How To Clean Rollerblade or Inline Skates Wheels & Bearings

Roller skating is a great hobby. It is a fun and cool sport and people, especially youth, love to practice it. However, to keep your skating experience top-notch and fun, it is also important to work for the maintenance of your roller skates or inline skates. It is vital to clean the wheels and bearings of your inline skates and take care of them to keep your rollers smooth and your skating boots in a good shape.

It is not that difficult to clean your rollerblade. However, you do need to check and clean your roller skates after every rolling session, so that you can notice if there is any early wear and tear in your skates. It will ensure that your skates work for a longer period of time and you wouldn’t need to buy a new pair every now and then. 

You also don’t need a lot of things for the maintenance of your boots. All you need is a screwdriver, a cleaning rug, dishwashing liquid, and then following some simple steps, you could clean your roller skates by following some simple steps. 

Here is a stepwise guide on

How To Clean Rollerblade Or Inline Skates Wheels & Bearings

Cleaning the Inline Wheels:

It is very important to make sure that the wheels of your inline skates are in a good condition and you take care of them by cleaning them and working on their maintenance. Here is how you can clean your wheels:

Arranging Cleaning Supplies:

First of all, you need to gather your cleaning supplies. You will need pliers, screwdrivers, a cleaning rug or towel, and a soapy solution of dishwashing liquid to remove dirt and clean the wheels. 

Unscrewing the Wheels:

You start off by unscrewing the nuts and bolts of your wheels that keep them in place. Then remove the insoles and padding of the boots to get better access so that you can properly clean your boots. Before starting to clean the boots, ensure that there is nothing unusual or irregular. Do a proper inspection of the boot so that you know if any part needs to get replaced or repaired. If you detect any wear and tear, you will not clean that part. 

Cleaning of Chassis and Wheels:

Wipe the outside of the chassis and the wheels to remove any sort of dirt or girth. After cleaning the outside of the chassis and wheels, move to the inner part. Use a cotton bud to clean around the nuts and screws because they are more prone to accumulating dirt and mud and need precise cleaning. Using a brush, dust the crevices and holes in your boots. Also, dust the dirt off from the sole of the boots so that you don’t fall on your wheels while skating. 

Cleaning the Bearings:

Unscrew the bearings and then soak the bearings in the soapy solution of dishwashing liquid. This will help melt off any solidified dirt, mud, or any other girth. In no time you will notice the soapy solution getting dirty and the mud will come off the bearings. Once the bearings are clean, dry them out completely and screw them back. Wipe the separators clean. Make sure the bearings are completely dry before screwing them back otherwise your skates will start rusting. 

Reassemble the Skates:

Once everything is clean, reassemble the skates. Check if the wheels are working properly and smoothly. You can also use 2-3 drops of oil to make it work smoothly. Work on one skate at a time. First, assemble the larger wheels and then the smaller wheels. Ensure that the brake pads are connected firmly. Also, keep checking for the wear line on the skates and replace them before they reach the wear line. 

Make sure that when you attach the wheels to the chassis, you screw the nuts tightly so that the wheels are attached firmly and don’t fall off that easily. If the screws are too tight, then they will offer unnecessary hindrance and friction to the wheels. Therefore, make sure that you don’t mess up that area. 

Check the laces, buckles, and any other fasteners. Also inspect the boot lining, toe padding, and insoles. Ensure that there is no other missing part and everything is firm and in place. 

Maintenance of the Bearing:

The bearings of the rollerblades are undoubtedly the most delicate and sensitive part of the inline skates. Therefore, you need to work on maintaining it to avoid any damage or corrosion. Following are some things that can help you with the maintenance of your bearings.

● Make sure that you keep your roller skates away from the water. Doing so will ensure that your blades are safe from corrosion. If your bearings get rusted, it will surely affect your skating experience. Because once the bearings get rusted, they will neither be smooth nor fast. 

● Don’t skate on grassy patches. Grass can damage the wheels and bearings of your roller skates. Therefore, make sure that you keep your roller skates away from the grass.  

Conclusion:

If you work on the maintenance and cleaning of the wheels and bearings of your inline skates, then it can save you from a lot of frustration and can also save you some money. Daily maintenance doesn’t even require that much time or effort. Therefore, it is better to do daily maintenance, inspection, and cleaning of your inline skates following these simple steps and enjoy your skating experience.