How Do You Clean Skateboard Bearings with Household Items?
- Ed Riley
- November 24, 2022
If you are a skateboard freak, you might know the necessity of cleaning the bearing for a smooth skating experience. But what if you don’t wanna spend any bucks?
Well, you can clean your skateboard bearing with household items.
Sounds great, doesn’t it?
In this article, we are gonna discuss every simple method possible to make the bearing polished and spotless. So, stay tuned till the end.
Why Is It Important to Clean Skateboard Bearings?
Skateboard bearings must be cleaned and lubricated for a variety of reasons. It may be helpful to know what household items you can use for lube bearings. For starters, they both improve the bearings’ lifetime and performance. These measures will also keep the wheels in great shape.
The bearings will acquire dirt as you use your skateboard daily. If you don’t inspect your skateboard bearings at least once a week, you could be startled when they break.
Regular cleaning of your steel bearings, wheel bearings, ceramic bearings, and modern bearings may help them last longer. They are one of your skateboard’s most pricey components. bearings require maintenance like your skateboard wheels.
Also, maintaining your skateboard bearings in good working order can help you avoid any unforeseen problems. It may also aid in the detection of items that may influence your skateboard’s performance at some point in the future.
Furthermore, constantly cleaning your skateboard bearings with solvent or grease solvent may assure your safety when riding. But it is also important that you know what to clean bearings with.
03 Methods to Clean Skateboard Bearings
Skateboard bearings may be cleaned in three different methods. You can utilize these cleaning strategies depending on when you last cleaned them and how much time you have to devote to this operation.
Step 01:
This procedure is simple and quick. This strategy is appropriate if you are in a rush. If you clean skateboard bearings regularly, this is the one to consider.
The following materials are required:
- Paper towels or rags or piece of cloth
- Spray lubricant
Directions:
- Keep the bearings in place when removing the wheels.
- On a dry towel or rag, assemble the wheels and bearings.
- Get the lubrication and spray it on the bearings a couple of times. Ensure that the spray reaches the bearings, which will clear them of dirt.
- After you’ve sprayed the wheels, wipe them down with a clean cloth. Cover them with a towel to allow them to air dry.
- Slip your skateboard’s wheels firmly in.
Step 02:
This cleaning method might take a long time. It is, nevertheless, more effective than the preceding procedure.
The following materials are required:
- Lubrication
- Rags or towels or paper towel
- Socket wrench
Directions:
- This cleaning process necessitates removing the bearings from the wheels. If you don’t want to follow this procedure, then you need to know how to clean skateboard bearings without removing them.
- When you do, be very cautious when carrying the bearing shield. It’s best not to mishandle the shield because it might be dangerous. The bearings become unusable if it is damaged. That means you’ll have to repair both the bearings and the shield.
- Don’t forget about the washers.
- Place the bearings on a cloth if you remove them.
- Remove the accumulated dust in the bearings using spray lubrication. To wash the bearings, spray them all over.
Repeat the procedure for the remaining bearings. Keep the bearings’ rubber shields outside while reinstalling them on the wheels. Using your finger, place each bearing on the skateboard wheels. Pull them as far back as you can. Assemble the wheels and place them on the axle. Place the lock screw over the wheels as well.
Using the socket wrench, carefully tighten the nut. The bearings are pushed deep inside by the lock nut. Remember to go carefully to avoid damaging the bearings. It is also important to know when to clean skateboard bearings and the best way to clean bearings.
Step 03:
This approach takes longer to complete than the other two. It is, without a doubt, the most effective approach.
The following materials are required:
- 2 cans or bowls that are clean
- rags or towels
- Filter for coffee
- Wrench for sockets
- Lubricant cream (kerosene, mineral spirits, or acetone)
Directions:
- Remove the bearings and set them aside in a container or bowl. The shields must be removed in this approach. To avoid harm, proceed with care. When dealing with the edges, you must be extra cautious. As a result, this cleaning process takes a long time.
- Pour the cleaning liquid over the bearings.
- To dislodge the dirt, continue mixing the fluid.
- Take the polished bearings and immerse them in the solvent in a dish.
- After soaking the bearings, remove them from the solvent and fully dry them. Make use of compressed air canisters.
- Apply lubrication lotion to the bearings before replacing them on the wheels.
