There is nothing worse than trying to use your ice skate but only to be hit in the face by something disgusting. We know having a smelly ice skate is inevitable, so your best bet is to take preventative measures. In this post, we’ll provide expert advice on how to keep your ice skate fresh for as long as possible.
Why Does My Ice Skates Smells?
The origin of smells is traceable to your feet. Sweat, dampness, and bacteria are the causes of this smell. Your body sweats anytime you skate despite the cold environment.
For instance, the feet have thousands of sweat glands and being confined in nearly airtight boots results in sweating. Except you put on wicking socks, bacteria will form due to the sweat, and the boot will smell. These bacteria, which cause the smell, will breaks down the fibers in your skates. You have unpleasant smelling skates, which means you’ll need to replace them.
How To Prevent Your Ice Skates From Smelling
Smells are due to sweaty feet in skates. Fortunately, you can prevent these smells by following the tips below.
- Cleaning the foot: Germs live on any sweaty foot. Making sure the foot is clean and dry will prevent bacteria from the Boots and the feet. Wash the feet whenever you take a shower and scrub dead cells underneath the feet. Wash the feet before wearing the boots and after the exercise routines on ice. Don’t wear skates on barefoot.
- Keep boots dry: Dampness makes boots reek because of germs inside, which keeps multiplying. Always dry your skates in an open place immediately you return from the rink.
- Wicking socks: These socks will make the sweat on the feet to vaporize instead of causing bacteria inside your skate. Buying it will help you deal with a stinking skate.
- Baking soda: After a training session on the ice, put some quantity of baking soda inside the skate. This chemical will help you dry the inside of the skate. The effect is to keep the inside of the skate dry to stop the breeding of bacteria.
- Odor absorbers: Buy this product if you have no time to follow the above suggestions. Getting it will help you soak up moisture and unpleasant odors in the skates.
How To Clean The Inside Of Ice Skates
The Insole is the dirtiest portion of a boot, so it makes sense to remove them after each training session, clean them with soap and water, then dry them in Sunlight. Follow any of these three methods if you want to clean the inside of your ice skate boot.
- First strategy: Immediately, you complete the drills ensure you use a dishtowel to clean the filth and fluid on the edges to avert corrosion. Next, remove the Insole for thorough cleaning and put them outside to dry in Sunlight, then clean the boot’s inside with mild soap and water, and mop them. Finally, airdry the skate to prevent harming the leather.
- Second method: To clean the skates, you could use vinegar and water, or a neutralizing shampoo manufactured for odor removal. Begin the cleaning procedure by applying either of these materials inside the ice skates directly, then wipe meticulously with a Towel and air-dry the boots inside your home.
- Third technique: Obtain products made for cleaning leather or refined White Vinegar plus Olive oil to clean the boots inside. Supposing the boot’s interiors are too dirty, obtain a bit of baking soda and water and use the mixture to clean the boots. Once the cleaning is done, put them inside the room to dry under room temperature.
- Fourth method: You can clean the inside of your Ice skates with a washing machine. You may be able to place your gear directly into your washing machine, depending on the size. When cleaning, use light and eco-friendly detergent with a pleasant smell. Do not use bleach as this can deteriorate the protective padding. Set the washing machine to hot and select heavy wash to ensure that all the viruses, bacteria, stains, and odors are completely removed. Find a well-ventilated area in your home where you can hang your boot once the washing cycle is complete.
Check Your Ice Skate Boots Mount & Crews
Your ice skates’ mount and screws must be examined if you want to save yourself from any injury. Inspect the skate to discover its sole and the way screws are tightened to the mount. Regularly check to confirm the screws are not corroded.
After checking them, retighten gently if loose, because if the screws are free, they could make the leather wear off fast. Also, when you lost any screw, get a replacement with its exact match from the shop you bought it or a hardware shop nearby.
Essential Steps For Maintaining The Ice Skating Boots
These steps will keep your ice skates in top form, and there wouldn’t be any need to purchase a new one. Every time you use the ice skates, perform these maintenance processes.
Detach the sole from the blades: Remove the blades from the sole and let the ice skate boots dry at room temperature. Using heat or any other drying method may distort the leather because the inner lining was produced from synthetic materials that cannot withstand excess heat.
Protect the leather: Do you know that a leather boot quickly absorbs extra moisture? To keep moisture buildup from the leather, buy an ice skate Silicone. This will help keep its leather sparkling.
Air-dry the skates: Dry the boots naturally whenever you finish a training session. Also, loosen its Laces and place the Tongue in a vertical position to let in more air into the boot easily. Make sure the boot is dry before you store them away.
Why Do I Need To Maintain My Ice Skating Blade?
Skates are expensive, and maintenance is the top way of making them work at their peak on ice, last longer, and save money. Moisture and humid condition will make the edges of your skates to corrode and the leather tear.
Besides, edges are the sole interaction a skater has on the ice surface, and if they are dull, they will not grip the ice and provide a comfortable skating experience.
Maintenance Tips For Ice Skate’s Blade
Now that we know how important maintaining the ice skate blades are let us discuss the steps below.
- Clean the blades: Immediately you complete a training session, use a soft cotton towel to mop the edges to stop it from rusting.
- Transport protection: Buy soft blade covers to absorb moisture on the skates and prevent the edges from rubbing themselves inside a bag or cutting the bag.
- Apply olive oil: To store the blades longer, apply a bit of essential oil, which could stop corrosion building up on the Edges.
- Detach the Skate Guards before Storing. Never store the ice skates with protective or hard guards to avert corrosion on them.
- Sharpen the ice skates: Whenever you notice your skate blades are becoming dull, it is time to sharpen them. Sharp blades give you better control during drills. For excellent results, use an expert Technician for this task.
- Safeguard the edges: Ice Skates are pricey, so you must protect them. Don’t walk on hard surfaces without a skate guard. Remove the Skate guard each time you get home and dry them to avert corrosion.
How To Remove Rust On The Blades
If the edges are corroded, they will become slippery on ice, which affects your ability to stop instantly or skates more powerfully. You can remove this corrosion by yourself. The materials you need for the task are oil and cleaning swab. Follow the steps below.
Start with one blade. Rub it with the oil sparingly and scrub with a cleaning swab. After you have scoured the corroded spot for a while, the rust will come off. Use a towel or rag to mop the rust clean from the edges. Repeat the same process to remove the corrosion on the second blade.
Afterward, examine the work, and if edges are still rusty, get a sharper material like sandpaper to get them off. Once the corrosion is gone, take the skates to a professional sharpener to improve the next training sessions’ edges.
In Summary
During an ice skating Section, you sweat on the feet, bacteria develop, and smell. Use the solutions in this article to keep the inside of your skates neat and fresh. Don’t wait, act now.
