# Cleaning bearing seat **URL:** \ **Category:** General Yo-Yo\ **Created:** [March 6, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906 "2009-03-06T10:42:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rsmod123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rsmod123/32/46_2.png) [@rsmod123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rsmod123)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/1 "2009-03-06T10:42:15Z")
how do you clean your ball bearing seat? I think that while i was siliconing my hitman, some of the silicone got on my bearing seat(Its split in to tons of small chunks, not just strings of silicone, cant remove easily) So, everytime i put a bearing there and yo for 2 seconds, it gets really slow and i need to clean my bearing. Anyone know how to clean the seat? ---
**Author:** ![DocRobot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docrobot/32/53_2.png) [@DocRobot](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocRobot)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:56am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/2 "2009-03-06T10:56:19Z")
> [@rsmod123](#): > > how do you clean your ball bearing seat? I think that while i was siliconing my hitman, some of the silicone got on my bearing seat(Its split in to tons of small chunks, not just strings of silicone, cant remove easily) > > So, everytime i put a bearing there and yo for 2 seconds, it gets really slow and i need to wash my bearing. Anyone know how to clean the seat? Oh, man… Not good. What you can try is wetting the end of a cosmetic swab (Q-Tip) with spirits or lighter fluid, and then start digging. Silicone, once cured, is a royal pain to remove. There are industrial solvents made to dissolve and/or remove cured silicone, but the things they’ll do to a plastic yoyo (within minutes) are too horrible to repeat. Not to mention your flesh, should you be careless. So steer clear of anything marked as a silicone solvent. Best just to buy a new yoyo before you go that route, but I don’t think your situation is that bad. Should the 'ole cosmetic swab fail, you can try digging it out with a toothpick, fingernail, or small flat screwdriver. (DON’T go digging in there with a hobby knife or the like, your yoyo and fingers will thank you. That’s my official disclaimer.) Now, you say the silicone has already fragmented into small chunks. Some silicone will do this. If you can get it broken up with something, a can of compressed air will be more help to you than you know as you’re working on it. ---
**Author:** ![rsmod123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rsmod123/32/46_2.png) [@rsmod123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rsmod123)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 11:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/3 "2009-03-06T11:03:03Z")
> [@DocRobot](#): > > > [@rsmod123](#): > > > > how do you clean your ball bearing seat? I think that while i was siliconing my hitman, some of the silicone got on my bearing seat(Its split in to tons of small chunks, not just strings of silicone, cant remove easily) > > > > So, everytime i put a bearing there and yo for 2 seconds, it gets really slow and i need to wash my bearing. Anyone know how to clean the seat? > > Oh, man… > > Not good. > > What you can try is wetting the end of a cosmetic swab (Q-Tip) with spirits or lighter fluid, and then start digging. Silicone, once cured, is a royal pain to remove. There are industrial solvents made to dissolve and/or remove cured silicone, but the things they’ll do to a plastic yoyo (within minutes) are too horrible to repeat. Not to mention your flesh, should you be careless. So steer clear of anything marked as a silicone solvent. Best just to buy a new yoyo before you go that route, but I don’t think your situation is that bad. > > Should the 'ole cosmetic swab fail, you can try digging it out with a toothpick, fingernail, or small flat screwdriver. (DON’T go digging in there with a hobby knife or the like, your yoyo and fingers will thank you. That’s my official disclaimer.) > > Now, you say the silicone has already fragmented into small chunks. Some silicone will do this. If you can get it broken up with something, a can of compressed air will be more help to you than you know as you’re working on it. okay, but will the mineral spirits damage my plastic? My mother probably wont let me buy a new one till my birthday ---
