White Bar Tape- Cleaning?

[Aggie_Ama]

I had white bar tape on my Fuji. Since we are planning to sell the bike, I would like to clean the bar tape. The tape is in good condition and a buddy did an amazing wrap job on it (regular tape felt as good as my new gel tape), I hate to replace the tape. He moved to PA, I can't get him to re-wrap the bars.

Anyone got an idea how to get some of the black/grey off the white tape? Anyone know why they insist on using the hideous white tape? :D

[mimitabby]

hmmmmmmmmm the silence here is deafening. I have yellow tape on my bike which is still clean but... this would be useful information!

[Aggie_Ama]

Mimi- I may have found our answer (thanks Google).


OXICLEAN! This stuff does the trick. I use the powdered formula, mix with some warm water. Use an abrasive kitchen sponge - the kind that are "scrubby" on one side. Gently scrub the tape with the cleanser and let it sit on for a few minutes.Wipe off with the non scrubby side of the sponge. Scrub harder if your tape is particularly dirty.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[velogirl]

I'm a white bar tape girl. I've had it for years and clean it each time I ride in the winter ( the black leathger palms on my long gloves get it dirty) and once a month or so in the summer. I use Simple Green sprayed onto a white towel and then you wrap the towel around the bar and rub it back & forth. I'm having a tough time describing it, but you'll figure it out. Clean as new!

[SadieKate]

Powdered clothes washing detergent. Make a paste out it with water and scrub the tape using an old toothbrush. Wipe of with a clean, damp rag. Voila. The granules from the paste makes a nice non-abrasive cleaner and it seems to refresh the finish nicely.

Simple Green can take off decals and may damage organic or cork-based tapes.

[Popoki_Nui]

Can't say about white, but I have yellow and Celeste bar tape, which gets mighty grubby like white. Mr Clean Magic Erasers work great...just wet them and wipe the bar wrap gently a few times. Dry w/ a towel. Works great.

[equus123]

I just use shampoo. It works as good as anything else :)

[Crankin]

Well, you could be like me and change your white bar tape to black...
no way am I going to spend time cleaning my bar tape!

[Aggie_Ama]

Robin- My new bike has black bar tape. I was completely annoyed when I was looking at the Specialized Ruby that it has white bar tape. I like my black gel tape Cannondale uses. ;)

I tried the Magic Eraser method on the tape. First I should say we are talking about 1.5 years of grease and dirt. The magic eraser brought them to a much nicer looking greyish white. Fiona looks ready for a new home now.:D