Ski waxing & care: tips & instructions for your ski care


Your skis more than deserve regular care! Especially because ski care is not complicated at all and you can wax your skis yourself if you have the right equipment and technique. Here you will find instructions on how to prepare and wax your skis and lots of useful tips on irons, types of wax etc.!

2025-02-10

Ski care basics: the basics of ski waxing


Are you the “It can't be that difficult” type or are you more of a cautious person who only wants their skis to be in the best hands? No matter how you feel about DIY ski waxing, there are a few basics to clarify before you really get started!


Wax your skis yourself or have them waxed?


If skiing is your hobby and you're not a professional skier, you can definitely wax your skis yourself. It's not a particularly complicated process and as long as you work accurately and use the right tools, there's not much that can go wrong. Do you want an all-round ski service including rust treatment, repairing deep stone scratches, etc.? Then it's better to call in the experts.


How often do you need to wax skis?


Wax is anything but a cosmetic gimmick: it keeps the pores supple and prevents severe dryness. No, we're not talking about any skin conditions here, but still about skis, or more precisely the base.

A well-waxed ski base has a rich color and is smooth and supple to the touch. Accordingly, such skis glide effortlessly through the snow. However, as soon as the base looks greyish or the color looks dull and feels rough, it is high time for a wax treatment. How often you need to wax your skis therefore depends on how much you use them during the season.

If you ski very frequently and intensively (and occasionally pick up the odd rock when freeriding), it definitely doesn't hurt to wax during the season. If you're on a ski vacation and fresh snow comes along, it's not a bad idea to go over your skis with wax once every few days.

Otherwise, we highly recommend waxing your skis before storing them for the summer: this way, they are well protected against rust and ready for action on the slopes next winter!

Do you also have to wax new skis?


New skis are always ready to go straight away, i.e. they are already waxed. You therefore don't necessarily have to wax them before you ride them for the first time. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this if you just want to be able to ski a little faster. Skis can never be too well maintained, but waxing is clearly not mandatory for new skis.

Waxing alpine or cross-country skis: is there a difference?


There are many types of skis. So do you have to learn different techniques to wax each type of ski? To make a long story short: No, not really. The procedure for waxing skis is always similar, regardless of whether you are working on alpine or cross-country skis. Here are the facts at a glance:

Alpine skis...

...require less effort when skiing if they are well waxed, even if this does not have the same effect on every slope. In deep snow, for example, it makes almost no difference whether the ski is freshly waxed or not. Depending on the skiing style, however, the base of downhill skis is often heavily stressed by stones etc..

Cross-country skis...

...should glide through the trail as smoothly as possible. It is therefore all the more important that you treat them regularly with wax to minimize friction between snow and ski. Apart from this, other types of wax are also used on cross-country skis: grip and adhesive wax, for example, ensure improved grip.

The bottom line is: waxed skis simply last longer. Quite logical, isn't it? So get waxing!

What do you need to wax skis?


The bottom line is: waxed skis simply last longer. Quite logical, isn't it? So let's get waxing! Depending on how extensively you want to treat your skis, you can buy almost endless amounts of waxing accessories. But what is really necessary? And can't you just work with a few leftover candles and grandma's old iron if you still have both at home anyway?

The ski care set


Basically, a care set for your skis is certainly not the worst investment. This is because it will usually last you quite a while and you are guaranteed to only have materials that are explicitly intended for treating ski bases. Whether you buy everything together or not, your ski waxing equipment should always include

☑ Wax (universal version)
☑ Nylon or copper brush
☑ Wax iron
☑ Scraper blade made from plastic
☑ A soft cloth


Then there are a few tools that you don't necessarily need, but which are still quite practical:

☑ Carpet knife: This makes it easier to remove small wax residues.
☑ Clamping device for fixing: This keeps the skis stable and allows you to work on them with a lot of force.


And if you're now wondering what the difference is between a wax iron and a normal device: read on!


Can I use a normal old iron to wax my skis?


A wax iron is specially designed to heat up the ski wax and work on the base. Accordingly, you can set the ideal temperature precisely with such an iron and take no risks.

