How to Clean Longboard Tires

After cruising down a sidewalk near the beach or taking an off-road trail on your longboard, you'll find a crust of dirt and sand around the outside of your tires. Keeping dirt off the tires is important; debris can gradually make its way into the bearings and slow down your entire ride. Longboard tires are made from either urethane or solid rubber; both materials are durable and simple to clean. You can shine up your dirty tires using common household cleaning products.

Things You'll Need

  • 1/2-inch Wrench
  • Mild dish soap
  • Stiff-bristled scrub brush
  • Towel
  • Solvent
  • Rag
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Instructions

    • 1

      Loosen the nuts that secure the tires to your trucks, or the silver axles on the underside of the board, using a 1/2-inch wrench. Remove all four nuts and set them aside.

    • 2

      Lift off each tire from its axle and place it on a towel. Make a solution of water and several drops of mild dish soap. Stir the solution until the water is sudsy.

    • 3

      Rinse the rolling surface and outside edge of each tire under a running faucet. This will saturate and loosen the caked-on dirt.

    • 4

      Saturate the head of a stiff-bristled scrub brush. Scrub the rolling surface of each tire thoroughly, gradually moving to the edges and sidewall. Rinse each tire under a running faucet, then pat dry with a towel.

    • 5

      Dip a rag in a solvent such as rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. Buff off any paint marks, asphalt scratches and other tough stains with the rag.

    • 6

      Allow the solvent to evaporate completely before replacing the tires on their axles. Replace the nuts and tighten them so that the tires are still able to spin freely.