I Bought A Golf Grip Cleaner. Here’s How It Compares To Dish Soap

I’ve always cleaned my golf grips the same way: warm water, a little Dawn dish soap and a microfiber cloth.

It works.

It removes dirt, gets rid of that slippery feeling and gives your grips a bit of life again. But after doing it a few times, you start to realize something—if the grip still doesn’t feel right, it’s probably just worn out.

That’s why this grip cleaner caught my attention.

It claims to restore tackiness, not just clean. And that’s the part I’ve never been fully convinced dish soap can do. It makes grips less slippery but bringing back that original tack? That’s a different story.

So I gave it a try.

First test: Putter grip

Before going all-in, I tested the GEKO 2-in-1 grip cleaner on a putter grip that had clearly seen better days.

The product itself is simple. A few sprays directly onto the grip, wipe it down and you’re done. There is no strong smell or residue and the process is about as easy as it gets. It took less than a minute for the entire process on my putter grip.

And based on how little you need per use, one bottle should last quite a while.

What it did

The first thing I noticed was how well it cleaned.

It brought back the original color of the grip and removed most of the built-up grime and staining. From a pure cleaning standpoint, it did exactly what you’d expect and maybe a little better than soap and water.

As for tackiness?

It improved it. Slightly.

The grip felt better than before, no question. But it didn’t feel noticeably tackier than what I typically get from a good dish soap cleaning. If you’re expecting it to fully bring a worn grip back to life, that’s probably not realistic.

Still, for a grip that was in need of a serious cleaning, it did a good job.

Second test: Driver grip

I tried the same process on a driver grip that had lost most of its tack but had not been on the club all that long.

Same results.

It cleaned extremely well, made the grip feel a bit more secure and likely extended its usable life. But, again, the difference in tackiness compared to dish soap wasn’t dramatic.

Dish soap versus grip cleaner

Here’s how I’d break it down:

Cleaning power: Very similar, maybe a slight edge to the spray for convenience
Tack restoration: Slight improvement but not a game changer over dish soap
Ease of use: This is where the spray wins easily
Cost: Dish soap is still the cheaper option

The biggest difference isn’t performance. It’s convenience and, for some, that will be worth the cost.

When this makes sense (And when it doesn’t)

After using it, here’s where I think this product fits:

✔ Worth it if:

You want something convenient you can keep in your bag
You notice a grip getting slick after the range and want it to be ready for play
You don’t want to deal with a full cleaning setup at home

✖ Not worth it if:

Your grips are already worn out and need replacing
You’re expecting it to fully restore original tack
You’re fine sticking with a sink and some dish soap

One thing worth mentioning: after reading some reviews, some users are using it on golf shoes and even other equipment like tennis and pickleball gear. It seems to work well as a general cleaner which adds a little extra value.