**Author:** ![Samad](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/samad/32/19_2.png) [@Samad](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Samad)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/4 "2009-03-06T15:59:00Z")
> [@rsmod123](#): > > > [@DocRobot](#): > > > > > [@rsmod123](#): > > > > > > how do you clean your ball bearing seat? I think that while i was siliconing my hitman, some of the silicone got on my bearing seat(Its split in to tons of small chunks, not just strings of silicone, cant remove easily) > > > > > > So, everytime i put a bearing there and yo for 2 seconds, it gets really slow and i need to wash my bearing. Anyone know how to clean the seat? > > > > Oh, man… > > > > Not good. > > > > What you can try is wetting the end of a cosmetic swab (Q-Tip) with spirits or lighter fluid, and then start digging. Silicone, once cured, is a royal pain to remove. There are industrial solvents made to dissolve and/or remove cured silicone, but the things they’ll do to a plastic yoyo (within minutes) are too horrible to repeat. Not to mention your flesh, should you be careless. So steer clear of anything marked as a silicone solvent. Best just to buy a new yoyo before you go that route, but I don’t think your situation is that bad. > > > > Should the 'ole cosmetic swab fail, you can try digging it out with a toothpick, fingernail, or small flat screwdriver. (DON’T go digging in there with a hobby knife or the like, your yoyo and fingers will thank you. That’s my official disclaimer.) > > > > Now, you say the silicone has already fragmented into small chunks. Some silicone will do this. If you can get it broken up with something, a can of compressed air will be more help to you than you know as you’re working on it. > > okay, but will the mineral spirits damage my plastic? My mother probably wont let me buy a new one till my birthday I wouldnt think so, some people say it does, others say it doesnt. Just dont use a whole lot, just some. Also, if you do use something sharp to get it out, make sure you don’t poke out the plastic, or else it may mess up the bearing seat. ---
**Author:** ![YoYoExpert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyoexpert/32/71258_2.png) [@YoYoExpert](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoYoExpert)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/5 "2009-03-06T17:23:50Z")
> [@rsmod123](#): > > okay, but will the mineral spirits damage my plastic? My mother probably wont let me buy a new one till my birthday Well I wouldn’t recommend getting mineral spirits anywhere near polycarbonate - even a little bit over time can cause cracking, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mage1342](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mage1342/32/75_2.png) [@Mage1342](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Mage1342)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/6 "2009-03-06T22:12:40Z")
What would you recommend? Lighter fluid does not sound safe. ---
**Author:** ![DocRobot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/docrobot/32/53_2.png) [@DocRobot](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/DocRobot)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/7 "2009-03-06T23:33:06Z")
> [@Mage1342](#): > > What would you recommend? Lighter fluid does not sound safe. Well, skip any chemicals then, and just go for a toothpick. Andre is right, mineral spirits (and lighter fluid, for that matter) have a good potential to do plastic damage. Bear that in mind. Of course, you already have a basically non-functioning yoyo, which is why I suggested them as potential options. ---
**Author:** ![rsmod123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rsmod123/32/46_2.png) [@rsmod123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rsmod123)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/8 "2009-03-07T00:37:08Z")
> [@DocRobot](#): > > > [@Mage1342](#): > > > > What would you recommend? Lighter fluid does not sound safe. > > Well, skip any chemicals then, and just go for a toothpick. > > Andre is right, mineral spirits (and lighter fluid, for that matter) have a good potential to do plastic damage. Bear that in mind. Of course, you already have a basically non-functioning yoyo, which is why I suggested them as potential options. i guess you’re right. Since my yoyo aint really working anymore might as well take a risk ☹ but ill try the toothpick and tell you guys the results first. ---
**Author:** ![Mage1342](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/mage1342/32/75_2.png) [@Mage1342](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Mage1342)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/9 "2009-03-07T02:02:55Z")
Good. Point. I think il just do that. Thanks DocRobot yet again! ---
**Author:** ![rsmod123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rsmod123/32/46_2.png) [@rsmod123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/rsmod123)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/cleaning-bearing-seat/906/10 "2009-03-07T03:26:51Z")
Woot i cleared the sili with cotton and a toothpick! Thanks people