How to Store Ice Skates for Long Periods and Protect from Rust

Whether you are a competitive ice skater or a recreational ice skater, taking care of your ice skates should be your number one priority. Taking care of your ice skates, not only prolongs their lifespan, but saves you money in the long run and improves your performance on the ice.

We shall discuss some maintenance tips and how to store ice skates for long periods and protect from rust in this post.

When you have rusts on your ice skates, it impacts your ability to skate effectively. The skate will slip too much on the ice, which is no good and frustrating.

Rusts can destroy your ice skates because they cause your ice skate boots to break down and render the blade ineffective. Most blades are metal, and that’s the reason for their corrosiveness. If left untreated, it could force you to invest in new skates.

Poorly maintained skates are likely to hinder your performance on the ice. Ice skates are expensive, and it would be unwise not to take care of your investment properly.

The blades on your ice skates are your contact with the ice, and I’m pretty sure you want those blades to remain as sharp as ever so that you can have the best ice skating performance.

So what are the best ways to store your ice skates for long periods and protect them from rust?

Keep Your Blades Sharp

Before you store your blades, make sure they are sharpened. When blades are sharpened, they slide comfortably and grab the ice better than a blunt one. So after some skating sessions, it’s imperative that you sharpen the blades for enhanced performance.

However, don’t overly sharpen them or do it too often. Likewise, you shouldn’t wait for a long time to get them sharpened. If you sharpen them too often, you will wear out the blade too often. If you wait for a long time to get them sharpened, your performance will be in jeopardy.

In order to keep your blades sharp at all times, you need to figure out the length of time you skate and the number of hours you can average between sharpenings. You shouldn’t sharpen all the time. Determine when to sharpen and sharpen your blades responsibly.

Again, ice or figure skates aren’t hockey skates and recreational skates that can be sharpened with an automatic machine. Ice skates should be professionally sharpened to achieve the perfect result.

Keep the Blades Dry

Moisture and humidity causes your blade to rust. Since they are metal, it’s important that they are kept or stored dried after each skating session. Else, it will become rusty, and taking it out may prove to be difficult and exhausting.

If your blades happen to be rusty, you can sharpen them. However, you should only do so if you plan on skating on them frequently. If you won’t be skating on them for a while, clean the blades, sharpen them, and apply WD-40, mineral oil, vaseline, or any other lubricant. Wrap an old dry towel or towel soaker round it and fasten with a rubber band. The key is to coat the edges and keep air away from them.

Alternatively, you can toss some silica gel packets inside to absorb any dampness. They work just like absorbent cloth wraps and towel soakers. With this method, you can store your ice skates for a long time rust-free.

Treat the Leather Portion With Figure Skate Shoe Polish

Make sure you polish the leather portion of your ice skates after each skating session. The leather part of your boots is susceptible to water damage, so as your blades. When they are exposed to excess moisture, they can easily rot.

So do well to keep the ice skates shoe polished all the time. It helps the boots to shed water, making them water-resistant. Also, treating the boot with shoe polish makes them look clean and shinning.

Air Out Your Boots

Quite a number of people probably don’t notice that their feet sweat a little when they are skating. If you recently discovered that your feet sweat, then you should make sure you air out the boots after each skating session.

Your sweat, which is moisture can get trapped inside the boots, and when they do, they begin to ooze and will probably rot your boot from the inside. This is why you need to air out your boots after each skating session. Open up the boots as much as you can, loosen the laces, and if possible, pull them out of their holes.

Pull the tongue up and out from the boot as much as possible and keep it outside to dry. This will help the inside of the boot to breathe. When they are dry, you can store them in their soakers.

Dry the Soles and Wear Blade Guards

To keep your blades in good condition, you must dry the soles after each skating event. There is every possibility that snow is stuck in between the blades. Slide your fingers meticulously along both sides of the blades to remove the snow. After that, dry them with a towel.

You should try to avoid walking on the ground or floor with your ice skates. Wear blade guards when you are not on the ice. If blade or skate guards are not an option, then you should walk on toe picks and not on the edges.

Keep Your Skate Guards Clean

Always try to keep your skate guards clean. Wipe out the insides of th guards to avoid th build-up of grime. If your skate guards are worn out or broken, replace them immediately.

