Skating is always a lot of fun. It’s exciting and soul-expanding to experience the adrenaline rush of skating.
The experience is amazing, whether you are a casual skater or part of a derby team. Make sure that the wheels are clean to get the most out of your skating experience.
Skating can be significantly affected by dirt and grime on the wheels. Skate wheels get dirty because they are often exposed to oil, dirt, mud, and pollution.
The wheels can also be affected by sun, snow, and rain. Skating would be dangerous if the wheels were not cleaned regularly.
You don’t have to be a pro at cleaning skate wheels. This task is not difficult if you know how to do it.
This article will explain how to clean roller skate wheels.
Keep reading to learn how to clean your roller skate wheels, so you have the best experience every time.
Note: This tutorial assumes you are familiar with basic skating concepts, such as how tight or loose your wheels should be to suit your personal preferences.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
- Your Skates
- A skate tool (Photo 2)
- A bucket or a bowl
- Two small towels
- Dish soap
- Paper Towels
Step 2: Disassembling the Wheels
- Use the skate tool to loosen the nut from the wheel. To loosen the nuts, use the skate tool to ratchet the wheel. (photos 1 & 2)
- Unscrew the nut from the base of your skate and remove the wheel. (Photo 3)
- Continue with the remaining seven wheels until you are done. Keep the nuts in a pile close by to avoid getting lost. If you are worried about one of them rolling away, I suggest keeping them in a Ziploc bag.
- Place your skates on their side to prevent them from getting wet in the cleaning process.
Step 3: Dismantling the Bearings
- To clean your wheels thoroughly, remove the bearings to prevent rust.
- With the bearing tool (Photo 1), insert the angled end with the rubbery band onto the bearing hole and gently pull it out. (Photo 2).
- Don’t force the bearing; it will eventually pop out. Try prying at a different location within the bearing. This will allow you to work in a circular motion.
- Continue this process until all 16 bearings have been removed (2 for each wheel). Keep the bearings in a tidy pile.
Step 4: Clean Your Wheels
- Add a few drops of dish soap to the warm water. You want the mixture to be soapy but not too bubblegly. Otherwise, it will spread everywhere. If you have more soap, you can always add it. But start small. (Photo 1)
- To remove excess moisture, soak one towel in soapy water. The towel should be slightly dampened and sudsy but not sopping wet. (Photo 2)
- Clean the wheel’s outside, ensuring you get rid of all gunk. Although the wheel might still be discolored, you should still be capable of noticing a significant difference between dirty and clean wheels.
- To clean your wheels super clean, you can use a towel to clean the inside of the wheel. Next, dip the wheel into the soapy water and swirl it around. (Photo 3)
WARNING: Do not do this if you have metal/aluminum cores. You don’t want the metal to rust. Don’t let your cores get wet if you’re not sure. (Photo 3)
- Dry the wheels with the second towel. Keep each towel aside until you have thoroughly cleaned the eight wheels.
Step 5: Clean the Bearings
- You can clean your bearings by using a paper towel to wipe away all dirt and grime. To clean the bearing’s crease, you can use your fingernail. Roll the paper towel into small tubes and clean the middle.
Step 6: Replacing Bearings
- This is the easiest step. Simply take the bearing and slowly push it back into the wheel.
- Continue this process for each of the sixteen bearings.
Step 7: Remount the Wheels
- Grab one of your skates and place the wheels back onto the trucks. Slide the wheel onto the post. After that, you will need to screw the nuts on by hand. (Photo 1)
- Next, take the skate tool and tighten the nut using a clockwise, circular motion. The nut should be tightened until the wheel is immobile. (Photo 2)
- Continue this process with seven more wheels, ensuring they are all securely fastened to the skates. You can loosen the wheels to your liking once they are all tightened equally.
Step 8: Adjust Your Wheels
- After your wheels are securely fastened, you can put on your skates.
- Use the skate tool to loosen your wheels in quarter turns until your wheels are back as you prefer.
- There are no rules about how tight your wheels should be. You want them to be able to move freely but not too tight that they rattle or fall off. Each skater will have their own preferences. If your preference is not clear, you can find someone to help you determine what is best for you.
- Congratulations! You’re now ready to go back on the track.
Questions on Roller Skate Wheels Cleaning.
When to Clean Your Roller Skate Wheels?
You should have your skate wheels checked if they aren’t rolling as smoothly. You may also want to inspect your skates if you feel that something isn’t right when you’re skating.
The reasons mentioned above warrant a closer inspection (and possibly cleaning and adjusting your wheel). You should also maintain your skates regularly.
How Often Do You Need to Clean Your Roller Skate Wheels?
Every time you take your roller skate out, the wheels of your skates are exposed to dirt and pollutants.
If you skate daily, your skate wheels will get dirty very fast. Gradually, dirt and grime build-up and can block the bearings.
So, cleaning is necessary.
Skate wheels should be cleaned at least once every three months. To be safe and have the best experience, I recommend cleaning them at least once per month.
Regular skaters should clean their roller skate wheels at least once per month. It would be very difficult to clean them otherwise, as dirt and grime can settle on them.
You should clean the wheels more frequently if you skate in a muddy area. If you are in snowy or rainy conditions, make sure to clean and dry your wheels. This will prevent them from being exposed to excessive moisture.
Also, Use a clean cloth to wipe any dust off the wheels. You should clean the wheels thoroughly if you find stubborn dirt.
How Much Should Skate Wheels Rotate?
A common mistake made after cleaning roller skater wheels. You might not know how tight you need to tighten your nuts before putting the wheels on the roll. It is very dangerous to use the roller if it is too loose or tight. You would find it difficult and unsafe to skate in this condition.
After installation, skate wheels should be able to move freely and rotate freely. It should turn the same way it did before cleaning. How would you know if you made a mistake?
It will be difficult to turn the wheels if the nuts are too tight. If the nuts are too tight, they will jerk vigorously. You can loosen the nuts slightly in this case.
You can also experience the opposite. The nut may be loose if you hear the wheel rattling while spinning. The wheel won’t turn straight but shakes when it spins. This is another indication that the nuts may be loose.
Make sure to check both of these factors and adjust your nut accordingly. Next, spin the wheels using your fingers to check if they spin freely.
Conclusion
One thing I want to emphasize is that you should choose a skate from a well-respected brand such as Moxie or Impala. These skates are made with high-quality materials, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning them frequently.
But, it is mandatory to clean roller skate wheels. As you already know, the best cleaning method. It has now become easy for you to clean your roller skate wheels.
What are you waiting for? A simple process that can provide you with an amazing skating experience. Don’t just learn how to skate but also learn how to clean it. This will ensure that you don’t have to worry about your skate getting dirty.
