How to Clean Your Tripod

Tripods are great.  They hold your camera steady and ensure that you capture crisp, sharp images, every time you press down the shutter.

Just like everything, anything that is important needs to be taken care of.  The same goes for tripods.  They NEED to be cleaned.

Especially for all of my outdoor photographers out there, you need to know how to take care of your tripod properly so it can continue to provide value.

Consequences of not cleaning your tripod can result in your tripod legs becoming “sticky” or hard to extend.  Bacteria from certain substances can even make your tripod smell.

Nobody wants any of those scenarios happening.  When you purchase a tripod, you want it to last for a long long time.  So in this article, I’m going to show you how to take care of it, so you can keep this piece of highly important equipment ready to go.

Take Apart Your Tripod

Most tripods can be taken apart and put back together rather easily.  If you have a twist and lock tripod, you usually just loosen the legs all the way and pull them off.

Of course, this process is going to vary based on the make and model of your tripod.

I personally have a tripod with locking clips, which is more difficult to take apart.  If you are in the same boat, don’t fear!  You can still clean your tripod even if you can’t take it apart.

I will explain the process I use for my tripod and you can apply these tips to yours respectively.

• I extend all of the legs as far out as they can go

• I unscrew the head of the tripod

• I get a bowl of soap and water, use a rag, and wipe down each leg

• I get some WD-40, spray it on a rag, and wipe down each leg

After a few minutes, you will easily start to notice a difference in the mobility of your tripod legs.

More often than not, if you go shoot at the beach (where sand and saltwater can accumulate) or in the dirt/mud, all of these elements can get lodged in the legs of your tripod.

This is why you might hear a gravely sound when setting up your tripod.

A reason to not “ignore” this issue is because, over time, these particles will become increasingly harder to remove from your tripod.

This can significantly decrease the lifespan of your beloved tripod, forcing you to purchase a new one.  But by following these tips, you can keep your tripod in tip-top condition!

A good rule of thumb is to clean your tripod about twice every year.  This number will of course increase if you are constantly shooting in sand, water, and/or dirt and mud.

Have fun and keep photographing!