There comes a time in every roller skater’s life when he or she needs to thoroughly clean his or her wheels. Whether you’re changing your wheels from a previous setup, getting new, fresh ones from the store, or just want a good cleaning for aesthetic purposes, knowing how to properly do so is crucial. In this article, I will try to explain every facet of proper wheel cleaning.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

What You Will Need: On the side of the box, there should be a list of things you will need to clean your wheels. Most likely it’s just some kind of cleaner, and possibly soap.

Packaging tape Clean rags A brush Kit non-slip grip cleaner Stickers A couple hours of your time

1. Prepare the Wheels

Preparing the wheels is a very, very important step in order to not ruin your new or old setup. Doing a good job on this step will guarantee that you don’t have to repeat it any time soon. First off, remove all stickers from the wheels with some kind of adhesive remover (available at most hardware stores) and make sure they are completely clean by wiping them with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol works great for cleaning almost anything, so its use is recommended throughout the whole process. This is also an ideal time for me to mention that using water-based cleaners such as dish soap/detergent or laundry detergent is a big no-no. They will only serve to strip off any of the good grips that your wheels may already have and will likely make them pop with you as you skate, which is not fun for anyone involved.

2. Cleaning the Wheels

Cleaning the wheels is also very important, but I’m sure you know this by now! A lot of people like using soap with their wheels; some say it cleans better than just water and others use soap because they don’t want to waste time rinsing out all that extra soap afterward. You’ll find what works best for you, so try both methods and see what results in the cleanest setup! However, be careful when doing this step because many cleaners tend to eat away at your bearings. If you’re not careful, you could strip the whole thing down to just the bearing in no time!

When it comes to bath time for your wheels, do it much like when you bathe an actual skater (I’m sure you know how): fill up a bowl or tub with warm water and soap (if you go this route) and submerge the wheels to soak for a few minutes. If you’re like me and don’t like to use soap, that’s cool too because it takes much less time at all to clean them with water only; just leave them alone in the bowl/tub for a minute or two before moving on to the next step.