How to clean caster wheels on a rolling chair

Regular cleaning and maintenance can prolong the life of your chair casters. Otherwise, dust and debris build-up may lead to premature wear and cause the wheels to lose their mobility and performance. A regular cleaning schedule is especially important for conductive (ESD) wheels. Caster wheels and glides wear like tires and should be replaced as a set for a safe and even ride.

Things you may need

You may not need all of these things. It depends what kind of gunk your casters have accumulated. Dust can be easily blown or wiped away. Chewing gum or hairs tightly wound around the wheel axles are more difficult to remove.

1. Flip Your Chair

Protect your floor with a drop cloth before starting so what you clean off doesn’t end up spoiling your floor, carpet or rug beneath. Place the chair upside down on the floor with the wheels sticking up.

2. Remove Larger Debris

If your casters are dusty, vacuum out the caster or use compressed air to blow out the dust.Scrape debris off the wheels with a butter knife. The butter knife should fit through the slots and under the wheel cover. Be careful not to use too much force and create gouges in the plastic wheels, which could prevent them from spinning properly. Try a scrub brush to remove additional debris stuck to the wheels. We like to follow up a second time with the brush slightly soap-dampened; this removes additional material while also softening up some of the more stubborn debris. Use tweezers to remove hair or threads that might be caught in the wheel. If you want, you can remove the wheels from the chair for this step, but since you will be working with a knife, it may be best to have the chair securely holding the wheels in place, instead of your hand.

3. Remove the Wheels

The casters we use on our chairs usually pull out easily. You may need a flat-head screwdriver to help pry the caster pins out of the 5-star base. Some other types of chairs may require a screwdriver to unscrew the wheels from the chair.

4. Wipe Away the Mess

Try to remove any substances still stuck to the wheels. Rub down the wheels with a cloth dampened with kitchen cleaner or rubbing alcohol. Wipe around the wheel cover as well as inside it. If your finger does not fit inside the cover, try cotton swabs to get into the narrow crevices. Some folks soak the wheels for up to 10 minutes to loosen stubborn gunk. Hair tightly wound around the wheel axles is especially difficult to remove. A crochet hook can be helpful to pull fibers, hair or dental floss away from the axles. Standard caster wheels are not designed to be disassembled.We sell “cleanable” caster wheels that are designed to come apart for cleaning.

5. Dry Each Wheel Thoroughly

If moisture remains inside the wheel, it can cause squeaking or give dirt something to more easily stick to. Use either clean rags or paper towels to dry the wheels. A blow dryer on low can work well, too.

6. Lubricate

Spray the inside of each wheel with a spray lubricant. Just a little should do fine. Wipe off any excess lubricant as it can attract and hold dirt.Many lubricants attract dirt, but some do not. If your wheels have metal to metal contact, use a greaseless lubricant. If your wheels are all plastic, a silicone lubricant works best.

7. Reattach the Wheels

Pop the wheels back on your chair or screw them back on, and enjoy.

How to clean caster wheels on a rolling chair - Health By Design (2024)