You will need: a surfboard, a wax comb, sun or maybe a hair dryer, window cleaner, a piece of cloth (old underwear), plus some good surf music.
Wax work can become very dirty as well as smooth. Anytime it looks pretty grotesque, slippery, cracks in pieces with no obvious factor, or even has the scent of a gorilla’s armpits, it’s actually time you scrap it all and start applying a new, advantageous, and eco-friendly wax. environmentally friendly that smells good on your board (but don’t eat it). There is no worse scenario than sitting on the beach and enjoying perfect waves and you just know that you are likely to amuse your fellow surfers with amazing breakouts.
First of all, make sure you don’t remove wax from your surfboard at the beach. Traditional surf wax is full of toxic stuff. Even if you are using eco-friendly wax, it does not mean that the wax is actually a natural part that belongs on the beach. And besides, you better not get rid of the existing wax on your mother-in-law’s finest rug. Stay out of trouble. Wax sticks for surfing! It’s better to do the job where sticky surf wax isn’t much of a problem.
Removing the wax is much easier than it seems.
Start by putting the board in the sun for about 20 minutes or do it again with your sister’s hair dryer (don’t burn the precious board). You want the wax to start out somewhat smoother for less messy removal. When the wax is significantly softer, you will begin to remove it. For this task you can use a special wax comb (it’s very cheap), your old bank card or just a plastic paint scraper. Do not use anything metal at all like a knife or something like that.
The process is quite simple. In case your board has removable fins, remove them first. Place the board on a sturdy table or bench with a folded towel or blanket underneath. If you don’t have a good place to put the board, place it on your lap. It is essential that you do not place it directly on the ground. This can damage the glazing and break the fins when you put pressure on the dash (especially when you are going to wax the dash).
Start at the top of the board and finish the job by scraping away the wax with the wax comb holding it at a 30 to 35 degree angle position and continue from one rail to the other in a smooth motion putting in enough power to strip through of the bottom layer. Continue all the way to the back. Basically, the wax is rolled out in thin layers. Collect the bad wax and dispose of it in a can.
Once you’ve removed most of the wax, you can optionally work with a soft cloth (an old big boy’s pants are handy now) and a little soap and water or methylated spirits to get rid of any residue on your board. There is also a special surf wax remover to buy at the surf shop if you prefer. Wax remover is excellent for cleaning wax from a dent intended for restoration and for placing an adhesive surfboard grip on your deck. Alright, now you’re ready to wax.