# Cleaning white bar tape?



## Xiorell (22 Oct 2011)

Just wondering if it's fighting a loosing battle, or if there's some household product that'll clean up white bar tape without... I dunno, reacting with it somehow how messing it up. Seems like a bit of damp cloth is just going to rub any dirt in to the tape even deeper.

I ware gloves but grubby bits are gonna creep in


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## The Brewer (22 Oct 2011)

Wish I'd used black tape, but I find baby wipes about the best for a quick clean


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## Xiorell (22 Oct 2011)

The Brewer said:


> Wish I'd used black tape, but I find baby wipes about the best for a quick clean



Dunno WHY I didn't think of the baby wipes I use them on the frame/forks etc lol


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## nosherduke996 (22 Oct 2011)

Definitely change it to black. Most of the new bike today have white tape , which a waste of time.


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## Xiorell (22 Oct 2011)

nosherduke996 said:


> Definitely change it to black. Most of the new bike today have white tape , which a waste of time.



But...but.. it looks so pretty !


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## woollywheelie (22 Oct 2011)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4ByTa7yPJc


Try this...lemon furniture polish....


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## lulubel (22 Oct 2011)

I always used cream cleaner on mine, which did a decent job (considering the bike used to spend the day in a bus garage with diesel residue, etc, and my hands when I finished work were never particularly clean). When I needed to change the cables, I swapped it for black. Much more practical and it gave me the excuse to buy a new black saddle to match.


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## Basil.B (22 Oct 2011)

I just use baby wipes. I like the look of white tape with that used look, don't bother me.
Much prefer the look of slightly dirty White tape to Black tape any day!


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## rockyraccoon (22 Oct 2011)

I use oxy cleaning stuff on my bars and saddle. It does the job pretty well.


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## diapason (22 Oct 2011)

Try white spirit or a car upholstery cleaner.


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## gaz (22 Oct 2011)

The best thing to do is to remove the tape, buy a roll of black tape and fit that.


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## cyberknight (22 Oct 2011)

gaz said:


> The best thing to do is to remove the tape, buy a roll of black tape and fit that.



+1

The white on my Boardman looked nice for about 2 weeks , i just retaped it with black , photo in the photo gallery .


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## derrick (22 Oct 2011)

I like white, just wipe it down after every ride.


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## Borbus (22 Oct 2011)

Alcohol works quite well. I had two punctures on a ride and got the white tape to be quite black. The alcohol got it back to how it was before. But it's still not as white as it was when I first got it.


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## cyberknight (23 Oct 2011)

Borbus said:


> Alcohol works quite well. I had two punctures on a ride and got the white tape to be quite black. The alcohol got it back to how it was before. But it's still not as white as it was when I first got it.



Anything looks good with enough alcohol ..Hic !


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## cjb (23 Oct 2011)

White spirit brings my tape up like new.


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## endoman (23 Oct 2011)

+1 on the change to black, mine's got a little red detail in it as well, way way easier than white.


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## Jezston (23 Oct 2011)

What about those sticks you use to clean white trainers?


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## PoweredByVeg (24 Oct 2011)

Just get some new white tape, sorted


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## Scoosh (24 Oct 2011)

WD 40. Works a treat.

At last !




A use for WD 40 on a bike !


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## Rob3rt (25 Oct 2011)

IMO, the best approach is to just not bother! Learn to live with it, until it is beyond use then replace it. I dont see the need for clean bar tape, its not a functional thing, its not like cleaning your drive train etc, the dirt doesnt affect the performance or longevity of the bike in any real world terms.


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## PeteT (25 Oct 2011)

scoosh said:


> WD 40. Works a treat.
> 
> At last !
> 
> ...




Similraly - I use GT85; sprayed ona cloth and used on the tape - back to new in no time.


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## Enw.nigel (25 Oct 2011)

PeteT Similraly - I use GT85; sprayed ona cloth and used on the tape - back to new in no time.


Thanks for that. Just tried GT85 and it works quite well. Been using cream cleaner/hot water/nail brush up til now.
Another use for GT85 or WD40 is to clean your upvc windows. Spray onto a cloth or kitchen towel and wipe over. They come up like new. 
Just thought I would throw that in as another use for GT85/WD40


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## cloggsy (25 Oct 2011)

As Henry Ford once said "You can have it in any colour, as long as it's Black!"

All other coloured bar tape is a nightmare to keep clean... Thankfully my 2010 Boardman came with Black tape & black it will stay!

Bite the bullet and swap it for black tape


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## VamP (25 Oct 2011)

Rob3rt said:


> IMO, the best approach is to just not bother! Learn to live with it, until it is beyond use then replace it. I dont see the need for clean bar tape, its not a functional thing, its not like cleaning your drive train etc, the dirt doesnt affect the performance or longevity of the bike in any real world terms.




Yer, that's my philosophy as well. When it gets too disgusting to live with, it'll get replaced by black tape


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## dellzeqq (25 Oct 2011)

gaz said:


> The best thing to do is to remove the tape, buy a roll of black tape and fit that.


that's good, but the bestest thing to do is to ensure your husband fixes and cleans the bike. While you're at it, make sure he carries the tools as well..............


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