How to clean your roller skate wheels and bearings

Keeping your wheels and bearings clean won't help you go faster - only your legs can help with that - but it can give you a smoother, more comfortable ride and can help with your "grip."

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A bearing cleaning solution - I prefer brake parts cleaner
• household oil (graphite)
• wheel cleaning solution - I like Fantastic
• a towel
• a tool to remove the bolts from your wheels

1. Let's start with your bearings. Bearings are usually protected with at least one cover (plastic/rubber lining). Remove this before cleaning to expose the bearings and allow the cleaner to make direct contact.

2. Hold the bearing on an axle or bolt or anything that will allow the bearing to spin while you clean it and give the bearing a few sprays with your cleaner of choice. Give your bearings a spin and watch for splatter! You can use a towel to dry them, but air drying is preferable.

3. Finally, lubricate your bearings with a household oil. Oil keeps dust at bay and means less frequent cleanings.

4. To clean your wheels simply spray them with a liquid cleaner. Carefully wipe between the grooves until all the dirt is removed.

Tips & Warnings

• For a quick clean (of your bearings), you can use compressed air. It's not as thorough as the method above, but will do in a pinch.
• For worn down wheels, cleaning may not be enough and you may have to re-groove them. This service is available at many rinks.

Resources

• Brake Parts Cleaner
• Fantastic Spray Cleaner
• Compressed Air
• Bearing lubricant
• Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track

[christmaszorro2]

on 11/9/2009 Great idea!

[Tippy]

on 7/14/2008 Thanks for a great how-to article. I'm going to try these tips.