Race medals last when you keep them dry, stop them rubbing together and keep ribbons out of direct sun. Customized Race Medals recommends storing boxed medals sealed in a dry room before race day, handing them out from a padded table, and cleaning them at home with a soft dry cloth instead of polish or household cleaners.
- Store boxed race medals sealed, indoors and off concrete floors
- Clean with a soft dry microfiber cloth; never polish antique plating
- Spot-clean ribbons and keep them out of direct sunlight
- Coatings and finish choices can be compared on the free 24-hour mockup
How do you keep custom race medals looking new for years?
Custom race medals stay looking new when three things are controlled: moisture, friction and light. Plating dulls when sweat and humidity sit on it, enamel scuffs when medals rub against each other, and ribbons fade when they hang in direct sun. Handle each of those and a finisher medal can look close to race-day condition long after the event. Customized Race Medals builds medals with this in mind, but care after delivery decides how long the shine lasts.
Care starts before a single runner touches a medal. The way a race director stores boxed medals, the way volunteers hand them out and the way finishers clean and hang them all add up. This guide walks through each stage in order:
- Before race day: storing the shipment so plating and ribbons arrive at the finish line clean.
- At the finish chute: handing out medals without scratches or tangled ribbons.
- At home: cleaning, displaying and storing medals so they hold their color.
Race directors can share the at-home advice with finishers in a post-race email or on the results page, which turns a care tip into a small thank-you that keeps your race medal on display instead of in a drawer.
Where should a race director store custom race medals before race day?
A race director should store custom race medals in their original packaging, in a dry, climate-controlled room, until the morning of the race. Individual poly bags keep plating from rubbing against neighboring medals, and the cartons keep ribbons flat. A garage, storage unit or car trunk swings through heat and humidity, which can fog bags, dull polished finishes and curl ribbons before anyone wears them.
Plan the storage the day the shipment lands. With standard turnaround of about 2 weeks from mockup approval, many races receive medals well before the event, so the boxes may sit for a while. A few habits protect them:
- Open one carton to check the order against the approved mockup, then reseal it.
- Keep cartons off concrete floors, which can wick moisture into cardboard.
- Label cartons by distance or division so nobody opens every box hunting for the right medal.
- Keep the medals away from event signage, paint and cleaning supplies that give off fumes.
If you ordered separate finisher, podium and volunteer medals, store each set in its own labeled cartons. That way the award table and the finish chute each receive only the boxes they need on race morning.
How should volunteers hand out race medals without scratching them?
Volunteers should hand out race medals straight from their bags or from a padded table, never from a loose pile in a bin. Metal on metal is the fastest way to scratch plating and chip enamel edges, and a heap of medals also tangles ribbons into knots that slow the finish chute. A little setup before the first finisher arrives saves both the medals and the volunteers.
Simple finish-line setups that work well:
- Pre-open medal bags in small batches so volunteers are never more than a few medals behind the runners.
- Drape ribbons over a rope, rail or row of hooks so each medal hangs free and ready to place over a head.
- Cover the medal table with a towel or tablecloth so medals never slide across bare plastic or metal.
- Keep wet medals off the pile: a medal dropped in a puddle gets wiped with a soft cloth before it goes back.
Give volunteers a quick briefing on which ribbon color or medal design belongs to which distance. Clear sorting means fewer medals get swapped, handled twice or dropped. For races with spinner or moving-part medals, ask volunteers to hold the medal by the ribbon so the moving piece is not forced against its stop.
How do finishers clean a custom race medal safely?
Finishers can clean a custom race medal with a soft, dry microfiber cloth, and for sticky marks a cloth barely dampened with plain water. Wipe gently, dry the medal right away and let the ribbon dry flat. Skip metal polish, abrasive pads, toothpaste and household cleaners, because they strip plating, haze clear coatings and pull color out of enamel.
