How To Clean Skateboard Wheels: Expert 6 Solutions

If you are a regular skateboarder or store your skateboard for too long, you will realize the negative impacts of the accumulation of dirt. Excess dirt and dust have the impact of clogging the movable parts of the skateboard. That’s why you must know how to clean skateboard wheels.

This prevents it from gliding smoothly as should be the case. The accumulation of dirt and dust can also interfere with the balance of the board and predispose you to the risks of tipping off.

Knowing how to clean skateboard is, therefore, a noble idea. And when you talk about cleaning the board, we are here to help you out. We have researched and got the best cleanliness standards and practices.

[su_box title=”How To Clean Skateboard Wheels?” box_color=”#1c2cb8″]Answer: To clean skateboard wheels, use a damp cloth or paper towel to remove dirt and debris. Then use rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth to remove any residue. Finally, use wheel cleaner to restore shine.[/su_box]

Read on to find out how you may clean and maintain your skateboard appropriately below:

Clean Skateboard Wheels: Step By Step Guide

Tools and materials required to clean skateboard wheels

As always, you will foremost assemble the tools and materials you need for the job. This is perhaps the most significant undertaking, as any errors that may arise in the process may often have some compound effects. The followings are the tools and materials required for the job:

• ½-inch or 13 mm socket wrench
• Small bag
• Truck Axis
• Screwdriver

Before you embark on the job of cleaning the skateboard, put on the appropriate safety gear. This is to minimize injuries and also to make the entire process a safe and worthwhile undertaking. Follow the procedures outlined and discussed below to make this a reality:

Also Read: Best Lubricants For Skateboard Bearings

Step I: Remove the wheels from the skateboard

Start by removing the wheels from the skateboard. To do this, turn the skateboard upside down. Rest it on the deck. Twist and remove the nuts that lie on the outer sides of the wheels. Use a ½-inch or 13 mm socket wrench to do so.

As soon as you are through, gently remove the wheels from the skateboard. Keep the wheels and the nuts, washers, and bolts in a small bag. This is to minimize their loss and also make it possible for you to locate them later when you need them most.

Step II: Remove the bearings from the skateboard wheels

As soon as you have removed all the wheels from the skateboard, pry the bearings off the wheels. Use the axis to do this job.

While at it, place the wheels on the end of the axis in such a way that the metallic rod is slightly pushed into the wheels and to the first bearing. Press the axis hard to let it get into contact with the bearing. Pull the top of the wheels from the skateboard.

After you have removed the bearing from one side of the wheels, pry the other wheels to remove the bearing. Use the same prying techniques to do the job. Follow this self-same pattern repeatedly for all the wheels of the skateboard. Do not mix the wheel bearings at all, as this may cause unnecessary confusion.

If the above technique feels too complicated for you, use a screwdriver to pry the bearings instead. To do so, get hold of the sides of the wheels right at your front. Insert the screwdriver’s tip in the front portion of the wheels. Thereafter, pull the screwdriver to the sides and then release the bearings.

While removing the bearings from the wheels, a spacer shall usually fall off from the wheel’s center. Keep it in a safe place to enable you to reassemble it later when you need it. Do the same to the wheels and the bearings.

Step III: Remove any embedded material from the skateboard

You now have to get rid of any embedded materials that may persist on the skateboard. Use a rag to wipe gently the surfaces of all the wheels. Use your fingers also to make lose any rocks or gravel that may have been left stuck on the wheels. You may also consider using an old toothbrush or a rag to scrub out any grime or mud from the wheels.

Step IV: Soak the wheels in soapy water

Now pour some hot or warm water into a large container like a bowl, bucket, bathtub, or basin. Pour some mild detergents onto the water and stir thoroughly. Mix approximately ½ a gallon and teaspoons of dishwashing soap.

Stir this mixture thoroughly. Use your bare hands or a large stick to do so. Be sure that the ingredients are completely and uniformly mixed before proceeding to the next step. Wait for the water to get sudsy.

As soon as you attain this, place the wheels into the soapy water. Ensure that the wheels are fully submerged in water. Leave the wheels to soak for around 10 minutes, give or take. Kindly do not soak the bearings. This may speed up their corrosion owing to their ferrous nature.

Step V: Scrub the Wheels

Use an old toothbrush or a rough rug to scrub off any debris or dirt from the wheels. Exercise a great deal of gentleness as you do this. Turn the wheels in the other direction and scrub gently yet thoroughly. Leave behind no debris at all.

Step VI: Rinse and Wipe the wheels

Remove the wheels from the water and rinse with clean and cold water. See that they remove the detergent before proceeding to the next step. Leave the wheels to dry completely. Thereafter, finish off by wiping the wheels using paper towels or a clean rag.

Pay keen attention to the inner portions of the wheels. It is not uncommon for some dirt to hide in these ‘invisible’ portions of the wheels.

Must Read: How To Assemble Skateboard

Conclusion

You are now good to go! You may now embark on the process of reassembling the skateboard. Because you do not require a great deal of technical expertise to do the job, you definitely have to gain some experience.

You may carry out mock cleanliness for the sake of enriching your overall expertise. All the best in your next cleanliness undertaking!