Care and Maintenance Tips for Your Skateboard Bearings

Skateboard bearings are the base of your skateboard’s rolling system.

For your skateboard to run optimally, its bearings must be free of dirt, dust, and mud.

To achieve this, you must care for and regularly maintain your skateboard bearings.

Below, we provide care and maintenance tips that you can follow to keep your skateboard bearings clean and prolong their lifespan.

Tips for Cleaning Skateboard Bearings

To clean a skateboard bearing, you should:

Use spray-on degreaser

If you have a spray-on degreaser, you can blast all the dirt off your bearings with little to no hassle.

Use soap and water

Use lukewarm water and dishwashing soap as it dissolves easily in water.
Skateboard bearings are detachable, so to clean them, you first need to split them apart and soak them in the lukewarm water and dishwashing soap mixture for about ten minutes.

Once the ten minutes are up, use a soft brush to scrub away the dirt stuck in the bearing. Then, rinse the dirt and soap off the bearings and dry the bearings using a paper towel or a clean cloth.

Use citrus cleaner

Cleaning skateboard bearings using a citrus cleaner follows the same process as cleaning skateboard bearings using dishwashing soap. The only difference is that you need to replace the dishwashing soap with citrus cleaner.

Citrus cleaners are good for cleaning skateboard bearings because they do not contain any harsh chemicals, and they contain natural substances that eliminate pathogens like viruses and bacteria.

Tips for Maintaining Skateboard Bearings

To maintain a skateboard bearing, you should:

Use lubricants

Lubricate your skateboard bearings using grease or oil. Grease lubricates the bearing and also works as a protector for the bearings. Oil lubricates the bearings and increases the speed of the wheels.

Re-coat the bearings

If you skate in wet or moist environments, ensure that you re-coat your bearings with lubricant to prevent rust.

Change the bearings

If you have been using your skateboard for one to two years, we recommend changing the bearings.

A good quality skateboard bearing can improve performance and make it easier for you to do flashy skateboarding styles.

Keep the bearings dirt-free

Ensure that you keep your bearings dirt-free because dirt will interfere with the smoothness of the bearings and increase friction.

Maintain and care for your skateboard bearings for maximum efficiency

Cleaning and maintaining your skateboard bearings will ensure that they perform optimally and extend their sustainability. Use the above cleaning and maintenance tips as guiding principles for the care and maintenance of your bearings

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lillian Mclean

Skateboarder 

Lillian Mclean has been an avid skateboarder for the past 13 years and now wants to share her knowledge with others