As an active participant of power lifting, body building, or any of the other various forms of weightlifting routines, there might have been a time where you would have made contact with dumbbells, barbells, and even weights regardless of how small of an interaction it was. In fact, you might have purchased a dumbbell for yourself as another part of your fitness equipment for use at home.
One kind of dumbbell that is becoming increasingly common is the rubber coated dumbbell. So, how long will a rubber coated dumbbell last? Well, although it can last long, maintaining it in the right manner, and cleaning it occasionally can drastically extend the life of such a dumbbell.
A few important tips:
Regardless of how durable, strong, or heavy a dumbbell is, it should still be handled with extreme care. Some of the few tips that one should always remember when it comes to handling dumbbells is that they shouldn't be clanked with one another, and they should not be thrown onto the floor. If you handle them in an improper manner, not only will your dumbbells be damaged, but the surface on which you threw them will also get damaged.
Maintaining a rubber dumbbell
Dumbbells that are coated with rubber require a particular cleaning solution so that they can be used for a longer period.
Rubber coated dumbbells are of two kinds. One is entirely covered with rubber including the part from where you grip the dumbbells while in the other one, only the ends of the dumbbell are covered in rubber. The rubber used to cover such fitness equipment is most commonly made of synthetic rubber which is waterproof.
Furthermore, UV rays can damage the rubber, so it is advisable that you keep the dumbbell indoors or you keep them covered from direct sunlight so that they do not start to rot.
How to clean a rubber dumbbell?
To extend the life of your dumbbell set, you should try to clean it once a month. To clean dumbbells, here is what you should do. First, take a gallon of water and add a few drops of any dish soap. Dip a clean cloth in the mixture. Then, wring the cloth in such a manner that it remains damp only. Now use the cloth to wipe the equipment. If you want, you can dry it using another clean cloth; otherwise, you can leave it for a few hours, and it will dry itself.
Sometimes, rubber can have a terrible odor particularly when it is brand new. Of course, with time, the smell of it fades away; however, you can do the following to reduce the odor. First, you should increase the ventilation of the room. Then, you can also keep the dumbbell in the sun for some time, but not more than an hour. The soapy mixture used to clean the dumbbell also helps to get rid of the smell of rubber.
The benefits of a rubber dumbbell
There are two major advantages of using rubber dumbbells instead of metal ones. Metal dumbbells are quite hard, and they don’t have any baked-on finish or a paint job which can prevent the edges of the dumbbell from digging into the floor. Meanwhile, since dumbbells coated with rubber have impact-absorbing properties, they are easier on the floor and have a less chance of scratching, breaking or denting the surface you place them on.
Secondly, metal dumbbells have rough surfaces thus they are uncomfortable to hold and can often cause calluses. Moreover, metal dumbbells start to slip especially when they are wet, posing a significant risk in moments of vigorous exercise. Rubber coated dumbbells, on the other hand, provide a firm grip even if the palms get sweaty.
So, how long will a rubber coated dumbbell last? A long time if you take care of it!