The right care depends on the finish. Race medals from Customized Race Medals come in several platings and enamel styles, and each reacts a little differently:
| Finish | How to clean | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Polished gold, silver or bronze plating | Dry microfiber wipe to remove fingerprints | Polish or abrasive cloths that wear through the plating |
| Antique plating | Light dry wipe only | Scrubbing the darkened recesses, which are part of the design |
| Soft enamel | Soft brush or dry cloth around raised metal lines | Soaking, which can loosen grime into the recessed color |
| Hard enamel | Dry or barely damp cloth across the smooth face | Harsh cleaners that dull the glossy surface |
| Clear epoxy coating | Gentle wipe with a damp cloth | Solvents and alcohol that cloud the dome |
Sweat is the most common culprit after a race. A quick wipe on the drive home, before the medal goes on a hook, removes salt before it has time to mark the plating.
What is the best way to display race medals at home?
The best way to display race medals at home is on a sturdy wall hanger or in a shadow box, out of direct sunlight and away from bathrooms and kitchens where steam and grease collect. A hanger shows off ribbons and lets runners add medals season after season, while a shadow box protects a single special medal from dust and handling.
Each display style has trade-offs worth sharing with finishers:
- Bar or peg hangers: great for growing collections. Leave a little space between ribbons so medals do not clank together when the wall is bumped.
- Shadow boxes: best for a first marathon, a podium finish or an engraved medal with a personal time. The glass keeps fingerprints off.
- Desk stands: good for a single medal at work, though they leave the medal face exposed to dust.
- Drawers and boxes: fine for long-term storage if each medal sits in its own bag so faces do not rub.
Medal series built to connect across several years deserve a planned layout. If your race offers a multi-year connector design, tell finishers how the pieces fit together so they leave space on the wall for the next one.
How do you care for race medal ribbons?
Race medal ribbons last longest when they hang straight, stay out of direct sun and get spot-cleaned rather than washed in a machine. Sublimated ribbons carry color printed into the fabric, and woven ribbons carry the design in the thread itself; both hold up well, but heat and harsh detergent can fade or fray either type.
Practical ribbon care for finishers:
- Smooth creases with a cool iron through a thin cloth, keeping the iron off the medal and any printed sponsor marks.
- Spot-clean marks with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then rinse with a clean damp cloth and dry flat.
- Hang ribbons without twisting so the design faces forward and the fabric does not set in a fold.
- Keep ribbons away from windows; sunlight fades bright colors faster than any other cause.
Race directors can help ribbons survive the trip home too. Ordering a ribbon width and attachment that suit the medal weight keeps it hanging straight, and Customized Race Medals can advise on that at the mockup stage. A well-matched ribbon also feels better around the neck in the finish photo, which is where most runners first show off their race medals.
What care details should a race decide before ordering?
A race should decide on finish, coating and ribbon before ordering custom race medals, because those choices set how much care the medals need later. A clear epoxy coating over soft enamel adds protection for medals that will be handled a lot, antique plating hides small marks well, and polished plating gives the most shine but shows fingerprints. Customized Race Medals can show options side by side on the free mockup, delivered within 24 hours.
Questions worth answering while the design is still open:
- Will the medal live on a wall, in a drawer or in a shadow box? That shapes the size and ribbon choice.
- Will runners handle it often, such as kids at a youth race or a team passing medals around? That favors a coating or hard enamel.
- Does the back carry engraved names or times? Engraved backs stay crisp with dry-cloth cleaning only.
- Do you want care tips on the packaging or in a post-race email? A short line can travel with every medal.
Orders start at a minimum of 12, with unlimited free revisions and nothing to pay until you approve the design, so you can try a coating or plating change on the mockup before committing to production.
Frequently asked questions
How should a finisher clean sweat off a race medal after the run?
A finisher should wipe sweat off a race medal with a soft, dry microfiber cloth as soon as practical after the run. Salt from sweat can leave dull spots on polished plating if it sits for days. For stubborn residue, use a cloth barely dampened with plain water, then dry the race medal completely before hanging it. Avoid household cleaners, polish and paper towels, which can scratch.
Can custom race medals get wet in the rain at the finish line?
