How to care for your pickleball paddle

Your pickleball paddle will be the single most important piece of equipment during your pickleball game. Although you will want to learn about other equipment — your shoes, clothing, paddle bag, even the court you play on — your paddle will be crucial to your pickleball game. Here are some tips on the best ways to care for your pickleball paddle:

Keep your pickleball paddle clean

It is incredibly important to clean your pickleball paddle on a regular basis. You will want to clean the paddle’s:

• Hitting surface

• Paddle grip

The process for cleaning your paddle may be different depending on the type of paddle you have, and what it is made of.

We have in-depth tips on how to clean your paddle. Learn more here.

Pickleball paddle care

Caring for your paddle means more than just cleaning it, it can also mean where you keep it and how you treat it.

Temperature care

Your pickleball paddle is going to be sensitive to extreme temperatures — both extreme heat and extreme cold. If you plan to keep your paddle in your car or garage, for instance, pay attention to the outdoor temperature and bring it in when it’s too extreme (“if you’re cold, they’re cold”).

The best way to care for your paddle is to keep it in a dry room that is close to room temperature.

Moisture

Speaking of keeping your paddle dry, moisture care is very important to the care of your paddle. Playing in a little bit of rain or high humidity is not going to ruin your paddle, but you should avoid extended rain or submerging your paddle. If you live in a humid environment, keep your paddle indoors and try to limit exposure to the outside humid air.

Do pickleball paddles wear out?

Pickleball paddles are engineered to withstand constant hits from the ball, as well as the other physical tests it goes through during a pickleball match. But what paddles are not built for is for you to be overly aggressive, including if you are prone to hitting your paddle on the ground or other equipment. 

Your pickleball paddle will eventually wear out with years of play, especially if you are rough with it, store it in an unsafe place, or keep it in a humid, extreme hot, or extreme cold environment. But even if you treat your paddle perfectly, expect it to last one to five years, depending on how often you play.

Storage

If you want to keep your paddle lasting as long as possible, avoid storing it in:

• Extreme heat

• Extreme cold

• Humidity or rain

• In any area where it could be placed under a heavy object or stepped on

Also, consider a paddle cover and edge tape to help protect your pickleball paddle.

Care for your pickleball paddle

Caring for your pickleball paddle so you will be able to use it for years in the future doesn’t take a lot of effort. What you do need to do is use common sense to keep it out of risky situations that will shorten the lifespan of your paddle.

Avoiding extreme weather, keeping your paddle clean, and keeping track of where you are storing it will help your pickleball paddle stay in great shape and last as long as it was meant to.