How to Clean Your Bearings

• Bearing lubricant (NOT WD-40)
• A good solvent or cleaning solution (acetone, Gumout, pure alcohol, paint thinner, or lacquer thinner)    
• A container made of metal, polyethylene, or polypropylene
• Rubber gloves and eye protection
• A couple of rags or paper towels

• In order to get your bearings as clean as possible you need to remove them from the wheels. Once they are out you can begin by popping off the metal or rubber shields from the bearings. Using a small knife or push pin, gently pry the shield upwards from the outer edge. The shields should pop out quite easily so don't use a lot of force. Bent shields will not fit right and can allow more dirt and contaminants into your bearings.
• Wipe down the shields with a little bit of warm soapy water and dry them with a lint free cloth. Make sure that the shields are completely dry before reinstalling them. Now place the bearings into the container that you have selected. Be sure to wear your rubber gloves and eye protection for the next part. Pour the solvent or cleaning solution into the container with the bearings and gently agitate. Keep replacing the dirty solution with clean solution until the bearings are completely clean and you are satisfied with the smoothness of the bearing roll.
• Remove the bearings from the solution and dry them thoroughly. Using a can of compressed air to dry the bearings works best, but if you don't have one you can just use a rag.
• Once your bearings are completely dry you're ready to add the lubricant. Do not use WD-40 for this step, only use skate specific lubricants like Bones Speed Cream or Tri-Flow. You only need to add a couple of drops of lubricant to your bearings, and you should never use your bearings without lubricant. It may seem that they spin faster without it but it will actually cause them to fail quickly and it may result in them freezing up entirely.
• Now reinstall your bearing shields, graphic or logo facing out, by gently pressing them back into place. When placing the bearings back in the wheels try to be as gentle as you can, especially if you have rubber shields.
• Put your wheels back on your board and go bomb a hill.