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surf wax?

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Does anyone have any tips for getting surf wax out of board shorts or rash guards?
I know it might seem weird to want to bother to get it out, but I use those clothes for stuff other than surfing too, so it would be great to be able to get the wax out if possible! Thanks for any hints.
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What kind of wax are you using? I use the white sticky bumps with clear basecoat and don't have problems with that washing out or really even getting alot on my clothes. I did get some of the dayglow junk on my wetsuit and it took along time for that to come out, finally did after a couple months of just being in water with it. I always turn my board over and reset the wax before I get on and honestly, I probably use less than I should.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Actually, I'm not sure what kind of wax it is . . . .I was taking a series of lessons (not my board/I'm a beginner) so it was already waxed when I got there. All I know is it was white and pretty sticky.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
I've never had a problem getting....believe it or not ..."sex wax", out of my paddling gloves. And its really for surf boards, not paddles, but it works. It comes in a puck.
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Gosh I don't know then I know it's frustrating, I have a bunch on the side of my car I can't get off right now - I am hoping it will chip off when it freezes. I wonder if they had the wrong temperature on there? Watergirl likely knows how to get it out though.
@Jilly - try sticky bumps for your paddle - it comes in bars rather than pucks so if you start at one end of the bar and work towards the other you can get more out of it than the pucks and easier to apply. Works exactly the same - although I think sticky makes better cold/cold wax if you are paddling in those temps.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@NewEnglandSkier I did see this post a while back, but honestly I have never really had this problem with clothes/rashguards/ swimsuits etc. I did a quick google search and found some help that suggests either scraping cold or letting warm up in the sun ...similar I guess to getting candle wax off a table cloth.

I think Gloria is correct in that it sounds like they were using a "cold water" wax on a warm day...... base coat and tropical/ warm wax is much "harder" than cold water wax which is "softer." If the water is warm, you need a harder wax or it will get slippery and melt.

I agree that if you use a cold or cool water wax on your board an apply liberally, sometimes a bit will stick on your wetsuit (white butt) but thats if your only using really soft wax. Honestly I've surfed very warm and very cold water any the only time I've had any residue on any fabric is the cold water wax on a wet suit which as Gloria stated wears a way after a short time.

Now for some reason, I find wax in the oddest places on my wood floors -- granted, we tend to strip the wax outside and sometimes wax up in the living room, but if I have a mark on the floor its usually surf wax! It also sticks on leather car seats..... a good reason to use a day bag if you drive w/ your board.

We as a family have been collecting wax for around 2 years... I'll send a picture of the ball if I get a chance... really you should strip your board and rewax if it starts to look dirty or the "texture" changes.... (too many unknown chemicals in the ocean change the structure of the wax)

So that leads to the question of ROUND or SQUARE? what type of wax person will you be?

@Jilly is round or "sexwax" user (so is my husband) @Gloria is a Square or "sticky bumps" user as I am.
It all boils down to preference, and really there are marked differences I find in even within the brands, as I use the Original sticky bumps, but my daughter uses the Munkey which is sticker -- If the place you rented a board from used the Munkey Cool/Cold water wax when the water was over 70 degrees, I would understand why it was stuck in your clothes!!!!!!

Sorry I can't really help, but I think if you google surf wax removal you will find some tips that may work...... Good luck getting it out!
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What I like about the rectangular bars on the paddle is the paddle carves out a half moon in the wax and it's hard to work around the moon in the round wax without wasting a bunch of wax - with the squares you can start at one end and work it at an angle down. Less of a struggle and much less waste. For boards, it comes down to smell - I love the smell of sticky bumps. I need to get one of the candles.
I am willing to bet the munkey is the same wax that REEF had their name on for that promo stuff they were giving away. Holy cow - sticky!
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
My paddle is oval actually, so the either would be good. That said, I changed to fusion tape last year. But I wear gloves as the water is usually cold.
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
LOl, not you specifically anyone paddling. I think all paddle grips are oval, they line up with the blade so you can feel the direction of it. Interesting on the tape though, not sure how well it would work for whitewater though, the wax is typically used when the gloves are broken out so obviously some differences there. Have you had trouble with it coming off in cold water?
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
No, some are still round...oval is more comfortable. Both in the SUP and Dragon Boat. No yet, but with either of those paddles, I don't usually get that area too wet. It's suppose to be OK, as some mariners use it for sealing things....
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Interesting...I looked it up and finally found the right stuff under a dragon boat site. Lots of types of fusion tape. I'm starting to get curious about it for a different purpose - I can't tell from the picture what the surface is like. How grippy is it? Would it keep a wet foot from slipping? Is it like tennis racket grip or stickier? Is it cheap?

@WaterGirl - do post the photo of your wax ball. I read about a guy who lived in a one room shack and had been making a ball of wax for several years that almost took up his whole house. No photo though. I started a ball last summer and put it in the fridge, it was a hot day. I must have lost interest because someone pulled it out of the fridge a month or so ago wondering what?!? It's my wax ball put it back that's where I keep it. Begrudgingly it was put back.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks--I'll try washing them repeatedly and maybe with a different cleaning agent . . . .someone online mentioned using Goo Gone.
I'll also try freezing them and maybe the wax will harden up and be able to be scraped.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, I got it out. Of course I'm not sure which of the methods I tried was the winner since I tried 3 ways (Goo Gone, dish detergent and lava soap) but one of them worked.
 

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