How to Clean Barbell? Using workout equipment is not the only justice with them but you should also do proper maintenance. When it comes to workout equipment, the barbell reigns supreme. It’s a gym equipment piece, you will be using more than the average like in compound lifts including bench press and the deadlift. Undoubtedly buying a good barbell makes a major difference in its durability. If you take care of it properly a good one can last you a lifetime. In this article, we will explain to you how to clean barbells properly and why it’s important to take care of barbell maintenance.
How to Clean Barbell? Your barbell is included in the list of those few things which you actually touch while working out. It also added in the few things in your home gym which have moving parts. Apart from this, it’s a very known fact that metal corrodes on its own with no help from your side. So, adding all that up, we can easily conclude that you must take care of the barbell’s proper on-time maintenance if you really want to keep them in the original good looking condition.
How to Clean Barbell? When we touch our bars, we gift them with different substances. For example, chalk, skin, sweat, body oil, and even blood sometimes remain on your bar after use. These are the substances that eventually help in the corrosion of the metal. They are stuck in the knurling of the barbell and once they begin to eat the finish on your bar, that is when exactly corrosion comes.
When the beautiful finish of your bar starts to deteriorate, the metal bar underneath starts to pit and rust. It’s not noticeable until it comes to the point where your bar is no longer enjoyable to use or to look at. The same is the case with the bearings and or brushings in your bar. Improper storage and humidity in the air wreak havoc over time leading to stopping their spinning freely. That’s where safety issues also come. That all add up to the importance of maintenance and care of your gym equipment otherwise it would be too late.
How to Clean Barbell
How to Clean Barbell? Things required: Rusty barbell, bucket, white vinegar, baking soda, paper towels, plastic wrap, three in one oil, steel brush and brass brush.
Here is how to do it
Step 1:
How to Clean Barbell? Firstly, do initial brushing using a brass brush to clean off any loose bits of dirt or dust. It must take less than two minutes, no need to do intensive brushing.
Step 2:
How to Clean Barbell? Start with soaking your bar in white vinegar overnight. It can do a much more effective job while exceeding your expectation. You will be amazed by just this only improvement. You can soak your barbell in white vinegar in two ways. You can either disassemble the barbell by taking off the sleeves then placing it in a large box (lined with a garbage bag) and adding vinegar in it or you can use paper towels soaked in vinegar and wrap them around your barbell. Do it section-wise like if you have wrapped one section with vinegar-soaked paper towels then wrap the towels with plastic wrap immediately. This step will ensure that vinegar does not evaporate and performs its job with full potential. So, completely wrap the barbell and wrap the towels with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight.
Step 3:
How to Clean Barbell? Now it’s time to do a thorough cleaning, brush off the rust, rinse off vinegar and neutralize it with baking soda. This very crucial and sensitive step. Once you have taken barbell out of vinegar soak then you need to do everything quickly and keep the other things ready before flash rust appears.
Here prepare a spray bottle having mixture of water and baking soda. There is no hard and fast ratio of water and baking soda. However, you get good results by adding more baking soda so keep that in mind. Now spray it on the barbell to neutralize the acidic vinegar and prevent flash rusting. Keep a water hose and brass brush nearby to use on time.
Important point:
How to Clean Barbell? Don’t try to do this step on your squat rack or another weightlifting platform. It may seem easy to put a barbell on your squat rack and spray with baking soda mix. It can easily go down (along with vinegar and oil mixture) and leave lifelong giant stains on your wooden floor (if you have). So it’s better to clean the barbell on your drive away (vinegar can damage grass). You can also lay it on a trap if you are worried about scratching on a barbell.
As soon as you remove the barbell from vinegar soak, immediately start brushing down with your brass grass. If you see rust is stubborn then use a steel brush. After initial brushing then rinse the bar with water to remove as much vinegar as possible. After this thoroughly spray the bar with your water and baking soda mix. This step really needs to be done fastly.
Step 4:
How to Clean Barbell? Time to wipe the bar with paper towels. Take your three-in-one oil and apply its few drops to a section on your bar. Brush it thoroughly. Oil and brush the bar until you see the entire bar is looking clean and there is no need to oil and brush it more. It can be soothing to see your barbell coming back to its original form.
Step 5:
How to Clean Barbell? Lastly, wipe down the bar with oil one more time. This will help in preventing it from future rust and you will not need to do this entire job soon.
In the last, if you take care of your barbell, it will take care of you. You will enjoy your time with it. Making barbell maintenance an important part of gym life can reward you with much more than you never expected. You can also follow some regular short tips in order to keep it clean. For example, if you use chalk on your hands then brush your barbell with a wire brush after its use. It just takes 20-25 seconds to do it. Once a week wipe down your barbell with oil and it will keep it safe from future rusting.
