Isopropyl Alcohol, sometimes known as rubbing alcohol, is similar to petroleum based products and is good at breaking down oils and greases. When using it with bearings some caution should be taken as it may be incompatible with components of some bearings such as nylon cages.
General comments on Isopropyl Alcohol
The Good
- Good at breaking down and removing oils and greases
- Reasonably safe as it is used in medical environments, however please read the safety section below and the MSDS of the product you are using.
The Bad
- Pure Isopropyl Alcohol can attract water vapor from the atmosphere so bearings should not left to soak should be dried quickly or it may promote premature corrosion of your bearings
- Non pure Isopropyl Alcohol (eg 70% Rubbing Alcohol) is typically diluted with distilled water so bearings should not be left to soak and should be dried quickly or it may promote premature corrosion of your bearings
- It is has poor compatibility with nylon so should not be used on bearings with nylon cages
- It has poor compatibility with polyurethane so keep it away from you wheels when cleaning
- It can have an affect on Nitrile rubber so it may have a slight affect, such as discoloration, of rubber shields on some bearings
Safety
You should always consult the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the specific product before you use it and be familiar with the safety measures stated. General precautions for Isopropyl Alcohol:
- It is flammable so keep it away from ignition sources and use in an area with good ventilation
- Causes eye irritation
- May be harmful if swallowed
- May be harmful in contact with skin or may cause an allergic skin reaction
Using Isopropyl Alcohol To Clean Your Skate Bearings
Here are some typical steps for cleaning your bearings using Isopropyl Alcohol:
- Make sure you bearings have at least one open side. Remove a shield if need be. Having both sides open is an option if you have removable shields and are willing to replace one or both.
- Place all your bearing is a container with a screw top lid or cap that is safe for use with Isopropyl Alcohol. I find some fuel-oil/2-stroke mixing bottles to be a good option so long as they have a wide enough opening.
- Add Isopropyl Alcohol to cover your bearings. Don’t over fill, you only need just enough to do the job.
- Screw the cap on the container tightly and swirl or gentle shake the bearings in the container to get Isopropyl Alcohol to flow through the bearings.
- Open cleaning container and pour the Isopropyl Alcohol along with as much of the dirt and contaminants as you can. You should but it into a container that is suitable for holding the product for future safe disposal. Please don’t just dump it into a drain or straight into the environment.
- Optional – repeat steps 3, 4 and 5, especially if your bearings were extremely dirty
- Lay the bearings out on something absorbent such as a shop towel with the open side down.
- Leave the bearing to dry in a reasonably warm place. I like to give them at least 30 minutes of drying time. You should also come back part way though drying, give the bearings a little spin to free up any Isopropyl Alcohol that has not evaporated and place them on fresh absorbent towel with the open side up this time.
- Once you are satisfied they are dry, add your choice of lubricant in an appropriate amount and put back in your wheels (don’t forget your spacers if you have them)