# other solvents to clean bearings with?????
**URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635
**Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
**Created:** [January 8, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635 "2011-01-08T18:50:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/1 "2011-01-08T18:50:21Z")
i dont have lighter fluid or paint thinner what other things would get the job done.
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### Author:  [@Batryn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Batryn)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/2 "2011-01-08T18:51:28Z")
90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol,mineral spirits, maybe acetone… even WD-40, but then you’ll have to blow the bearing clean.
EDIT: And I dunno if I’m crazy or none, but I use vinegar now… no bad effects, but I’ve been blowing the bearing out everytime…
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### Author:  [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/3 "2011-01-08T18:53:04Z")
so is acetone nail polish remover ok i got a can of compressed air so that doesnt matter to me…
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### Author:  [@Batryn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Batryn)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/4 "2011-01-08T19:25:36Z")
Actaully… nail polish mightn’t be such a good idea… :-\
“Some form of solvent for cleaning (such as methylated spirits, goof off/xylene or paint thinner/mineral spirits). Do not use rubbing alcohol (contains water which can make the bearing rust), acetone (can make the bearing rust and is corrosive), nail polish remover (contains impurities to moisturize skin etc) or anything containing ether such as brake cleaner (catches fire easily and damages skin quickly).” -Yoyowiki.
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### Author:  [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/5 "2011-01-08T19:33:38Z")
i have goo gone but is that differant from goo off
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### Author:  [@Ricerocket](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Ricerocket)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/6 "2011-01-08T19:42:40Z")
3 letters: MEK
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### Author:  [@Batryn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Batryn)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/7 "2011-01-08T19:54:49Z")
> [@whatever yo996](#):
>
> i have goo gone but is that differant from goo off
They sound roughly the same… not very sure though. I’d say, if it looks like it flows nice, is a thin, watery liquid, you can try it. As long as you blow it out… it’ll be fine.
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### Author:  [@JG1](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/JG1)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/8 "2011-01-08T21:01:18Z")
Oil from your vehicle
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### Author:  [@d4rqk0n3](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/d4rqk0n3)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/9 "2011-01-08T22:16:42Z")
…napalm…?
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### Author:  [@pinhead](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/pinhead)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/10 "2011-01-08T23:28:33Z")
buttah?
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### Author:  [@Batryn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Batryn)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/11 "2011-01-09T01:29:31Z")
PSSTTT! OP, use napalm in your bearing, and when it blows up, sue for all you’re worth! 😃
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### Author:  [@hoggwild89](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hoggwild89)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/12 "2011-01-09T15:31:48Z")
Vinager is 95 to 97 percent water. Its also acidic. (acetic acid, duh!) You probably should not use it.
> [@Batryn](#):
>
> 90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol,mineral spirits, maybe acetone… even WD-40, but then you’ll have to blow the bearing clean.
>
> EDIT: And I dunno if I’m crazy or none, but I use vinegar now… no bad effects, but I’ve been blowing the bearing out everytime…
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### Author:  [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/13 "2011-01-09T16:46:21Z")
i tried goo gone on my maverick bearing to test it.
it seems fine it certainly seems like it spins faster than it did.
idk im still hesitant to try on my yuuksta
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### Author:  [@hoggwild89](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hoggwild89)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/14 "2011-01-09T19:48:17Z")
What I found that seems to work for me is denatured alchohol. Then blow it out and just lightly dampen the bearing with lube as per Dif-e-yo.
Its worth a trip to the paint store.
Yuuksta and a ceramic KK and you better REALLY know how to bind, cause it aint coming back your hand unless you work at it.
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### Author:  [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/15 "2011-01-09T23:19:09Z")
hmm if i try something that doesnt work will it destroy my bearing or could i just clean it off
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### Author:  [@hoggwild89](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hoggwild89)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2011, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/16 "2011-01-10T10:11:12Z")
Well, YES. Of course there are many chemicals you can come across in your garage or under the sink that will totally F-over your bearing. Go and spend a couple bucks on THE RIGHT STUFF and make a happy bearing ;D. If your a kid then convince Mom/Dad/whatever that $5 in cleaning and lubing agents will be cheaper than buying a bearing every other week because your cleaning it wrong. If your older, then there is no excuse.
Commonly used: Lighter fluid. Mineral spirits.
Dif-e-yo recommends: Simple green (and denatured alcohol)
My recomend: Denatured Alcohol and a can of dust off
Buy a small vial of thin lube. its cheap and lasts forever. if the extra $5 in shipping is killing you add some needed stuff like string or get a buddy to order stuff with you and split the cost.
Just as a side note, I would avoide MEK. It will INSTANTLY eat plastic if you accidently get some on your yo. Also the guy in the paint store may not sell it to you because people huff it :o. I have a gallon of the stuff. Its vile stuff and needs to be used with caution.
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### Author:  [@YoyoGeezer](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoyoGeezer)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/17 "2011-01-10T22:14:41Z")
Just a question that I learned to ask from my days riding skateboards - why are you cleaning the bearing?
My experience with precision bearings (after many years of skateboarding) is that sealed bearing are just that - sealed. They are designed to be permanently sealed against dust and grime. So why do they need to be cleaned? I rode the sealed bearings on mt skateboard wheels through dust, grime, mud - you name it and never needed to clean a bearing. The one time I tried to clean the bearing in order to make them “faster” for a contest - I ended up trashing them.
Although I do not claim that a bearing can’t be cleaned, it is just that doing so can cause more harm than good; so, you better have a good reason for cleaning them. If they are rough or loud - lube them. Cleaning should be a last resort.
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### Author:  [@Batryn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Batryn)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/18 "2011-01-10T23:01:04Z")
> [@whatever yo996](#):
>
> hmm if i try something that doesnt work will it destroy my bearing or could i just clean it off
Depends on what you try. On the more extreme end, magma might not leave your bearing intact, but something like water can be easily blown off. (While leaving the risk of rust…) But generally, the liquid should be able to be cleaned off…
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### Author:  [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/19 "2011-01-11T03:53:11Z")
> [@YoyoGeezer](#):
>
> Just a question that I learned to ask from my days riding skateboards - why are you cleaning the bearing?..
No experience w/skateboards here, but yoyo bearings do tend to pick up stuff like string fuzz and such. They are not truly sealed bearings. Also some yoyos come heavily lubed and a lot of people prefer them not to be. You can play them to break them in (wear down the lube) but most people don’t have the patience for that. Thus the overwhelming desire to clean them.
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### Author:  [@lleraH](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/lleraH)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/other-solvents-to-clean-bearings-with/22635/20 "2011-01-11T04:01:33Z")
Acetone with minimal water content works well. Or alcohol with minimal water content as well.
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