How to Clean Skateboard Bearings (and Is WD-40 OK?)

You can clean skateboard bearings at home with a skate tool, a pin, a jar with a lid, a bottle of cleaner and some bearing lube. Here's the full job, start to finish.

1. Take the wheels off. Undo the axle nuts with your skate tool, then lever each bearing out of the wheel. We've got a separate guide on getting bearings out of wheels coming soon.
2. Remove the shields. Slide a pin under the edge of each rubber shield, at the inner ring, and lift it out gently. Put them somewhere they won't roll off.
3. Soak them. Drop the bearings into the jar, cover them with cleaner, put the lid on and give it a good swirl. If the liquid comes out murky, tip it away and go again until it stays clear.
4. Dry them completely. Lay them out on kitchen roll, or blow them through with compressed air. Each one should spin freely by hand with no grinding.
5. Lube them. Bones recommends two drops per bearing. Give each one a spin to work it round.
6. Put them back together. Press the shields back on, refit the bearings and tighten the axle nuts until the wheels spin freely without wobbling.

The three mistakes to avoid: oiling bearings before they're clean, leaving them wet, and soaking them with the rubber shields still in. Bones warns that oil on a dirty bearing doesn't clean it, it just flushes the grit deeper inside. Strong solvents aren't kind to rubber either, which is why the shields come out first.

The best cleaner for skateboard bearings is near-pure isopropyl alcohol or acetone. Both dissolve old oil and grime, then evaporate without leaving a film behind. Carburettor cleaner does the same job. Paint or lacquer thinner works too, but it can leave an oily residue.

Strength matters. Weak alcohol from the chemist won't shift old grease properly, so buy the purest you can find. A water-based cleaner such as a citrus degreaser or washing-up liquid will lift the dirt, but you'll need to dry the bearings straight away and oil them, or the steel will rust.

WD-40 won't wreck skate bearings in one go, but used as a lube it leaves them running dry. The standard can is a water displacer and solvent. It thins out the oil inside, can make the bearings feel quick at first, then evaporates and leaves bare steel.

Element's bearing care guide puts it bluntly: "Do not use WD-40."

Already sprayed yours? Give them the full clean and re-lube above before your next session.

Lubricate skateboard bearings with an oil or grease made for them, such as Bronson Speed Co. High Speed Ceramic Bearing Oil. Bronson says it protects against moisture, rust and corrosion, which matters on wet UK pavements.

3-in-1 oil and bike chain lube will keep a bearing turning, but neither is made for skate bearings. Treat them as a stopgap until you can get proper bearing oil, and stick to a drop or two.

There's no fixed schedule for cleaning skateboard bearings. Clean them when they start to complain. Flip the board over and flick each wheel: if it hisses, grinds or stops after a couple of turns, it's time.

Wet sessions bring it forward. Skating through puddles or on damp ground lets water into the bearings, so give them a clean and fresh oil soon after. A bearing that won't spin freely at all needs sorting before you skate it again.

Skateboard bearings with removable rubber shields, or no shields at all, are the easiest to clean, because the cleaner can reach the balls. Non-removable shields, metal or rubber, stop you soaking them properly. Wipe those down, oil them and replace them once they turn gritty.

Here's how some of the bearings we stock compare, going by the brands' own product details:

If yours are past saving, browse our skateboard bearings, or go straight to Bones bearings and Bronson bearings.

Can you clean skateboard bearings with vinegar?
You can, but it's a last resort. Vinegar can leave a thin film behind that dust clings to. If it's all you have, use clear white vinegar, then rinse the bearings in alcohol and dry them before oiling.

Do new skateboard bearings need lubricating?
Many come pre-lubricated and ready to skate, including Bones REDS and Independent GP-S. Leave new bearings alone until they start to slow down or sound gritty.