How To Wax Snow Skis

One of the most important steps in ski maintenance is knowing how to wax snow skis. Although it may seem tedious, the poor, off-kilter skiing performance that may result from not properly waxing snow skis is even worse. Using just a few items, you can wax your snow skis in a short period of time.

To wax snow skis, you will need:

• Ski wax
• A ski wax brush
• Alcohol or base cleaner
• A household iron
• A towel

1. Prepare the skis. Use a towel and wipe any water or snow off the skis and let them sit for about 30 minutes to warm up to room temperature. After they've warmed up, thoroughly clean the skis with alcohol or base cleaner and let them dry.
2. Apply the wax. There are specific irons for melting ski wax that you can purchase at any ski shop, but a household iron with no holes works just as well. Of course, using it later to iron clothes would be a bad idea, so save this iron for when you plan to wax snow skis in the future. Let the iron heat up only to the level where the wax begins to melt. Any higher could ruin your skis. Aim the pointed end of the iron at the base of the ski and let the wax drip onto it forming a line down the ski. Iron the wax across the ski in a thin layer and repeat on the other ski. Allow the wax to cool completely.
3. Remove the excess wax. Remove any visible wax by using the edge of a piece of hard plastic or an ice scraper like the kind used for cars. A few even strokes down the length and edge of the skis should remove it. Use your ski wax brush to finish the process by making a few passes from tip to tail. What you miss will be cleaned off the next time you hit the mountain.