How to Clean Your Darts to Restore and Refresh the Grip

Having clean darts is an underappreciated luxury. They're shiny, they're pretty, and best of all — the grip feels brand new! If you're not convinced yet, read along to learn why having clean darts is important and how to clean your darts for the best results.

You may be thinking — why should I clean my darts? Do they really get that dirty? Believe it or not, yes! Your darts can harbor a lot of dirt. Let's explore the reasons why your darts get so dirty and the benefits of having clean darts:

Don't be offended — ours are too! Actually, everyone's hands are dirty. Dead skin cells, natural oils, sweat, and other organic grime can linger on the surface of our hands, even if our hands feel clean. While great for providing additional grip assistance on your dart barrels, finger wax and hand chalk will also soil your hands and your clean darts too.

Your darts can harbor a lot of dirt because of the tiny little grooves and cuts along the barrel design. When we touch clean darts, the grime gets trapped in the small grooves and milling of our dart barrels, filling in the gaps and leaving your darts feeling slippery. If you've ever wondered why your darts don't feel as grippy as when you first bought them, they probably need a good cleaning.

Cleaning your darts will restore and refresh the look and feel of your darts, almost as if they were brand new. Without all that buildup of gunk and grime stuck in the milling, your clean darts will feel grippy once again. Plus, you can restore the shine of your clean darts. Dirt and dust cloud the appearance of the tungsten barrels, making them dull and discolored.

If you haven't been convinced yet to clean your darts, just think about how fresh and photo-ready your clean darts will be after all that hard work. They'll look fresh out of the box like you were celebrating New Darts Day!

There's really no right answer since not all darts are the same. Some players clean their darts every 3-4 weeks, while some only upkeep their clean darts 1-2 times a week. How often you clean your darts depends on how dirty your darts (or your hands) can get, how long you maintain your clean darts, and how frequently you play.

Even the complexity of the barrel design can affect how dirty your darts get. Intricately designed darts with tons of milling may capture more dirt than barrels with simpler or wider grooves; they may also be harder to clean. Regardless of how often you decide to clean them, we highly recommend you regularly maintain the grip of your clean darts.

Now that you've decided to clean your darts, the first thing you'll need to do is fully undress your darts. Dart flights, dart shafts, and other accessories do not need to be cleaned, especially since they are frequently replaced anyway, but if you really want to, you can simply wipe them with a sanitizing wipe. If you have press-in dart points, you can leave them in the barrel to get cleaned too.

There are multiple easy and simple methods of cleaning your darts. Follow along with these three common methods to achieve clean darts below:

The most common way to wash your darts is by rinsing your barrels in water and scrubbing the grooves with a toothbrush — preferably not the one you use to brush your teeth. Abrasion from the toothbrush bristles will lift the debris caked between the milling and the water will wash it away. For best results, brush the toothbrush along the direction of the grooves, switching the direction once in a while to get everything out.

If your darts are extra grimy, you can soak the darts in a mixture of dish soap and hot water. Dish soap is excellent at breaking down tough grease and oils, perfect for cutting through old gunk. Alternatively, baking soda or vinegar — common cleaning agents — can be combined with a hot water mixture. Drop your darts into your bowl and leave them to soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub the surface with a toothbrush before rinsing it. Do NOT soak your darts in bleach as this will erode the tungsten if left out too long.

A super gentle cleaning alternative is to use a jewelry ultrasonic cleaner. These machines are filled with jewelry cleaning solution and vibrate when turned on to create little bubbles in the crevices of your jewelry (or your dart barrels) through high-frequency sound waves. It's a super high-tech and low-effort way of achieving clean darts without elbow grease.

For light messes and small amounts of soil, you can opt for wiping your darts clean. Hand wipes, moist towelettes, alcohol wipes, baby wipes, and even a wet rag or hand towel work fine to rub your barrels free of any muck. Try not to use any harsh chemicals like acetone to wipe your darts clean as it will strip any paint from your barrels. This method won't be as effective as the other two above, but you can still have clean darts using wipes.

Maintaining your clean darts will ensure all your hard work cleaning the barrels won't go to waste. Plus, with proper aftercare, you'll find that you won't have to wash your darts as often as before. Here are some tried and true tips on keeping your clean darts spotless for longer:

Before you dress your darts, stop! You have to let the clean darts fully dry first before reinstalling all of your accessories. Leftover moisture trapped in the milling and threading of your clean darts may rust the barrels over time. You can wipe them dry with a bath towel, taking care to get into all the small nooks and crannies to eliminate traces of water and soap. For an extra layer of security, air dry your clean darts for a few hours so any leftover water can evaporate away.

We all know how to wash our hands. Wet your hands, scrub your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, and rinse with warm water. The goal is to wash away any debris on your hands before they get on your clean darts. Bonus tip: Carry around a hand towel during tournaments to give your hands a quick refresh, especially if you have sweaty hands.

Offered in a variety of exciting colors and designs, dart cases not only allow you to carry your darts on the go but also protect your clean darts from the environment. While cleaning your hands and regularly washing your darts is the best prevention for dirty barrels, it doesn't hurt to have a fancy case to keep your clean darts in pristine shape.

From Red Dragon to Target, check out some dart cases available on our website below:

Whether you're ready to roll up your sleeves to deep clean your darts or committed to a light dust-off every other month, having clean darts can only enhance your darting experience. Your hands and your grip will thank you for keeping your clean darts like new.