# When do I clean my yoyo bearings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [March 23, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464 "2023-03-23T23:29:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ernestthe123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@Ernestthe123](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Ernestthe123)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/1 "2023-03-23T23:29:20Z")
When do I clean my yoyo bearings? ---
**Author:** ![Bobparty](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bobparty/32/302913_2.png) [@Bobparty](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bobparty)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 11:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/2 "2023-03-23T23:47:50Z")
There’s a ton of info under the maintenance page. But generally when mine sound like they have a lot of sand in them or start to get responsive is when I clean mine. ---
**Author:** ![Orion22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/71e660/32.png) [@Orion22](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Orion22)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 1:07am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/3 "2023-03-24T01:07:19Z")
Noise is a good indicator but some bearings and yoyos are just loud (looking at you Iceberg). If it is a gradual progression towards becoming responsive, then I do a tug test. Throw a stable sleeper of some sort and just tug straight up like you are trying to recall a responsive yoyo. If the bearing brings the string around the yoyo a whole revolution while it is in that zero g stall point, then I clean it. I have yet for a bearing to go full responsive in the middle of anything like this. ---
**Author:** ![YoyoGeezer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyogeezer/32/755_2.png) [@YoyoGeezer](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/YoyoGeezer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/4 "2023-03-24T01:15:06Z")
Do not waste your valuable time. When it sounds or plays like you need to buy a new one: Buy a new one. ---
**Author:** ![Bobparty](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bobparty/32/302913_2.png) [@Bobparty](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bobparty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 1:22am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/5 "2023-03-24T01:22:01Z")
This is a good point- you kind of learn what’s an ok sound and what’s a time to clean sound over time and depending on the yo-yo/bearing. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2023, 3:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/6 "2023-03-24T03:34:07Z")
Take a peek over here… [Useful modification & maintenance guides -- clean, repair, tune, fix yoyos](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/useful-modification-maintenance-guides-clean-repair-tune-fix-yoyos/16461) ---
**Author:** ![RC\_yo-yo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/rc_yo-yo/32/168781_2.png) [@RC\_yo-yo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/RC_yo-yo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 3:35am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/7 "2023-03-24T03:35:21Z")
When you notice the bearing making more/different sounds or when it becomes responsive. Whichever comes first. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Yoer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/old_yoer/32/20548_2.png) [@Old\_Yoer](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Old_Yoer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/when-do-i-clean-my-yoyo-bearings/372464/8 "2023-03-24T04:24:00Z")
I clean a yoyo’s bearing whenever it falls into one of these three buckets: 1. It starts responding when I don’t want it to. 2. It’s gotten really loud. Almost wake the neighbors loud. 3. Performance has suffered or become inconsistent. This can be lots of things. A feeling of grittiness or increased vibration. A usually subtle decrease in expected spintime or stability.