Сontent:
If you or someone in the same workspace with you has long hair, you are probably familiar with this situation. Namely: getting hair into the casters of an office chair. Because of it, rollers move and turn badly. This article will answer the question: how to get hair out of office chair wheels?
Sometimes, you clean caster wheels without tearing it apart. Moreover, sometimes you can even do without special tools. Consider different options and methods for extracting hair from rollers.
The first thing to use is the fingers. Try to carefully hook hair stuck in the roller with the edge of the nail. Then gently pull hair out. Take your time so as not to tear it. Otherwise, you will have to do all the work again. If you can’t remove the contamination, you should consider using special tools.
Tweezers with narrow straight ends are best, with which you can easily pick up hair and pull it towards you. Cosmetic tweezers, which are used for eyelash extensions or eyebrow designs, are also suitable. If the dirt can’t be pulled out immediately, slowly pull hairs from side to side to remove them from the roller.
If you didn’t have tweezers, you might have a crochet hook. If you are fond of needlework, then you most likely have such a tool. And it’s suitable not only for creating wonderful thread patterns but also for cleaning the caster. It is worth acting in the same way as with tweezers: gently hook hairs with a hook and gradually unravel them.
If the advice on how to clean office chair wheels with tweezers or crochet hook did not help you, there is a more radical way: cut hairs with a razor or scissors. Cut hair, and it will be easier to get it out. Be careful not to damage the rollers. Small particles can get deep inside the roller.
If you don’t have any of the above tools, it’s time to improvise. You can try to clean old caster wheels with improvised things. For example:
Food sticks. You can try to pick up hairs with them and pull them out. Better if they are ceramic. But even if you have leftover disposable wooden chopsticks from the sushi party, you can still use them.
Toothbrush. The bristles will catch on the pile and help pull it out. It is better if the brush has stiff bristles.
Sewer cleaning mix It is enough to apply with a brush on the pollution, then wait 5-7 minutes and rinse with a stream of running water. Use protective gloves before working with household chemicals!
Knitting needles. It is better to take thinner ones so that everything can be done as accurately as possible.
Leather needles. They are large enough and strong enough to handle such a task.
Screwdrivers. A small screwdriver will help to untangle tangled threads and hair and clean the rollers. It is best to use a regular flat screwdriver.
Pencil. It is definitely on every office desk, so you can try to clean the caster with it. Be careful or the pencil may break.
You can also try cleaning the roller with duct tape, which will only help with light soiling.
Sometimes you can only remove dirt and hair from the caster by disassembling it. But how can you separate chair casters? Now let’s talk about it. Also, you can read detailed instructions about it here.
The first thing to do is to select the necessary tools. You will most likely need the following:
WD-40 multi-purpose lubricant that will help erode wheel parts more easily.
Two pry bars for separating parts. In some cases, you can get by with two large screwdrivers.
Clamp to make it easier to assemble the caster after cleaning.
However, some models can be assembled by hand.
Removing the casters is simple: they are pressed in, so you do not have to unscrew any parts. Insert two mounts so that they are pressed against each other. And then make an effort to push them apart. A little push and everything will work out. One of the sides will fall off, so you can thoroughly clean old caster wheels.
After removing hair, there will most likely be contamination on the surface of the casters. It must be removed: for example, with a clerical knife, scraper, abrasive sponge, or steel wool. If there is little dirt, even a rag will do. The main thing is to wipe everything thoroughly.
We also recommend wiping the casters with a lubricant such as WD-40. Many furniture repair professionals claim that dry graphite can also be used. But because of the oil, the wheel will quickly get dirty. And WD-40 will keep casters clean for a long time.
When you have cleaned everything, you can put the wheels back together. You need to act like this: connect the two parts of the wheel by pressing on them. If your hand’s strength is not enough, use a hammer or a clamp.
After you hear a click, turn the wheel. If it moves freely and rotates, then everything goes well. You can move on by disassembling and cleaning the wheels one by one.
It is important to disassemble and thoroughly clean the roller and reassemble it. If you can’t seem to get it right or have to clean your wheel too often, you might want to consider buying replacement wheels.
To choose high-quality replacement casters for your office chair, you should pay attention to:
The material. The best option would be polyurethane, which is soft, durable, and does not damage the flooring. Plastic or rubber has a shorter life span.
Stem diameter. Most office furniture is 11mm, but if you purchased your chair from IKEA, you would need a set of wheels with a 10mm stem.
Bearing type. The number on the ABEC label indicates its quality and degree of polishing. The cheapest and lowest quality bearings are ABEC 1, and the best are ABEC 9 (used in Stealtho wheels). The higher the number on the marking, the easier and smoother the movements of your chair will be.
The presence of a stopper. It helps to make office chair wheels not roll when you need them. It’s best if you can activate it manually (some of the stops are pressure-sensitive: they work when you stand up and disengage when someone sits on the chair).
Maximum allowable load. High-quality wheels can withstand a significant load and remain in good condition.
You can read more about the best models of interchangeable wheels here. It describes the main characteristics of casters that will take care of your flooring and roll easily. And best of all, they are very easy to replace: you do not need to use additional tools. And to install, you just need to insert the stem into the socket and press until it clicks. Then you don’t have to think about how to get hair out of rolling chair wheels. Stealtho casters are made with patented technology so you can enjoy the comfort of your workspace with them.
