How to Clean Skateboard Bearings

This guide will show you how to clean skateboard bearings.


Things needed: skateboard tool(or pliers),
tack/push pin/ needle, solvent (gasoline, acetone,91% alcohol, etc),
lubricant ( bones speed cream, sewing machine oil, oust lubricant, etc)
Bottle of some kind

Takeoff your bearings' shields, use a small sharp object like a needle to poke out the shield, for rubber shields all you need to do is get in between the rubber shield and the inner circle of the bearings and pull up with pin and the shield should pop up. Metal shields come with a metal ring you need to pop out first then remove the shield by tapping it on a Hard surface

Now that your shields are off put them in a bottle with your solvent, fill bottle about 1/3 of the way with your solvent, I am using an orange degreaser, drop your shields (metal rings) and bearings in the bottle with the solvent. Or you can make a more effective one with a long screw, wing nut, and tape like I did. Your gonna agitate the bottle every so often and let sit upside down to let all the bearings soak for at least five minutes. Agitate,let sit, agitate, let sit, agitate, let sit, etc

Now that they've been in the solvent for around five minutes drain the bottle through a coffee filter to catch all the shields or you could just dump it in a sink that has the drain catcher thing. Now just wet everything with hot water, don't Worry about rust, unless if you let them wet for three hours nothing will happen, BUT MAKE SURE TO DRY THEM COMPLETELY WITH A HAIR DRYER! otherwise rust might set in.

Now that they're all dry, you need to lube it up with some kind of lubricant like speed cream, oust lubricant, sewing machine oil, electronic lube, etc. DO NOT USE WD40, wd40 is not made to lube up bearings, it will work at first but as you ride it will collect street dirt and actually deteriorate your bearings till one day they just bust on you so in the long run use the proper lubricant. Put three drops in each baring, DO NOT OVER LUBE, three to four is enough, five is pushing it. More lube does not mean more speed, it will just clog up and slow you down. Three drops is optimal and just spin the bearing to spread the lube

Now just snap the shields back on the lubed up ones and do the same with the rest, pop them back in your wheels and go ride! , you'll notice the difference as you ride smooth as shit and don't have to push every second.