As Willy Wonka once quipped, "If the Good Lord had intended for us to walk, he wouldn't have invented roller skates." He speaks the truth. You don't always need to walk, but you do need to maintain your skates properly to keep your speed up. Fortunately, very little can keep you from bombing hills, and the parts are cheap to replace, unlike skateboarding. Look after your skates sooner rather than later, or you may experience the pain of wheel bite.
Step 1
Wipe your skates thoroughly with a soft cloth. This should remove any exterior particles that may be hindering the wheels. Apply a cleaning solution to the cloth and wipe again to be sure.
Step 2
Remove your wheels by using an Allen wrench on the screws of the skates. You may have to try several different sizes of Allen wrenches before finding the right one because not all skates are the same. Place the screws together on a flat surface so that you do not lose any.
Step 3
Remove the bearings from the skates. Place them in a container filled with citrus cleaner and let them soak for a few minutes. Remove the bearings from the container and dry them completely with a towel. Apply a few drops of skating lubricant to each bearing.
Step 4
Wipe the bearings with the cloth to remove all particles. Replace your bearings if there is significant residue even after soaking in the cleaning solution. Use your finger to get inside the spokes of the wheels as well; don't just wipe the outside of the wheels.
Step 5
Put the screws back into the skate with the wheels in place. Give them a spin with your hand to see if you missed any dirt on the bearings. Clean the wheels with a dry towel.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are still experiencing slow skates, you may want to replace your wheels. They can develop flat spots, or the polyurethane may be worn out.
Things You'll Need
- Cloth
- Allen wrench
- Citric cleaner
- Skate lubricant
- Towel
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