How To Clean Spinning Reel [Guide & Tips]
The last thing you want to happen when you’re on a long-awaited vacation or a hot date is to fail. It’s frustrating to lose a terrific catch because of a mistake that should have been avoided. Maintain and service your spinning reels on a regular basis, and you’ll get many years of reliable use out of them. Cleaning and maintaining fishing reels is easy if you follow these procedures.
Make sure you clean up after every fishing trip. Remove salt particles by gently rinsing each reel. Use low water pressure to prevent salt and grime being pushed into internal parts by the drags, and do not loosen them yet. Use warm soapy water to wash the reels to remove salt, body oils, blood and other impurities.
Here’s how to do it with a spinning reel in particular: Removing the spool (and drag knob) and cleaning the spindle area bottom of the spool are the first steps in removing the skirting. Next, spray the reels with a light mist and let them to air dry or wipe them dry with a towel. In order to prevent warping of the washers, first loosen the drag knob.
Once the fishing reel has been cleaned, it’s time to perform some simple maintenance on it. To prevent rust, use Aluma Guard, Reel Magic, or WD-40 on a rag soaked in water. A thin layer of liquid furniture polish can do the trick as well.. The line or handle grips should be avoided at all costs.
An vital element of reel maintenance is to lubricate the gears. Use the included oil or a high-quality aftermarket substitute. Bearings and metal bushings can corrode and seize if not lubricated regularly. If the handle won’t turn, it’s difficult to reel in a fish.. However, a small amount of oil can go a long way. In other words, don’t go overboard with the use of this.
At the very least, reels should be disassembled and cleaned every two years, and ideally every year. You should leave the deep cleaning of your spinning reels to the experts at your local tackle store or repair centre.
They will be disassembled down to the last screw and thoroughly cleaned using ultrasonic dipping. Have it done in the winter off-season for the quickest turnaround time possible…
Components are inspected prior to reassembly after cleaning. The part must be replaced if it can’t withstand the entire season. Checks for stress cracks are made on wearable parts, such as plastic drag knobs. In general, drag washers have a two- to three-year lifespan, depending on usage; a glossy or worn-out one should be changed right away. Technicians also know if the drag washers should be lubricated. There are some drag materials that require lubricants while others are designed to remain dry and grease-free.
Your spinners won’t let you down if the drag gets too much for them.
Spindle Reel Cleaning Instructions
To dismantle the reel, begin by removing all of its components. To make reassembling the project a breeze, label each piece with masking tape before putting it together again. When working with springs and wire clips, reach for tweezers. Remove the spool of line.
Tape or cut away the excess. Before removing the spool, either remove the fishing line from the spool or tape it in place with masking tape. If you omit this step, the line will become caught between the spool and the frame.
Rinse. Before you begin cleaning the spool, be sure to thoroughly rinse the reel.
Clean the boat with Simple Green Marine All-Purpose Boat Cleaner.
Scrub with a toothbrush or a little paintbrush.
Rinse the cleanser thoroughly. Cleansing should be followed by a thorough rinsing under running water.
Dry completely to avoid corrosion. Using a soft cloth and a blow dryer can be used to remove any remaining moisture from the surface.
Apply oil and grease. WD40 can be used. Using a toothpick or small brush, lightly coat the gears with grease before applying a few drops of oil to the ball bearings. Corrosion is kept at bay by lubrication.
Reassemble. Reassemble your reel using the numbered method you established at the outset. Make sure that all of the parts are working properly before moving on to the next step.
A spinning reel can be cleaned using a variety of methods.
Using the wrong oil, grease, and lubricants can cause more problems than they solve, therefore it’s critical to use the correct ones. Using a spinning reel maintenance kit is the quickest and most convenient solution. If you’re using a reel from the same manufacturer, you can purchase a repair kit from them.
For the ball bearings, reel shaft, and handle, the kit includes the right lubricant and the correct grease for the gears. Putting together a kit can be done once you’ve mastered the various parts.
Make use of these essential tools in addition to the repair kit:
Q-tips
Soft fabric
Towels of this type
Water that has been dissolved in soap
Screwdriver with a small flat head
Phillips screwdriver with a little handle
a gentle toothbrush
Use Clenzoil to clean and protect your reel’s exterior by wiping it down with a thin layer of the oil.
Does it work on spinning reels with WD40?
It’s best not to use WD40 on a fishing reel because it serves as an oil, grease and lubricant degreaser. In the event that some WD-40 goes within the reel body, it will remove the vital oil and grease. The drag washers can’t function correctly because of the WD40’s lubricating effect.
Clenzoil, for example, is a better choice than WD40 because it is specifically created for the job. These chemicals not only clean, but they also add a corrosion-resistant layer to metal surfaces.
Afterwards, how do you clean a saltwater-used spinning reel?
It is possible to use the same basic cleaning process for reels with sealing technology as described above after saltwater use. Seawater can’t get inside the frame or rotor housing, protecting the gears from corrosion and freezing up. Sealing technology is used to prevent seawater from getting inside (good examples of this are the Penn Spinfisher and Torque II).
Pay particular attention to any sand or salt residues you find when cleaning salt buildup from a spinning reel, and wipe them away with a soft towel or Q-tip doused with Clenzoil. To clean the inner parts, if your reel doesn’t have sealing technology, you might need to dismantle it to remove seawater or sand. It’s also possible to hire a reel-cleaning service to conduct the job for you.
A spinning reel needs to be lubricated.
When it comes to lubrication, less oil is more, thus use modest amounts when lubricating your spinning reel. Also, don’t forget to only oil the necessary components. Bearings and spool shaft are included in this.
Adding oil to the base of the handle knob and the section of the handle that goes into the body will also help it turn more smoothly when you rotate it (which helps to prevent it from getting stuck). Gears should not be lubricated with oil, but rather with grease.
Do you know the best oil for spinning reels?
Spinning reels should only be lubricated with lubricants formulated for this purpose. No matter the spinning reel brand you choose to use, it’s a good idea to stick with the same oil for all of them. In addition, there are oils such as olive oil and vegetable oil. It is not recommended to use machine oil in your fishing reels because it is too thick and viscous. Light and thin, with a relatively low viscosity, is the optimum oil for fishing reels. This aids in making the retrieval process more efficient.
Your spinning reel should be oiled how often?
If you fish frequently, you should lubricate your spinning reel at least once every two or three outings (or at least once a week). If you don’t fish very often, once a month should plenty for your reel. Even if you haven’t fished with your reel in months, you should remember to re-oil it before your next outing because oil deteriorates over time.
