# bearing clean

**URL:** <https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184>\
**Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\
**Created:** [August 20, 2013, 10:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184 "2013-08-20T10:34:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![yairhonig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9d8465/32.png) [@yairhonig](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yairhonig)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 10:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/1 "2013-08-20T10:34:22Z")

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i want to clean my unresponsive bearing and i dont have any lube?  
what to do? and dont say buy a lube

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**Author:** ![PAPO](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/papo/32/1415_2.png) [@PAPO](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PAPO)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:20pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/2 "2013-08-20T12:20:48Z")

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you don’t have to lube the bearing after you clean it, I play my bearings dry. In theory it’s shortens the life of the bearing but in practice it should still last years.

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**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/3 "2013-08-20T14:06:27Z")

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You don’t have to have “yoyo” lube. Any light machine oil will work, as does gun oil, fishing reel oil or musical instrument oil. So there you are - buy lube. :wink:

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**Author:** ![yairhonig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9d8465/32.png) [@yairhonig](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yairhonig)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/4 "2013-08-20T14:07:35Z")

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what shorten the bearing life? the lube?

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**Author:** ![PAPO](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/papo/32/1415_2.png) [@PAPO](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PAPO)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/5 "2013-08-20T16:04:35Z")

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no, if you DON"T use lube it will shorten the bearing life, but like I said, it should still last for years

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**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/6 "2013-08-20T17:02:45Z")

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> [@yairhonig](#):
>
> i want to clean my unresponsive bearing and i dont have any lube?  
> what to do? and dont say buy a lube

Don’t use lube to clean a bearing. Use solvents to clean your bearing.

Mineral spirits, acetone and lighter fluid are all regularly used. I prefer acetone.

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**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\
**Post date:** [August 21, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/bearing-clean/58184/7 "2013-08-21T02:35:04Z")

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You don’t need lube. Many people don’t like it because it decreases spin time. The liquid slows down the balls in the bearing. You only need lube if you like your yoyos quiet.