Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Owner's Guide to Cleaning Your Wheels

wiping down my wheels

So actually I gave my wheels a good cleaning about a month ago, and it took two weeks to get my hockey stops back. I guess I like hard, dirty wheels. I need them not to be so grippy, but your mileage, of course, may vary. Dirty wheels won't grip as well, so clean them to get your grip back.

I just wipe mine down with a damp cloth every now and then, holding the cloth under the wheel and rolling the wheel over the cloth. You can do this without taking the wheels off your skates.

If I'm going to town any more than that, I take the bearings out. You don't want your bearings to get wet. The wheels themselves you can pretty much manhandle. If you really want to scrub a dub dub them, you can throw them into a sinkful of warm soapy water and wash them just like dishes. Make sure they're thoroughly dry before you put the bearings back in.