How to Clean your Dirty Bumper Plates
“I use my Fringe Sport bumpers all the time… where the heck did this weird film come from?!”
Well, here’s the short version: you’ve been putting in work, and it shows. Just look at those bumpers: they’re proof! They went from being brand-new, perfect, shiny little bumper-babies, to grown as heck, hair on their chest, dirty bumpers.
We know just the thing to get those bumpers looking fresh.
What you’re experiencing is either just dirty bumpers, or another situation called “rubber bloom,” which happens when curing agents used in the curing process of the rubber migrate to the surface of the bumper, and manifest as what you're seeing: that milky, gray substance. It happens in molded rubber, just like our bumpers are. It is normal and doesn't affect the quality of the bumper at all, nor is it at all harmful, and your bumpers aren’t the only kind of rubber that often goes through it… rain boots, rubber seals, tires (you get the gist) this can also happen to those things too, so keep our tips and tricks in your back pocket and use them as you need ‘em.
We’ve got the solutions for both scenarios coming right up.
You’ve got dirt, grime, sweat, and the works all over your bumpers. (No worries, this is an easy-peasy fix!)
Supplies needed:- Bumper Plates
- Warm, soapy water (and more water for rinsing) - dish soap works wonders
- Soft, dry cloth - like a wash cloth or microfiber towel
- Sunlight - optional, but helpful
Step 1: Mix up some warm water and soap (dish soap works best), and thoroughly wash the bumpers down (sponges work well in this case)
Step 2: Rinse well
Step 3: Dry with your cloth, and make sure to get in it’s little crevices near the metal ring with a dry towel
If you really want to take the best care of your precious bumpers, and give them the spa-treatment and relaxation they deserve after all of their hard work, set those bad boys in the sun to bask… we mean dry... and they’ll repay the favor by staying in clean, mean, pristine condition for even longer.
If that doesn’t work, you’ve likely got the before-mentioned, dun dun dun…. Rubber bloom. (This is ALSO a fairly easy fix!)
Supplies needed:
- A small amount of olive oil or mineral oil
- 2x microfiber cloths (or soft cloths - one for rubbing oil, and one for clean-up)
- Armor All protective wipes for future bloom prevention - optional, but helpful
Step 1: Take your first soft cloth, and dab in the oil
Step 2: Rub the lightly-oiled cloth on the affected area, until the white, cloudy spots begin to disappear
Step 3: Clean off the light oil residue with the clean, dry cloth (and repeat if necessary)
OR (try this if you're a little wigged out about a vegetable oil on your plates!):
Supplies needed:
- Soft, dry cloth - like a wash cloth or microfiber towel
- Tire cleaner (yes, you heard us... grab your tire cleaner out of your garage - this is our holy grail bumper cleaning solution!)
- Spray and cover your dirty bumpers in a good, solid layer of tire cleaner
- Rub away the murky, white residue
- Repeat, if necessary!
FringeFam Pro Tip: for future prevention, shield the bumper from fluorescent lighting (which seems to cause the rubber to bloom!) or use Armor All wipes to stop the bloom from happening.
Now, you’ve got the tools in your own pocket for a super-clean, total home gym-bumper package, so you can put in the dirtiest of work AND get your bumpers squeaky clean before your next sweat-sesh.
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