Clean the Laces

Once you are done skating, clean the laces and grease the holes if necessary. Laces can wear down, especially when wet. Wipe them dry after each use to keep them free from water. The laces can absorb the water, and when they do, they begin to corrode the holes.

Replace ice skate laces when they are broken, and always try to keep spare pairs in your bag. If you wish to store your skates for a long period, we advise that you remove the laces as they are liable to wearing down over a long time.

Tighten the Screws

Many ice skaters do not pay attention to the screws on their skates. These screws are as important as the the blades or any other part of the skates.

Before you think of storing your ice skates, make sure the screws that secure the blades are tightened. The screws loosen over time, so it’s paramount that you check them from time to time, most especially after skating sessions.

Also, lubricate the screws to keep them free from rust. Once you are done, store the skates in a moisture-free and pest-free area. Never store your ice skates in hard guards as they are made with rubber and plastic. They harbor moisture and will cause your blades to rust rapidly.

How Often Should You Sharpen Skates?

This depends on how often you skate. For professional ice or figure skaters who skate multiple times in a week, the rule of thumb is to sharpen your skates after 15-20 hours of use. Recreational skaters that skate once in a week could go longer than that in between skating sessions, let’s say after 20 – 25 hours.

How Long Should Ice Skates Last If Properly Maintained?

One thing you should have at the back of your mind is that no skates last forever. At some point, you will have to replace it or change it. However, replacing it can take a very long time if you properly maintain them.

With that said, all skates have an average lifespan, so knowing how long they can last and how to make them last even longer can go a long way in saving you some money in the long run.

How long will your ice skates last? That depends on a lot of factors such as the quality of the skate and its components, maintenance practices, how often you skate, how fitting the boots are, and the quality and present state of the bearings and wheels.

If you use your skates very often, the wheels, bearings, and the blades will undergo a lot of wear and tear, and that will impact the lifespan of the skates. And if the bearings and wheels are inferior, the skates might not last long enough.

Your maintenance practice is probably the biggest factor that affects the lifespan of skates apart from the quality of the skates and use. Your maintenance practices are paramount and subjected to your control. If you don’t clean your ice skates regularly, oil the bearings, grease or tighten your laces, or look after them like you should have, then you shouldn’t expect them to last past a couple of years.

Wheels can wear down quickly if you use them often. Same goes for the bearings, brakes, blades, and the boots. Bearings are very delicate, but if you are able to keep them clean from dirt and grime, your skates could last for many years before replacement.

If the structure of your skate boots are compromised, you need to consider getting a replacement. Boots can get scratched up really bad, and though they don’t usually wear out first, they can impact your performance if the boots are worn down.

If you also keep the velcro straps clean and adhere to spraying anti-static spray or washing them with soap and water, you can get many years from your ice skates. Same goes for the soles and socks. You should use an anti-bacterial spray to avoid bacteria forming inside when wet.

Ice skates for figure skating can last for many years, anywhere between 2 – 15 years depending on the factors that we have already discussed in this post.

If you are skating on your ice skates for several hours in a week, say you are dancing, your skates can last between 1 and 7 years. After that, they lose their stiffness and you may have to tighten them to feel secure.

For a high-level or competitive ice skater, say Olympians, their boots may break down within a couple of months to one year. If the boots are stiffer, you may delay that break down for a couple of more years. However, that would affect your skating performance.

When You Should Buy New Ice Skates

Like we stated, no skates last forever, and at some point, you will have to replace them. Buying new skates depends on how happy you are with the present state of the boots. If you can still skate on them safely, and without any danger, then there will be no need opting for new skates.

However, if they have some holes or tears on them, then you should definitely opt for new skates.

Also, if the wheels or the steel blades are worn down, you shouldn’t consider opting for new skates just yet. You can consider swapping your wheels or buying new wheels if you can’t afford new skates. If your skate blades are beyond sharpening or has broken, you should consider buying a replacement blade. If it’s too expensive, then you might want to get new skates.

If the skates are for your little ones, you might want to replace them as they grow out of them. It’s a bad decision to let your child skate in a boot that’s too small or tight for them. When they make those painful exclamations when putting on their skates, it’s an obvious sign that you should replace their ice skates.

Conclusion

Storing your ice skates properly is key to maximizing its use, prolonging its lifespan, and avoiding to spend a few extra bucks to replace worn-out parts. With several storage tips discussed here, I’m sure you won’t find it challenging to store your lovely pair of skates over a long period.