- Remove the filter from the solvent bottle and place it on top of it. Fill the container with the contents. The bearing dirt will be caught by the filter, leaving the solvent fresh and recyclable inside the canister.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
What household items can you use for lube bearings?
Cleaning skateboard bearings using lubricants and detergents developed for cleaning skateboard bearings is the safest and most reliable method. Some common home things, on the other hand, can be quite effective in cleaning skateboard bearings.
Household materials like acetone-based removers, petroleum jelly, lubricants such as sewing machine oil, bionic bearing oil, skateboard bearing lube alternative, axle washers, all of these are good options for lube bearings. you can also read our top 5 best lubricant for skateboard bearings guide.
How do you clean skateboard bearings with metal shields?
If your bearings contain a metal shield on them, you may clean them without removing the shield. If your bearings contain rubber seals, they should be removed. Doing this can help you achieve the best results. Soak the shielded bearings into a skateboard bearing lubricant or skateboard bearing lube.
How do you clean skateboard bearings with wd40?
When cleaning skateboard bearings, never use the product WD40. This is a substance intended exclusively for eliminating rust and filth from bearings, not as a lubricant or cleanser. It works well at first, but as bearings dry out, you’ll find yourself reapplying the product even more. It will deteriorate skateboarding performance and overall skateboarding experience.
Can you use dish soap to clean skateboard bearings?
Once the metal shields or the shields from the bearings are taken off, place them in a bowl containing dishwashing liquid. Do not submerge the shields in acetone or any other solvent. The rubber/nylon composition of the shields, which helps keep dirt out, will dry up and be destroyed by the solvent.
Can you use vinegar to clean skateboard bearings?
After cleaning the bearings and allowing them to air dry, submerge the bearings in a jar full of vinegar. Make sure to use pure white vinegar and not balsamic or apple cider vinegar. You may also clean ceramic bearings in this process. After 2 hours, remove the rust and grime from the bearings
Can you use nail polish remover to clean skateboard bearings?
If your bearings contain bearing shields, you’ll need to unscrew them. Simply use a paper clip to get them out. After that, immerse your bearings in acetone, nail varnish remover, or rubbing alcohol for a few minutes. Spin them thoroughly and make sure they’re free of dust and debris. You’ve now cleaned out all of the dirt and grease from your bearings
How to clean skateboard bearings with lemon juice?
Lemon juice works well to clean the bearings off dirt and grime. Soak the bearings in lemon juice by placing them in a jar and then submerging the bearings in the lemon juice solution. Close the jar lid and shake the jar well to clean the dirt, grease, and grime off the bearings
How to clean bearings with rubbing alcohol?
Bearings can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. After removing the shields of the bearings, place the bearings in a cup containing rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. Leave the bearings in the solution for a minimum of 30 minutes and continuously shake the cup or swirl the cup (
How to clean skateboard bearings with acetone?
Spirits such as acetone work well to clean the bearings and remove all the dirt, grime, and debris from them. Soaking the bearings in acetone will ensure that the lubricant is also removed from the bearings, not only the dirt and grime. Nail polish remover contains a large amount of acetone in it which may clean bearings
How to clean skateboard bearings with isopropyl alcohol?
Remove the bearing shields and soak your bearings for a few hours in isopropyl alcohol. Remove your bearings from the solvent once they’ve soaked and managed to get rid of all the dirt, and let them air dry for around 30 minutes. Finally, grease your bearings with a drop of skate lubricant before replacing the shields
Can skateboard bearings be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is a caustic substance. If you want to ruin your bearings, use them. Simply blotting them with a paper towel won’t suffice. Use a blow dryer or wait until the next day to dry. It is not a good idea to use hydrogen peroxide since it will oxidize part of the iron in the bearings
When to clean skateboard bearings?
Remember that depending on the climate you skate in, bearings only have to be polished every two to three months. If you skate many times a month inside but the surface is not regularly cleaned, you may need to polish your bearings once every month
Final Words....
Cleaning and maintaining your skateboard bearings can be time-consuming. It’s a demanding profession, especially if you’re a beginner skater. It’s just as essential to buy good bearings and maintain them clean as it is to obtain the greatest skateboard for yourself. If you’ve never owned a skateboard before, there are a lot of things to learn about the different cleaning methods and also skate-bearing cleaning. It may be helpful if you know how to clean ceramic skateboard bearings.
