How To Clean Skateboard Wheels

How To Clean Skateboard Wheels [Easy 9 Steps & Tips]

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Aren’t you getting the speed that you want during your skateboarding performance? It might be because your skateboard wheels are dirty. Don’t worry and you don’t need to spend to get a new set. You can clean your skateboard wheels by following some easy steps.

We are here to provide you with proper guidance on how to clean skateboard wheels. It will give you precise instructions about the ways of cleaning. You can even do it on your own at home after finishing this content.

Steps of Cleaning Skateboard Wheels

Out of the many benefits of cleaning skateboard wheels, one most important is that your skateboard won’t move by itself and your skating journey will be much smoother and more comfortable.

However, cleaning the skateboard wheels is an effortless task.

Believe me!

you just need to pull out the wheels from the board. And then, pull out the bearing by using a screwdriver or your wrist. With the help of the razor blade or the safety pin, you can separate the bearing shield for cleaning. 

Let’s begin to grab a brief knowledge about it through 9 steps.

Step-1: Gather Necessary Equipment

Firstly, you have to gather the necessary equipment for cleaning your skateboard wheels. You need:

  • a skate/ wrench
  • screwdriver
  • razor blade
  • safety pin
  • small jars
  • Liquid solution 
  • Toothbrush 
  • and paper tissues

you are all set now to clean the wheels.

And of course, don’t forget to take a tray on which you need to put the wheels. It will help you to do the task in a comfortable way.

Step-2: Take off the Wheels

Secondly, take off your skateboard wheels from the board. To do so, use the skate tool or the wrench. With the help of the skate tool, gently take off the wheels from your skateboard deck. First, remove the axle nut, then the washer, and then take off the wheels. Keep the nut, washers on the tray. Repeat this process to take off all the wheels from the skateboard.

Step-3: Pull Out the Bearings

Thirdly, you need to pull out/ take off the bearings from the wheels. 

Worried about how to remove skateboard bearings

It’s quite normal if you are serious. Use the screwdriver in the middle of the wheel and create a little pressure to pull it out. You can use the axle to take off the bearings from the motor.

Now hold the wheel on the axle to take the bearings off from the wheels. Bend your wrist a little bit to create pressure that will take off the bearings from the motor.

Step-4: Pull Out the Bearing Shields

For the next stage, pull out the bearing shield from the bearings. In that case, the razor blade or a safety pin can help you the most. Place the razor blade or the safety pin in the middle of the bearing. Now use little force for popping out the bearing shield. Keep them on a separate tray to clean them up separately.

Step-5: Soak the Wheels

In this step, you have to pour liquid dirt cleaner into a little box. Put your hand gloves on and then place the bearings on the soap for at least 10-15 minutes. With the help of paper towels, clean and dry your bearings. You have to be careful while drying the wheels.

Step-6: Clean the Remaining Dirt

Notice the wheels carefully. In case of any remaining dirt, use a toothbrush to clean the hard-to-reach areas. A toothbrush works great for doing the hard-to-reach cleaning. Gently rub the bearings with a toothbrush to get off all dirt from your skateboard wheels.

Step-7: Dry the Wheels

The next step is about drying the wheels. Use paper towels to wipe away the dirt from the wheels. That will help you to wipe away the extra dirt cleaning solution from the wheels. With dry and clean paper towels, dry your bearings thoroughly.

Step-8: Apply Lubricating Formula

Here comes the next step. Your skateboard wheels are clean now. You can apply some lubricant 3-4 drops on the ball of each of the bearings. That will give you a long-lasting working performance of your skateboard wheels. It also helps to get more speed.

Step-9: Attach the Wheels on the Board

The next important step is to reattach the wheels on the skateboard. Replace the bearing shield on the bearings after applying to lubricate. 

Then, place the washer on the axle and put a bearing on it. You can place a bearing separator if you want, then place back the next bearing on the shaft. Attach the wheel to the bearings by using both your hands.

Produce some pressure with the same force on both sides of the wheel at the same time. It will adjust the bearings with the wheel. Repeat the same process to fit all the wheels to the bearings. Here now replace the washer and the axle nut and adapt with the skate tool’s help.

Enjoy Skateboarding

Your skateboard wheels cleaning task is over. Experience a better skateboarding performance with the cleaned wheels. 

Reaching to the new level of the tricks by your skateboard becomes easier than before. Try it out!

Skateboard Wheels Cleaning Materials

You can use several materials as the dirt cleaner for your skateboard wheels. Some dirt cleaners are your household items, alcohol, citrus cleaner, and some more items are wd40, soap water, and gentle Bones’ dirt cleaner. With these, you can clean your skateboard wheels in a much better way.

You will find several dirt cleaners from various brands from online stores or your nearby shops.

Ways to Clean Skateboard Wheels With Household Items

Worried about cleaning skateboard bearings with household items? There are mainly two ways of doing that. Let’s find out which one will be ideal for you.

Clean with Soap Water

You can clean your skateboard wheels with a little warmer soap water. Throw the bearings on the soap water solvent and wait for 10-15 minutes. Dry the wheels immediately after removing them from the soap water. With a hairdryer, you can get faster drying action. Apply lubricants to the wheels to prevent rust.

Clean with Citrus Cleaner

You can use citrus cleaner for bearings. That will work well for the cleaning of your skateboard wheels’ bearings. You need to spray the citrus cleaner on the bearings, and then dry them with paper towels. With a hairdryer, you can fasten the drying process. lubricate to get speed as well as long-lasting working performance. 

If all this work doesn’t make your skateboard smoother, try changing your wheels at the right time.

Video Tutorials to Clean Skateboard Wheels

Whenever I need to learn something, I check out the video tutorials. Here I found some good videos related to cleaning skateboard wheels. Hope you enjoy, learn, and will take action.

FAQS On Cleaning Skateboard Wheels

What kind of dirt cleaner can you use to clean your skateboard bearings?

Answer: You can use some of your household items as dirt cleaner. That can be soap water, or citrus dirt cleaner, or rubbing alcohol. You can also use professional dirt cleaners like Bones, acetone, or other brands.

How often should a skateboarder clean his/her skateboard bearings?

Answer: Cleaning the skateboard wheels depends on the weather/ environment. It also depends on its use. Generally, you should clean your skateboard wheels once in 3-4 months. But if the weather or environment is not okay, then clean the wheels once a month.

Is it possible to clean skateboard bearings with rubbing alcohol?

Answer: Yes. You can clean your skateboard wheels by soaking them for hours on the isopropyl alcohol. However, you should be very careful to use it as a dirt cleaner because it is very flammable. Wearing hand gloves is a must during this process. Dry the wheels for 30 minutes after removing the alcohol.

Is wd40 suitable for skateboard bearings cleaning?

Answer: Yeah. You can use wd40 as your skateboard wheels cleaner. But be careful next time because it can decrease your skateboard bearings’ life. You should avoid this item as a lubricant.

Conclusion

If you don’t clean your skateboard on a regular basis, your loving skateboard will get slow very soon. So, always clean your skateboard at the right time with anything we mentioned above.

Does our article have proper guidance on how to clean skateboard wheels with some easy steps? If yes, then fine. If not, please mention if I missed any process or let me know your tips and tricks for cleaning the wheels. Thanks.

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