Custom race medals handle a rainy finish line without lasting harm as long as they are dried soon afterward. Plating, enamel and clear coatings resist a short soaking. Water left sitting in recessed enamel or on the ribbon is what causes marks. Customized Race Medals suggests runners pat the medal and ribbon dry with a towel, then let the ribbon air-dry flat before hanging it on a wall.
What causes dark spots on a polished race medal?
Dark spots on a polished race medal usually come from fingerprints, sweat or humidity reacting with the plated surface over time. Oils from skin are the most common cause on medals that get handled often. A gentle dry microfiber wipe removes most marks early. Avoid metal polish, which can wear through thin plating, and store the race medal somewhere dry with steady temperatures.
Should an antique-finish race medal ever be polished?
An antique-finish race medal should never be polished, because the darkened recesses are a deliberate part of the design. Polishing removes that contrast and leaves the raised artwork looking flat. Clean antique plating with a light dry wipe only. Customized Race Medals often recommends antique finishes for races expecting heavy handling, since the aged look hides small marks better than bright polished plating does.
Where should boxed race medals wait between delivery and race day?
Boxed race medals should wait in a dry, indoor, climate-controlled room between delivery and race day, still sealed in their original bags and cartons. Garages, cars and storage units swing through heat and humidity that can fog bags and curl ribbons. Keep cartons off concrete floors, label them by distance or division, and open only one carton to check the order against the mockup.
How do you remove creases from a race medal ribbon?
Creases come out of a race medal ribbon with a cool iron pressed through a thin cloth, keeping the iron well away from the metal medal and any printed logos. Hanging the ribbon straight for a few days also relaxes light folds. Customized Race Medals packs ribbons to limit creasing, but long storage in a tight drawer can still set folds into the fabric.
Can a race medal ribbon go in the washing machine?
A race medal ribbon should not go in the washing machine, even if it unclips from the medal. Machine agitation and detergent can fray woven edges and fade sublimated color. Spot-clean instead with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, rinse with a clean damp cloth, and dry the ribbon flat. Keep the medal itself dry and separate while the ribbon is being cleaned.
Do race medals fade if they hang in direct sunlight?
Race medals hung in direct sunlight usually show fading on the ribbon first, while plating and enamel hold their color much longer. Bright ribbon colors and printed sponsor marks are the most sensitive. Customized Race Medals suggests displaying medals on a wall that does not catch direct sun through a window, or in a shadow box with glass, to keep ribbons looking like race day.
Can medal hangers scratch custom race medals?
Custom race medals can pick up scratches on a hanger when medals hang close enough to swing into each other or into the bar. The ribbon takes the weight, so the metal rarely touches the hanger itself. Leave a little space between ribbons, hang heavier medals at the ends, and avoid hangers with sharp hooks that snag fabric or rub against enamel edges.
What should a finisher do if enamel chips on a race medal?
A finisher with a chipped race medal should first stop the damage spreading by keeping the medal from rubbing against others. Small enamel chips are cosmetic and do not weaken the metal. Store the race medal in its own bag or a shadow box from then on. Race directors who expect heavy handling can ask Customized Race Medals about protective coatings or hard enamel at the mockup stage.
How should finish-line volunteers handle race medals to avoid damage?
Finish-line volunteers should handle race medals by the ribbon and hand them out from opened bags or a padded table, not a loose pile. Metal rubbing against metal scratches plating and chips enamel edges. Draping ribbons over a rope or rail keeps each medal separate and untangled. A short briefing before the first finisher arrives helps volunteers keep every race medal clean and correctly sorted.
Is a clear coating worth it for race medals that kids will handle?
A clear coating is often worth it for race medals that kids will handle, play with or carry to school. The coating protects soft enamel color from scuffs and makes fingerprints easy to wipe away. Customized Race Medals can show a coated and uncoated version on the free mockup within 24 hours, so a youth race can compare both before approving the final design.
Get a free mockup for your race medals
Send your logo or idea and the quantity you have in mind. Customized Race Medals returns a free mockup within 24 hours, you approve the design before anything is produced, and standard turnaround is about two weeks with faster options available. Get a custom quote.