# What do you use to clean the surface of your yoyos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [January 30, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262 "2015-01-30T19:19:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ripcord](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/ripcord/32/599677_2.png) [@Ripcord](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Ripcord)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/1 "2015-01-30T19:19:40Z")
So after a good while of playing a yoyo, it eventually becomes grimy and gunked up with your skin oils plus whatever else may have been on your hands while playing. So what do you use to clean them and get them back to pristine quality? Baby wipes? I am guessing soapy water is a big no-no. I dont want to take off the finish at all so I want to stay away from polishes or anything abrasive. Please advise! ---
**Author:** ![GregP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/gregp/32/1192_2.png) [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/2 "2015-01-30T19:36:48Z")
I don’t tend to bother. But if a yoyo gets truly gunky (maybe my kids are picking it up with their grubby little mitts too often), yes I use soap and water. Nothing wrong with that. Use a cloth, don’t just send it for a swim. Avoid getting soapy water into the response area. Chances are, you don’t have to clean all the way down to right near the response area anyhow, so if you’re using a cloth that’s not TOO wet, you don’t even need to disassemble the yoyo. All pretty common sense stuff, but worth mentioning I guess. :wink: ---
**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:** [January 31, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/3 "2015-01-31T00:22:14Z")
Soap and water works fine. For more stubborn stuff I use rubbing alcohol or zippo lighter fluid. Lighter fluid will generally not hurt the finish. ---
**Author:** ![lukas412](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@lukas412](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/lukas412)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/4 "2015-01-31T01:54:56Z")
Rubbing alcohol. Dries quick. Will take most anything off. ---
**Author:** ![yoyospirit](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyospirit/32/219875_2.png) [@yoyospirit](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyospirit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/5 "2015-01-31T03:28:41Z")
Soap and water, but usually I have the silicone pads removed. ---
**Author:** ![Pineapple\_Jumpsuit](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/pineapple_jumpsuit/32/1431_2.png) [@Pineapple\_Jumpsuit](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Pineapple_Jumpsuit)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/6 "2015-01-31T05:55:53Z")
I don’t clean them ---
**Author:** ![gijoey959](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/gijoey959/32/7958_2.png) [@gijoey959](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/gijoey959)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/7 "2015-01-31T18:43:04Z")
I’ll use rubbing alcohol on a microfiber once in a while, and follow that up with a coat of MonkeyfingeR Buff that I let sit overnight before I actually buff it off. Makes the colors look wet, almost, and gives the surface a great feeling ---
**Author:** ![Schnayke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Schnayke](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Schnayke)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/what-do-you-use-to-clean-the-surface-of-your-yoyos/72262/8 "2015-01-31T18:57:27Z")
Sometimes I wipe the dust off with my shirt.