There are so many reasons to buy your own skates. However, one of the perks of renting skates from the skating rink is that we maintain the skates. Just like a car needs oil changes and regular maintenance, roller skates need a little TLC to keep them rolling at 100%. Fortunately, maintaining your roller skates is easy once you know what to do. Check out our tips below to learn what to do when your skates need some love. 

How to know when your skates need maintenance

If you realize that your skate wheels are not rolling as easily, you definitely need to give them a tune-up. Other reasons you may want to inspect your skates include pulling to one side, hearing clanking noises, or if something just doesn’t “feel right” when you’re skating. 

While the reasons listed above definitely warrant a closer look (and probably a cleaning and adjustment) of your skates, you should also be doing some basic roller skate maintenance on a regular basis as part of your skating routine. 

Roller skate maintenance and when to do it

• Cleaning and drying skates
  • When: Every time you skate
  • Why? Even skating indoors on a skating rink, you’re going to pick up some dirt, dust, and debris while you skate, not to mention that your feet sweat in your skates. All it takes is a quick wipedown with a soft, dry cloth to keep your skate boots and wheels from accumulating gunk. When you get home, bring your skates in with you and let them air dry. Do NOT sit them directly in front of a fire or radiator, and do not try to dry them with a hair dryer! They need to dry out slowly without an intense temperature change. A strong heat source can warp your boots, ruining them. 
• Tightening/adjusting trucks, nuts, and stoppers
  • When: Once a week if you skate regularly
  • Why? The vibrations that occur while skating can cause some parts of your skates to loosen up. It’s a good idea to inspect your skates often to make sure everything is in working order and to tighten up parts that may have wiggled loose during your last skating session. 
• Cleaning your skate bearings
  • When: Depends on several factors, but usually every 1-3 months.
  • Why? Skate bearings help your wheels roll freely, but the more you skate, the more debris gets stuck in the bearings and causes friction—the opposite of what you want! Cleaning your bearings removes dirt and grime and keeps you rolling smoothly. If you don’t know how to clean your bearings (or do any other type of roller skate maintenance, for that matter), just head to YouTube or Google. There are tons of great tutorials to help you learn how to maintain your skates. 

If you’re looking for roller skate parts, accessories, or just expertise, visit our pro shop at Skate Moore! We’re always happy to answer questions and help you find exactly what you need.