I have heard that rubber cleaners does some damage to the rubbers. Someone said that it is some kind of marketing trick so as to force you in buying the next piece quickly.
How true are these above statements?
...Rajd...
Rajd, I know MANY Koreans, let's say at least 80% of the amature crowd I was around in Korea would use name brand cleaner (or water) EVERY DAMNED DAY like clockwork right after they were done for the evening. They took great pains to use a sponge and dry off rubber and place protective sheets over BOTH rubber, and place the bat carefull into their custom expensive can't find on the market bat case like they were patting a baby goodnight that is how careful the great majority of the amature crowd would take care of their rubber. many of this crowd would be at the club for hours, but really only have 1 hour of table time a day. At that rate, a rubber should make it 3 months or so, (just under 100 hrs) they would stretch that to 6 or 12. (200-400 hrs) Why spend money on rubbers when you can spend it on chicken and beer? Many Korean amature players would have their rubber be ready to be replaced after 3 months, but would play on another 3-9 months.
Myself, with even the best of care, I played so many hours that Tenergy would barely make it one month and Aurus, the super long living nice rubber made it 2-3 months. I played 100 hrs a month and I hit hard and often. My Korean friend would take my Aurus with over 300 hrs on it and play another 6 months with it if you get an idea of how Koreans roll.
I say all that to put this statement in perspective.
If you play for hours a day, rubber cleaner will not really help you out unless you try to change your car's axle grease with your TT bat and not clean that up afterwards.
If you play an hour a day and want to keep your rubber for 6 months, you can toss it in the air and say yes/no.
If you barely play once a week, your rubber will require changing after a year from being outdated by the 254 new rubbers that TT manufacturers came out with !!!
Can anyone see my opinion that rubber cleaner will not hurt the life of Ur rubbers? Can anyone see I don't use cleaner myself not give a care about it?
I feel that anyone who wants to use rubber cleaner should be able to do so without any guilt or fear of it ruining their rubbers.