How To Clean Roller Skate Bearings At Home?

Do you need to clean your bearings or go for a replacement? 

If you have neglected the bearings for a long time, then only cleaning these ones will not be a good solution. In case, you feel that the grime is merely too much or you have enhanced your skating skills, then we will recommend you to replace the bearings altogether. But in that case, too, you need to maintain the new ones after a few usages.

The tools and products you need to have while cleaning the bearings of inline skates

1.  Devastation 3-way tool: In terms of removing the wheels, you need to have a tool.
   
   
2. Bankroll bearing snatcher: With the help of the snatcher, you will be able to pull out the bearings from the wheels. But for modern bearings, you can take the help of this tool. For 8 mm bearings, you can buy these tools.
   
   
3. Bearings Cleaning Solution: This cleaning solution will help to keep the bearings cleaned. You need to load up the bearings on the stem. Thereafter soak the bearings overnight. With the help of the solution, you can clean the bearings easily.
   
   
4.  Bearing Oil: At last, you need to lubricate the bearings so that these can spin smoothly. This kind of oil helps to prevent rust building.

Now, we are going to mention those products that will help to enhance the life span of the bearings.

If you want to enhance the life span of the bearings, then a little bit of maintenance is essential. In terms of making your bearings long-term usable and smooth-rolling, then you need to follow a few steps.

Now, you may think about how to improve the bearings' performance. Lubricating the bearings can help you in this case. But if you are a newbie skater, then the first question that will come to your mind is how to clean and lube roller skate bearings. In this article, we have given a full guide on how to clean and oil roller skate bearings. Follow the guide to know how to clean bearings inline skates.

• By lubricating the bearings, the acceleration and speed will be improved. On the other hand, lubricating helps in reducing friction. You should apply bearing oil after cleaning them.
  
  
• A few drops of superior quality bearing oil will help to keep the bearings long-term usable. But before applying the bearing oil, make sure that the bearings are dried out.

Bionic bearing oil: This kind of oil is manufactured mainly for enhancing the life span of bearings. No matter your bearings belong to which brand - this oil helps to protect the bearings.

Bones speed cream: It is such a product that can help to enhance the bearing's performance.

Steel bearings And how to clean inline skate bearings of this kind

We all know that steel is a very durable material. To construct most of the bearings, this economical metal is used. These kinds of bearings are unable to handle the friction properly between the wheels and the axle.

 Moreover, if you skate fast or use the bearings for heavy usages, steel bearings get expanded. As a result, the skate bearings get heated up. That may lead to damage to the bearings. So, if you want to make the bearings long-term usable, make sure that you are cleaning, dry, and lubricate the bearings after every usage.

How you need to maintain the bearings, depends on how fast and how long you skate. If you don't skate too much, then you don't need to maintain a lot.

Ceramic bearings and how to clean your roller skate bearings of this kind

If you don't have too much time, and are looking for low-maintenance bearings, then ceramic bearings are the exact one for you. Compared to the previous one, this one encounters less friction. Along with this, you need not apply too much lubricant to the ceramic bearings.

You need to start the process by removing the wheels, and cleaning the surface of the bearings.

Step: 1

Removing the bearings from the wheels:

The bearing remains at the core point of the wheels. These ones remain attached to the trucks. Bearings come in a circular shape. To remove the bearings, you can use a screwdriver and simply pull out the bearings. You can use a needle-nose plier also.

The other methods you can follow to remove the bearings:

• In case, you don't have any of these tools, then you need to follow this procedure. A few boards come with an extra spacer that remains between the bearings. This extra spacer is known as the speed ring. You need to remove it after removing the first bearing.
  
  
• In case, you don't have any bearing puller, then you need to take the help of a metal rod. While inserting the metal rod, you need to touch the bearing on another side. Then what you need to do is tapping the metal rod with the help of a hammer. Make sure that you are doing this process carefully. Otherwise, you may damage the bearings.

