How to Clean the Discoloration on a Lacrosse Stick

After use, your lacrosse stick can become discolored.

Lacrosse is a full-contact team sport. It requires several pieces of equipment, such as a helmet, safety pads and a lacrosse stick. A lacrosse stick consists of three basic parts: the handle, head pocket and shooting string. Over time, the shooting string can become dirty and discolored. This won’t affect the strength of the lacrosse stick, but it can be unsightly. Fortunately, cleaning the discoloration of a lacrosse stick is fairly easy and requires only a few basic cleaning supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Dish detergent
• Bleach
• 2 cloth towels

Instructions

1. Fill a large bucket with warm water and dish detergent. Two or 3 tablespoons for each gallon of water makes a nice solution. Also add 1 tablespoon of bleach for each gallon.

2. Place the head of the lacrosse stick in the solution. Allow the head to soak for at least 10 minutes. More time may be necessary, depending on the discoloration of the shooting strings.

3. Remove the lacrosse stick from the solution. Wipe the inside of the head pocket and shooting strings with a clean cloth towel. Apply slight pressure to the shooting strings to agitate any leftover dirt.

4. Place the lacrosse stick back into the solution for five minutes. Remove the stick after five minutes. Roll a T-shirt or piece of cloth into a ball. Place the ball inside the head pocket.

5. Place the lacrosse stick on a table. Situate the stick so the head pocket hangs over the edge of the table. Allow the shooting strings to air dry with the ball of cloth inside the head pocket. This helps maintain the concave shape of the head pocket.

Tips & Warnings

• Replace the shooting strings on your lacrosse stick if the discoloration is severe.

References

• Walax.com; Lax Pocket Cleaning; 2009
• Springfield South County Youth Club: Caring for Lacrosse Equipment and Uniforms
• Center Grove Lacrosse: Lacrosse FAQ
• Dick's Sporting Goods: How to Buy a Lacrosse Stick