How to Clean Roller Skate Wheels
Dirt, dust and grime interfere with roller skate wheels and skate bearings. Some skate manufacturers create “clearances and tolerances considerably smaller than 1/1000th of an inch,” which means a human hair can interfere with speed, according to Shop4Skates. As a result, keeping your roller skate wheels clean is an important part of the maintenance process. To clean roller skate wheels, you only need a few supplies. Additionally, removing the wheels allows you to check for wear.
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Instructions
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Prepare the cleaning solution. Fill a small tub or basin with warm water. Squeeze a small amount of dishwashing liquid into the basin. Work the liquid into the water by swirling with your soft-bristle brush until you see soapsuds.
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Remove the roller skate wheels. Determine which Allen wrench to use by placing the approximate size into the screw that holds one wheel. Twist the wrench in a clockwise motion to loosen the screw. Remove the screw and repeat the process on the remaining three wheels.
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Soak the wheels in the cleaning solution. Place each wheel into the cleaning solution and allow them to soak for five to 10 minutes, depending on how soiled they are.
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Brush away dirt using the soft-bristle brush. Remove each wheel from the cleaning solution and gently brush dirt away with the brush. Repeat the process for each wheel.
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Rinse the wheels using warm running tap water. This removes residue from the detergent and allows you to see damage closely.
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Dry each wheel thoroughly with a clean paper towel.
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Inspect each wheel for damage and wear. Closely review the wear pattern on each wheel.
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Replace each wheel. Place each wheel back on the skate using the Allen wrench. Turn the wrench in a counterclockwise manner until the screw is comfortably tight.
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References
- Photo Credit roller skates image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
