Cork cleaning

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

I hope this hasn’t been beat to death!

I am looking for a good, safe way to clean the corks on my rods?

Thanks
Paul

2

And I think the dirt adds " character" to the rod and therefore I leave it alone.

Mark

I’d rather be in Wyoming!

3

Hi, Paul. Run the cork under running tap water. Get your hand wet, too. Put a bunch of baking soda in your hand and on the cork. Rub. Rinse. Rinse again. Pristine cork.

4

To each his own…I leave the handles alone too.

Regards
nam

5

I don’t mind a little grung as long as it my grung.
I have cleaned up some pretty nasty grips by using a terry wash cloth soaked in hot water and some mild liquid soap like Softsoap.
Using a cleaner like Comet or Ajax the little particles get down in the checks and voids leaving them somewhat white and hard to get out.

6

Thanks Diane. I’ll be curious to try that!

Jeremy.

7

I have to agree with Marco on this one. The “dirt” is a badge on honor, acquired through heavy but loving use over the years. Cleaning your cork is almost like washing your fishing vest. Others may disagree. 8T

You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.

8

Paul…
To make them look like new use a paper towel + rubbing alcohol + elbow grease.

9

Doesn’t rubbing alcohol dry out the cork too much?

10

pspaint…
This is what the pros suggest you use before selling a rod on an auction forum.
It cleans the grip up but will not act as a solvent for the glues. (Many grips are put on with water based glues.) It won?t hurt the cork a bit.

11

Cool. I may have to try it. Thanks.

12

Whenever I get a rod I completely tape the cork with electrical tape. I even have one rod woth red, white and blue tape. It looks really neet and lasts forever without any problems. Call me weird but I hate the feel of cork.

  • 2006 Totals-
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13

I’ll second Diane’s recommendation for using baking soda. It’s a very mild abrasive and it does an excellent job cleaning the cork. I’ve used in on 3 rods this month already, and they all came out looking very good.

I just moisten an old sock and but a light coating of Baking Soda (BS) on the sock and rub it around the grip, rinse towel dry and then the grip air dry for a few hors before placing the rod(s) back into their tubes.

14

Hey Anthony, You’re weird!

Mark

15

Anthony - I don’t wrap in tape like you but I use shaved mink skin. It has a nice feel and sheds water and is warm in cold weather. Call me weird but…

16

Lol!

17

Apparently the baking soda works well - according to the reports. However I’ll still go along with Vocelli and the Soft Scrub. I “rebuilt” a rod this past winter that I’d put together 35-40 years ago. Wraps were varnished and badly worn and the cork was nasty! The Soft Scrub cleaned the cork beautifully.
You’ve probably got Baking soda on hand. Might be a good idea to try it first. If you’re not satisfied head for the super market and a jar of Soft Scrub.

G’luck.

Bill

Name indicates where I fish and for what I fish.

18

Happen to have both Soft Scrub and baking soda here at home. Tried them both on different rods, both work well.

Thanks everyone!
Paul

19

Clean handles are handles of rookies and fair weather fishermen.

But if you need to sell or trade the rod…

Clorox diluted in water rubbed on is a killer. I’ve not seen anyone publish any warnings about damage. It is possible to use very small sand paper, but why risk the injury when clorox works so well.

20

What many of the pro rod restorers,including myself, use for cleaning grip is…

Baby wipes. Yep those things you use to clean up baby food after it’s been digested.

Alcohol dries the cork.
Soft scrub smells bad
Clorox dries and smells

Baby wipes leave a fresh sent and keep the grips in nice shape.