.8

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Different ways of cleaning the base of your board

 

Using a wet rag

This method is suitable if you intend to eliminate dust and mild dirt from the top surface of your board.

 

Scrubbing with a brass handheld brush together with a damp rag

When dirt is caught up within the grain of your board, merely wiping it off does not get rid of it. Here you need a brass brush with long bristles to dislodge dirt particles from within the board then once the dirt loosens and comes on the surface, wipe it off with the damp rag.

 

Melting wax on the surface and scraping it off with a scraper

When it is the old wax that you need to eliminate off the surface of your board, melt some clean wax on top of the old layer. This will cause the old wax to warm up a little after which it should be scraped off.

 

Using a citrus based cleaner

When all you want to do is clear the dirt, dust, and old wax all at once, a citrus based cleaner will be your ultimate choice. A good bade cleaner will not harm your ski and snowboard base. It will also clean off the dirt and melt the wax fast and effectively.

 

Base cleaning process

  1. Using a damp rag wipe the entire board to remove any loose dirt and dust.
  2. Using a scraper, scrape off as much old wax from your board as you can then wipe off the wax particles. Alternatively, use the hot wax scrape technique, described below, to remove the old wax.
  3. Now apply the base cleaner and leave it for around 20 seconds before wiping it dry.
  4. Repeat this process two more times to be sure that any dirt and wax particles lodged within the grain of your snowboard base are loosened.
  5. Using a brass, copper, soft, or nylon brush, brush the surface of the board from the tail to the tip thoroughly to clear off the old wax and grime.
  6. Rub the surface with fibertex to clear hair particles that result from brushing off wax. Your base is now ready for waxing.

 


 

Top Ski and Snowboard Base Cleaners 2024

Below we have listed 4 top base cleaners that you should consider looking out for.

 

1. Demon Hyper X Universal 1 LB. Big Block Wax

Demon Hyper X universal wax and the Citrus Base are a perfect combination that will ensure that your Skiing equipment is well taken care of. The universal wax is blended with Demon’s own special formula and comes with a sweet scent that’s friendly both to your nostrils and the environment around you. What’s more, use it in under any temperature and you’ll not be disappointed. The citrus base cleaner works perfectly to clear any debris or wax particles from your board when prepping it for waxing and will not in any way leave the drying effect on your board as is typical with other base cleaners. Its well-incorporated citrus component is as effective as the wax that block that comes with it and will keep your board thoroughly clean and well maintained for days to come.

In addition, 1 lb wax and 4oz base cleaner are enough to see you through several tuning sessions before running out. let’s just say that with this combo, you will certainly have smooth fun glides on the snow any time you are out sporting.

 

2. Swix i63N Ski Base Cleaner with Fibertex 150ml

The Swix 163N Ski Base Cleaner with Fibertex scrub comes with an undeniable ability to cleanse your skiing equipment. This base cleaner has three main advantages. These include a light scent that will not irritate you particularly if you or your loved ones are prone to allergic reactions, environmental safety, as well as the dual functionality of base cleaning and wax removal.

The fibertex scrub applicator included in this package eliminates klisters, wax, and debris quite effectively. Finally, rest assured that this base cleaner will neither leave the ugly drying effect on your board nor destroy the effect of prior base treatments on your board. The long-term effect is that your ski or snowboard will be durable, always having that new look and performing at its best.

 

3. WINKWAX NEW Natural Prewax & Cleaner

WINKWAX Prewax & Cleaner is a dual-function base cleaner that works both as a base conditioner and as pre-wax. It will effectively remove old wax, surface dirt, and dust just before the application of hot wax on the ski or snowboard. It also fills the pores on the base after scraping off old wax.

This base cleaner is packed in a 113-gram tin and comes in the form of an easy-apply-on paste that effectively cleans off dirt, dust, and old wax. However, it shouldn’t be used as a wax remover. To apply the base cleaner, simply rub it on the surface of the board using a wipe or a paper towel and it will be ready. WINKWAX Prewax & Cleaner is also safe for use, especially around children. It is made from a 100% bio-safe formula consisting of natural plants with no solvents or toxic substances.

 

4. Technichem Corporation JG Base Cleaner

The JG snowboard base cleaner by Technichem Corporation is another safe and effective base cleaner. If you love quantity then, by all means, opt for this cleaner. It comes in a 1-gallon container that will certainly take you through a number of cleaning sessions without running out. A good thing is that it is safe for you, for the environment around you and for your board. It won’t leave any ugly drying aftermath like an ordinary base cleaner. Instead, it protects the quality of your board material hence keeping it well maintained for long.

 

5. Dakine Supertune Base Cleaner

Dakine’s 236 ml Supertune base cleaner bottle contains concentrated citrus oils that remove dirt, wax, grime, and other contaminants that form at the bottom of the board. To achieve great results, apply Supertune Base Cleaner with a rag, let it dry and then apply hot wax. The wax will distribute and absorb the wax perfectly. However, you do not have to use the cleaner before every hot wax treatment. If no dirt has accumulated at the base of your board skip using the cleaner.

 

6. PURL Eco Ski & Snowboard Base Cleaner

Purl’s Eco Ski & Snowboard base cleaner is a good option if you are looking for something environment-friendly. This base cleaner is biodegradable and purely organic hence non-toxic and safe for use around children. It is also mildly scented making it a good option for people with fragrance sensitivity.

Unlike ordinary base cleaners, Purl Eco base cleaner will not dry and damage your ski and snowboard base. This base cleaner comes in a spray bottle. Simply spray, allow around 1 minute for dirt, grime, and other contaminants to come loose and then wipe off with a rag and you are good to go.

 

7. SWIX Citrus Cleaner One Color One Size

Swix Citrus Cleaner is another biodegradable cleaner that offers an environmentally-friendly non-toxic citrus-based base cleaning experience for you, your kids, and the rest of the family. Coming in a 500 ml bottle. Beyond this, it is an effective degreaser. It is also a good option for skis that are used on seawater.

 

8. Dakine Supertune Base Cleaner

Dakine’s Supertune Base cleaner boasts of a good scent. Further, this formula of highly concentrated citrus oils works well to remove grime, dust, and other forms of dirt from the base of your ski or snowboard. This base cleaner measures 236 ml in quantity which is enough to take you through several applications before running out. To achieve effective results, give it some time, roughly a minute, for it to dry before giving your base a hot wax treatment. However, cleaning doesn’t have to take place with every hot wax treatment. It is recommended only when dirt accumulates at the base of the ski or board.

 

Conclusion

Using a ski wax remover to clean off dirt, grime and old wax from your board definitely saves you some wax cleaning energy. Base cleaners have the ability to dissolve any type of dirt, are friendly both to you and the environment, and will take care of your board. While the best really depends on you, the four cleaners reviewed above have grown in popularity and come as excellent recommendations.

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