How to Clean a Dance Pole: Chrome, Brass, Stainless, Powder-Coated and Silicone

To clean a dance pole, wipe it from top to bottom with a microfibre cloth and a cleaner that suits its finish, then buff it dry with a second clean cloth. Chrome, stainless steel and brass are usually cleaned with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, while powder-coated and silicone poles are usually washed with a little mild soap in warm water, because alcohol can be hard on coatings. Give the pole a quick wipe before and after every session, never use abrasive pads, bleach or polish meant for furniture, and always check your pole maker's care instructions first.

I teach pole, so I've wiped down more poles than I could ever count, and a clean pole is honestly one of the easiest ways to make your grip feel better. Everything below is widely shared care advice from the pole world, but finishes and coatings differ from maker to maker, so your pole's own manual always wins if it says something different.

What do you need to clean a dance pole?

You don't need anything fancy, and most of it is probably in your cupboard already.

• Two microfibre cloths. One to clean with and one to dry and buff. Microfibre picks up skin oil and grip aid much better than paper towels and doesn't leave fluff behind.
• The right cleaner for your finish. Isopropyl alcohol or a cleaner your pole maker recommends for metal poles, and a bowl of warm water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid for coated poles.
• A small spray bottle, if you like to mist the cloth rather than dip it.
• A sturdy step stool for the top of the pole, if you can't reach it from the floor.
• Gloves, if you're going to use a brass polish, because some polishes irritate skin.

How do you clean a dance pole, step by step?

This takes about five minutes, and it's the same routine whatever the finish, only the cleaner changes.

1. Check the finish and the manual. Make sure you know whether your pole is chrome, stainless steel, brass, powder-coated or silicone, and read what your pole maker says about cleaning it.
2. Spray the cloth, not the pole. Dampening the cloth keeps liquid from running down into the base, the joints and the floor, and it means you use much less product.
3. Start at the top. Grip aid and sweat get everywhere, and starting high means you're always wiping the dirt downwards instead of spreading it back up.
4. Wipe in sections. Wrap the cloth around the pole and slide it down a section at a time, turning it to a clean side as it gets grubby. Pay extra attention to the height where you grip most, which is usually chest to head height and the area just above the floor.
5. Buff it dry. Go over the whole pole again with your dry cloth so there's no damp film or streaks left.
6. Let it dry completely before you dance. Alcohol evaporates quickly, but soapy water on a coated pole needs a proper dry wipe and a few minutes of air.
7. Wash your cloths. A cloth full of old grip aid just moves it back onto the pole next time.

If you notice anything that worries you while you're cleaning, such as a pole that moves when it shouldn't or a fixing that looks loose, stop and follow your pole maker's instructions before anyone dances on it.

What should you use on each type of pole?

This is where people get caught out, because a cleaner that's perfect for chrome can spoil a coated pole. The table is a general guide based on common care advice, so check it against your own pole's instructions.

Chrome and stainless steel poles

These are the easiest to look after. A cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol cuts through sweat, skin oil and most grip aids, and it dries fast, so the pole is ready almost straight away. Some dancers dilute the alcohol with water for everyday wipes and use it neat when there's a lot of build-up, so go with whatever your pole maker suggests.

Brass poles

Brass naturally darkens over time as it reacts with the air and with the oils from your skin. That doesn't harm the pole, and for everyday cleaning the same alcohol wipe works well. If you'd like the shine back, a brass polish will do it, but polishes can leave a film that makes the pole slippery, so wear gloves, follow the product instructions and then go over the pole with alcohol and a clean cloth until no residue is left.

Powder-coated poles

Powder coating is a layer of paint baked onto the metal, so what your hands actually touch is the coating on top. Many care guides suggest mild soapy water rather than alcohol for these, because strong solvents can dull or wear the coating. Wring the cloth out well so it's damp rather than wet, wipe, and then dry the pole properly.

Silicone poles

Silicone-coated poles are soft and very grippy, which is exactly why they need a gentle hand. Use mild soap and warm water or the specific cleaner your pole maker recommends, avoid alcohol and solvents, and keep sharp jewellery and rough cloths away from them.

What should you never put on a dance pole?

• Abrasive pads, scouring creams and steel wool, because they scratch metal and can strip a coating.
• Bleach and strong household cleaners, which can damage finishes and leave residue that you'll then touch with bare skin.
• Furniture polish, oils and silicone sprays on the climbing surface, since anything that makes the pole shiny and slick makes it dangerous to grip.
• Acetone, which is often mentioned as a deep cleaner but is hard on brass and on coated poles.
• Lots of water dripping down the pole, because it can get into joints and the base, where metal parts may rust.

How often should you clean your pole?

Give it a quick wipe before you dance and another one after, every single time. The wipe before removes dust and anything left from the last session, and the wipe after gets rid of your sweat, skin oil and grip aid before they dry into a tacky layer.

On top of that, a slower, more thorough clean every week or two is a good habit if you train a lot. You'll know it's due when the pole feels patchy, when you can see smudgy rings at the heights you grip most, or when your cloth comes away grey even after a normal wipe. A home pole that hasn't been used for a while needs a wipe before you start too, because dust settles on it like on any other surface.

In a studio, wiping each pole between classes is basic hygiene as well as good for grip, because lots of people's bare skin touches the same surface. The CDC's advice for gyms and sports settings is to clean surfaces that touch bare skin, such as equipment and benches (CDC), and a pole is about as bare-skin as equipment gets. If you run a studio, our guide to wrist wraps for pole studios covers the same kind of hygiene thinking for shared kit.

Does cleaning a pole help your grip?

Yes, and often more than people expect. Pole grip comes from bare skin against the pole, and anything sitting in between, like sweat, skin oil, body lotion or old grip aid, makes that contact less reliable. A layer of residue can also make the pole feel grippy in one spot and slippery a few centimetres away, which is unsettling when you're upside down.

A freshly cleaned pole that is completely dry gives you a consistent surface, so you can actually tell how your own grip is doing that day. Give alcohol a moment to evaporate fully and give soapy water a proper dry wipe, because a damp pole is slippery. Your skin matters just as much, so skip hand cream and body lotion on pole days, a tip we also give in what to wear to your first pole class. Temperature plays a part too, and a cold pole in a chilly room behaves differently from a warm one, which we cover in training in a cold studio.

Masha's tip: Keep a cloth and a small bottle of whatever your pole likes right next to it, and make wiping the pole the very first and very last thing you do. Once it's a habit you won't even think about it, and your grip will thank you.

If you use a grip aid, put it on after the pole is clean and dry, and use as little as you need, because heavy layers build up quickly and mean more cleaning later. If you wear wrist wraps, put them on before the grip aid so it doesn't end up on the fabric, as we explain in the guide to wrist wraps for pole.

What about the rest of your pole kit?

Your pole isn't the only thing that collects sweat and grip aid. Wraps, knee pads and leg warmers all sit against warm skin, so give them a regular hand wash and let them dry fully before they go back in your bag. Our guide to washing wrist wraps takes you through it step by step, and the same gentle routine works for most stretchy dance kit.