Theoretically, you can also use an old standard iron. However, this requires more sensitivity, as the iron must be able to remain at a constant temperature of around 140 degrees. If it gets too hot and the wax starts to smoke on the base, you could ruin your entire ski.

If you are working with a normal iron, it is best to choose the wool/silk setting. Also be aware that wax will remain on the ironing surface - this is no longer ideal for ironing clothes.

Liquid wax, hot wax, cold wax, candle wax - which one is right for skis?


Waxing is all well and good - but which wax to use? Good question, there are plenty of ski care products to choose from. Essentially, however, it all comes down to the decision between hot vs. cold and high vs. low fluidity wax:

  • Hot wax comes in block or stick form and only becomes liquid when it comes into contact with the iron. It has a deeper effect than the cold version, but takes longer to apply.

  • Cold wax is available in liquid form and is ideal for quick treatment. However, the wax tends to remain on the surface.

  • High-fluor wax makes the ski glide better in damp, heavy snow.

  • Low-flour wax is a good choice if you are skiing in dry powder snow.


And then of course there is the good old candle wax...which is anything but good for your skis. Theoretically, treatment with candle wax can work. In practice, however, it is often the case that various fragrances etc. are added to the wax and this mixture causes your skis to slide through the snow as if on rubber after the supposed treatment.

There is no need to take this risk. You can play it safe by only using material for waxing your skis that is intended for this exact purpose. And it doesn't have to cost the earth.


The costs of ski waxing


Are you a DIY fan? Then you can simply buy the equipment you need to wax your skis and only have to buy more wax over time.

Prices here are around 15 euros, depending on the quantity and type of wax. After just a few runs, a wax set will definitely pay for itself if you are only waxing for maintenance purposes.

Ski service instructions: How to wax and prepare skis yourself


Now you're ready for the grand finale - let's get started with waxing your skis! Or maybe not, because before you start waxing, you should ideally bring your skis into the warm room the evening before. This will allow them to warm up to room temperature and work even better.

Wax the skis properly


We assume that you are using hot wax and a waxing iron. You should also have a way to clamp your skis firmly. And this is how waxing works:

☑ Step 1: Fix the skis so that the base is on top./p>

☑ Step 2: Remove coarse dirt with the nylon or copper brush. If necessary, you can also work with sandpaper and remove any remaining dust and dirt with the adhesive tape. Caution: Only brush in the direction of travel, i.e. from the shovel to the end of the ski!

☑ Step 3: Preheat the iron while you remove the dirt.

☑ Step 4: Hold the solid wax against the hot surface so that it softens and runs down along the iron. Now you can move the iron back and forth over the ski so that the wax drips evenly onto the base.

☑ Step 5: Put the hard wax away and slowly spread the wax on the ski with the hot iron (again in the direction of travel). Don't take forever - the iron should not remain on one spot for too long.

☑ Step 6: Let the wax drip onto the base twice more, spreading the wax a little faster each time.

☑ Step 7: Leave the layers of wax to dry for at least one hour and ideally 4 hours.


If you are preparing your skis for summer storage, it is best to treat the edges at the same time. This is important because otherwise rust will form quickly in cold, damp cellar air.

Remove wax residue


It is impossible to say how quickly the wax will dry solid. However, if in doubt, give your skis a little more time rather than too little. After this phase, you must of course remove the applied wax:

☑ Step 1: Remove the wax from the edges, if you have applied any here.

☑ Step 2: Pull the plastic blade over the ski from front to back with pressure so that the hardened wax is removed. Keep doing this until the last bit of wax has been removed.

☑ Step 3: Brush the base vigorously one last time and wipe off any residue with the cloth.


The base should now shine beautifully again and feel smooth, as the wax has penetrated the ski. It is important that nothing really sticks to the surface - this will create the exact opposite effect and inhibit the gliding ability of the ski.

Not that difficult, is it? With the right equipment, waxing your skis regularly is one of the most effective maintenance methods you can give your skis. You need to put in this much time - for more skiing fun not just this winter, but next winter too. And the winter after that. And the winter after that...