Step: 2

Clean the surface of the bearings:

• After removing the bearings from the wheels, you need to wipe out the dust from the surface. But in case, before pulling the bearings out from the wheels, you cleaned the surface already, then you need to finish up this with the kitchen paper.
  
  
• Take a toothbrush for cleaning the dust.
  
  
• Then you need to draw circles from the inside to the outside of the bearings. It helps to prevent the dirt from entering the cage that remains under the cap.
  
  
• You need to end up this step by greasing with the help of kitchen paper.

Tip: In terms of cleaning the central hole of the bearings, you need to fold the corner side of the kitchen paper. It will help to remove the dirt quickly.

Step: 3

Cleaning the bearings:

• The next step is removing the worn-out crap and grease from the bearing race. Here we will let you know how to clean roller skate bearings with alcohol. You can use Methylated spirit. Otherwise, you can only soak the bearings in alcohol or other solutions. You can also use a spray-on degreaser for blasting out the crap from the bearings.
  
  
• Then you need to soak the bearings in your desired liquid. Then you need to shake these for two to three minutes. After that rinse these in the cleaning solution.

Step:  4 

Spraying the bearings: 

Now you need to hold a bearing between two fingers. After that what you need to do is spraying the citrus cleaner on the bearings. This cleaner will help to remove the dirt from the bearing. Now, you need to keep the bearings on the kitchen paper. It will help to absorb the liquid.

Step:5

Drying the bearings:

Now, your task is drying the bearings. Now your task is spinning the bearings on the axes.

Tips: Make sure that you are not spinning the bearings too fast or for a prolonged period without using the lubricant.

Step: 6

Greasing up the bearings:

• After drying the bearings, your task is greasing them. You need to apply two to three drops of oil on each bearing. While applying the oil, you need to spin the bearings.
  
  
• Then take a clean paper towel. With the help of the towel, you can wipe off excess oil from the outside part of the bearings.

Tips: You need to follow a few things while greasing the bearings:

• If you apply too much grease, it will show the opposite result. Instead of moving smoothly, it will create issues. So make sure that you are applying less grease.
  
  
• Never use thick oil such as olive oil, car oil, vegetable oil.
  
  
• How you will lubricate the bearings, depends on the season and how much money you want to spend. For the speed skater, we will recommend avoiding greasing and using bearing oil or gel.
  
  
• If you skate on the street, then you don't need to worry too much regarding maintenance. During the wintertime, you need to select grease. It helps to improve the waterproof enclosure and protects the bearings in bad weather. As well as helps to enhance the life span of the bearings.

Step: 7

Taking off the lubricant:

After putting on the caps, and circlips, you need to spin the bearings between the fingers in terms of removing the surplus of lubricant.

Step: 8

Grease removing: The Gherkin jar technique

• If you don't want to make your fingers dirty, then you can put the bearings at the bottom of the container.
  
  
• You can scald the bearings in warm water. The swirls help to remove the dirt from the balls and the axes. In this case, you don't need to take the help of any grease removing agent.

Compressed air: The water gun or the air gun is very helpful in this case. It is a very fast way of cleaning. You need to put the bearings between two metal shelves or grilles so that the bearings don't go away.

If you hold the bearings in the hand, then you need to put on gloves. Make sure that you have put on the security glasses. It will give protection to your eyes from spitting.

Step: 9

Re-inserting the bearings:

Now your task is re-inserting the bearings into the wheels. Make sure that you are pushing the bearings as much as possible.

Step: 10

Reattaching the wheels: 

After inserting the bearings into the wheels, your task is reattaching the wheels. You need to put one washer on each side of the wheel. Now, you need to tighten the nuts and bolts. Make sure that the wheels are firmly attached.

Conclusion:

Only learning skating techniques and balancing is not enough. For every skater, it's very important to know how to clean roller skate bearings at home and what to use to clean roller skate bearings. If you follow this entire guide properly, you will get to know How to clean roller skate bearings. Still, you face any problem while following this process, do ask us via comment. We will give answers to your questions and solve your problems as soon as possible.