How to clean a snowboard

The simplest way to clean a snowboard is to do a little every time you ride. Snow melts into dirty water on the base, grit sits on the topsheet and moisture clings to the edges. Clearing that away the same day keeps the board fast and stops rust from starting.

1. Knock off the snow from the base, topsheet and bindings before you bring the board indoors.
2. Towel off every surface, working along the edges from nose to tail so you do not snag the cloth on a burr.
3. Let it air-dry at room temperature, base-up or standing on its tail, away from radiators, fires and heaters.
4. Only then bag it. A board zipped wet into a bag or left in a car is an easy way to end up with rusty edges.

This quick routine is the everyday habit behind everything in our complete board-care routine. The deeper cleaning below is for when the base looks grimy, before a wax, or before the board goes into storage.

Old wax that has turned gray or dirty, or a thick storage coat, needs to come off before you ride or rewax. Work from the gentlest method up:

1. Scrape. With the board at room temperature, pull a sharp plastic scraper from nose to tail in long strokes until no more wax curls off. Clear the edges with the corner of the scraper.
2. Brush. Brush from nose to tail to lift wax out of the base structure.
3. Hot scrape if it is still dirty. Iron on a soft wax and scrape it while warm, as described above, until the scraped wax looks clean.
4. Base cleaner as a last resort, following its label, then let the base dry fully.

Remember that the goal is clean wax in the base, not a base stripped bare. RaceWax puts it simply: “You want wax in your base, not on your base.” After a deep clean, rewax promptly; if you are not sure how often that should be, see our wax-timing guide.

The topsheet and sidewalls collect road grime, salt spray and scuffs. Burton’s storage guide recommends a mild household cleaner such as dish soap, warm water and a cloth rag to wipe down the board and bindings, followed by a dry rag to remove moisture.

• Wipe in sections, rinsing the cloth often so you are not dragging grit across the graphics.
• Work around the bindings, or remove them first for a thorough clean; the bindings themselves are covered in the next section.
• We suggest avoiding harsh solvents, abrasive pads and pressure washers on the topsheet; they can dull or lift graphics. If you want to remove sticker residue or polish the top, check the board maker’s care advice first.
• While it is clean, look for chips, cracks or layers separating. Those need fixing rather than cleaning; see repairing a chipped topsheet or sidewall.

Edges need drying more than washing. After wiping the base and topsheet, run a dry towel along each edge from nose to tail, taking care, as edges can be sharp and burrs can catch skin and cloth. Pay attention to the tip and tail, where water pools.

If you find orange spots or a rough film, that is surface rust, and cleaning alone will not remove it. Our guide to getting rust off your edges explains how, and edge sharpening and deburring covers the next step. Wipe away metal filings after any edge work so they are not ironed into the base when you wax.

Bindings collect grit in the ratchets, straps and baseplate, which can make buckles stick. Burton’s storage guide gives bindings the same treatment as the board: warm soapy water on a cloth, then a thorough dry.

1. Knock off snow and ice, then wipe the straps, highbacks and baseplates with the damp, soapy cloth.
2. Work grit out of the ratchets and ladder straps with the cloth; an old soft toothbrush can help in tight spots.
3. Dry everything with a clean rag and let the bindings air-dry away from direct heat.
4. While they are clean, work each buckle and check that the mounting screws and straps are secure, using the method in your binding manual.

We suggest not greasing or oiling ratchets unless your binding maker’s instructions say to, since lubricant can attract more grit. If you take the bindings off to clean the board, note your settings first and use the binding setup steps to put them back.

A damp, gritty bag undoes a clean board. Check the bag maker’s care label first, since materials and padding vary. As a general approach:

1. Empty every pocket and shake out grit, wax shavings and loose hardware.
2. Spot-clean the lining and outer with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then wipe with clean water.
3. Leave the bag fully unzipped and open to air-dry, out of direct heat, before any board goes back in.

A clean, dry bag matters most before long trips and off-season storage. See flying and traveling with your board and summer storage for your snowboard.