How To Care for Your Ice Skates
As the winter season approaches, festive activities including figure and ice skating begin to climb higher on our to-do wish lists. It’s important to take essential measures to ensure you keep your ice skates well maintained.
Not sure how? Simply follow these four easy steps! Achieve clean, smooth and shiny skates, with a little help from WD-40®.
Things you will need
Your Ice Skates
WD-40® Multi-Use Product
A Microfibre Cloth
Warm Soapy Water
Shoe Deodoriser or White Vinegar
Fine Grit Sand Paper
A Blade Sharpening Tool (optional)
Leather Polish (optional)
Blade Guards (optional)
Step 1
Clean Your Skates
After a long dormant period, your skates may have accumulated a layer of dust. Although this may seem harmless, it can damage the textile of your skates. You should try to clean them at least once every few months.
To do this, use a clean microfibre cloth and some warm soapy water to gently wipe over all surfaces of your skate boot and blades. If your boot has laces, you may wish to put these in the washing machine with your usual laundry load to get them back to their optimal condition.
If your skates are emitting an unpleasant odour (don’t worry, we’ve all been there) you can purchase a shoe deodoriser spray. Don’t have access to one of these? White vinegar in a spray bottle will work just as well – and also acts as an antibacterial agent preventing further smells.
Once you are happy with the cleanliness of your boot, you should dry them. After drying, you can take your boot polish and work it into any applicable textiles. Ensure you get the correct colour to correspond to your boot or opt for a translucent wax if you are not sure. This will act as a water-repelling protective layer for your skate, preventing moisture damage in the future!
Step 2
De-Rust Your Skates
If you noticed any rust on your ice skates whilst cleaning your blades, it is important to deal with it as soon as possible to prevent further damage. If the rust is minimal, you should be able to remove it safely.
Using a spritz of WD-40® -Use Product and a piece of fine grit sandpaper, gently work away at the rust in circular motions. Continue this action with increasing pressure until you are happy with the results.
If the rust is prominent or tough to remove, it may be too far gone. Rusting can be dangerous as it will weaken the material of the blade, making accidents on the ice more likely. If you are unsure about the state of your blades, always take your boots to a professional to get a second opinion.
Step 3
Sharpen Your Ice Skate Blades
Now that your boots are clean, it’s time to sharpen your blades. Whilst this can be done at home, we recommend always taking your skates to a professional to be sharpened, as it can be a tricky procedure.
If you are up for the challenge, you will need to purchase a specialist ice skate blade sharpening tool. Simply follow the instructions provided by the tool. Always consult the manufacturer if you have any questions or worries about your blades.
Even if your skates are off by a few millimetres, it can be detrimental to your skate experience. So, if something feels off, take your skates to a professional for a consultation.
Step 4
Protect Your Blades
The final step to maintaining your ice skates is protecting your blades from further damage. As blades get wet during each use, you should ensure that they are dried, and thoroughly after each skate.
After drying, you can massage in a layer of WD-40® Multi-Use Product into your blades with a clean microfibre cloth. This will provide a water repellent protective layer on top of the blades, therefore helping to prevent rusting.
After cleaning, drying and protecting your skates, you should ensure that they are stored in a clean and dry area. Make sure with no sharp or heavy objects that could damage the blades are nearby. Blade guards are optional, however if you do decide to use these, ensure your blade is completely dry before fitting them.
So, there you have it!
All done! Clean, safe and protected skates ready for your next session! If you found this guide useful, why not check out other ways that WD-40® can help you with your everyday tasks? Visit our blog page here.
The uses shown and described for WD-40 Multi-Use Product were provided to WD-40 Company by the users themselves. These uses haven’t been tested by WD-40 Company and do not constitute a recommendation of suggestion for use by WD-40 Company. Common sense should be exercised whenever using WD-40 Company products. Always follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the packaging.
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