Maintaining clean curling equipment helps to keep our ice surface clean and reduces the chances of picks during the game Here are a few tips that can help you do your part in keeping the ice clean:
Grippers
Both the inside and outside of your gripper need to be cleaned. Debris inside your gripper will transfer to your slider so should be wiped out. Watch for breakdown of the outside surface of your gripper. They will breakdown over time, (watch for the fingerprint texture to wear away to smooth). Smooth grippers are a safety issue! A good rule of thumb is that if you curl in three leagues, you will need 3 grippers in a season.
Brooms
You will likely notice debris on your broom after every rock you sweep. That debris should be brushed into the gargabe bin at the end of each sheet. Over time your broom head will get dirty and you can safely clean it with a cleaner such as VIM and warm water. Broom heads have a similar life span and should be replaced at the beginning of each season. If you curl more often you may want to replace mid season, too.
Clothing
Some of the warmer layers we wear can be a source of picks; fleecy sweaters, track pants and some mittens like to shed fluff. Try to select layers that don't shed.
Thanks to "Curling for Beginners and Improvers", by John Robertson for these tips on equipment cleaning.
