![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/clean-a-fishing-reel-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Contents<\/p>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li>
- <\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n
Cleaning Mud and Gunk Off Your Reel<\/span><\/h2>\n
If you have mud or gunk on the outside of the reel, use a gentle stream of running water, such as you will find at a medium setting in your kitchen faucet.<\/p>\n
The water stream should not be harsh as you don’t want to drive dirt, sand, or grit, into the fishing line<\/a> or between the line on the arbor.<\/p>\n
Once the crusty bits are off, take a soft cloth or paper towel and wet it. Gently scrub the metal surface of the reel to clean off the residue.<\/p>\n
If the substance is oily, you can apply a drop of soap such as Marine grade Simple Green cleaner to lift the oil.<\/p>\n
All you need is a drop, and you will have to make certain that you rinse off all of the soap or cleaner.<\/p>\n
Failure to get the soap or cleaner off the real does three things.<\/p>\n
First, it can cause a reaction with the metal and encourage rusting.<\/p>\n
Second, it will eventually make it onto the fishing line which will then create a chem trail in the water that will cause fish to avoid your line.<\/p>\n
Third, it can weaken the line and cause it to become brittle.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/clean-a-fishing-reel-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCleaning Grit, Mud, and Grime from Inside the Reel<\/span><\/h2>\n
Again, your best friend for cleaning mud and grime from inside the reel is clean water.<\/p>\n
Take the reel apart, by removing the drag cap and cleaning under it.<\/p>\n
Remove the arbor and clean inside the space where the spool attaches to the shaft.<\/p>\n
If there is sand or grit in these areas, use a dry cotton swab and gently remove it.<\/p>\n
You can rinse these areas too. Be sure to visually inspect the interior portions of the reel after cleaning.<\/p>\n
You may need to grease the moving parts, such as the shaft.<\/p>\n
A product such as Penn reel oil or one that is designed for your reel is appropriate.<\/p>\n
Note<\/strong>: the working parts of your reel – gears and such, are sealed away to prevent water from getting inside the reel.<\/p>\n
So, it is safe to rinse your reel in water. Never use hot water to rinse your reel, always use lukewarm or cold water.<\/p>\n
Hot water can cause the seals to loosen and water to get inside at which point the reel is finished.<\/p>\n
When Should I Clean My Fishing Reel?<\/span><\/h2>\n
How often should you clean your fishing reel depends on how often you use it.<\/p>\n
If you fish one day a week clean the reel once per season.<\/p>\n
If the moving parts seem like they are “crunchy” then clean the reel immediately.<\/p>\n
You may clean your reel more often as needed, especially if the reel gets wet or you fish more often than a few days per week.<\/p>\n
I clean my reels almost every month.<\/p>\n
I fish 3-4 days per week and in the summer I fish almost every day.<\/p>\n
I make a habit of cleaning<\/a> the reel before I take a rod out of storage and again at the end of the season.<\/p>\n
Most of my fishing rods are dedicated to one species of fish or another.<\/p>\n
When trout season ends, I make sure to clean all of my trout reels and maintain the fishing poles.<\/p>\n
If I head out to salmon fish, I clean the reel before I go and maintain the rod at that time too.<\/p>\n
At the end of the salmon season, I clean the reel again.<\/p>\n
I also make sure to maintain the reel throughout the season and especially if it gets wet or feels like it is not functioning as it should.<\/p>\n
Removing Corrosion from A Fishing Reel?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Corrosion is a chemical reaction between the metal of the reel and an antagonist, such as salt.<\/p>\n
The safest way to remove corrosion is to use a soft approach.<\/p>\n
Before you reach for the steel wool, reach for a soft cloth.<\/p>\n
You can apply a soft abrasive such as baking soda with water, and try to scrub the corrosion off of the metal.<\/p>\n
If that process does not work, move up the technique by using a nylon brush with soft bristles.<\/p>\n
If the baking soda and soft nylon brush do not work, move to the same process but use a soft-bristle brass brush.<\/p>\n
Steelwool would be the last option.<\/p>\n
Remember that because we are talking about a chemical reaction on metal, you should expect pitting damage.<\/p>\n
The chemical reaction changes the ionic structure of the metal on the spot and the corrosion you see is degrading the metal’s surface.<\/p>\n
Finish up the removal by applying a sealant to the metal.<\/p>\n
A short-term sealant is WD-40 but you can also use metal-safe wax too.<\/p>\n
Is Wd40 Good Clearer for\u00a0Fishing Reels?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Using WD-40 is okay to use, but it is not the best product to clean the reel.<\/p>\n
It is helpful in removing corrosion from the outside of the reel but should not be used to clean the inside of the reel.<\/p>\n
Water is a good option over WD-40 for inside the reel.<\/p>\n
WD stands for water displacement and once you get it inside your reel it is hard to get it off the parts.<\/p>\n
While WD-40 is amazing as a penetrating oil, it is not a great lubricant. Use a proper lubricant for greasing the interior parts of your reel.<\/p>\n
What Happens if I Soak Fishing Reels?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Soaking a fishing reel would be the very last step in cleaning the reel and only if you felt that by not soaking it, you would be throwing the reel away.<\/p>\n
Soaking is not recommended nor is it good for your reel.<\/p>\n
Soaking can allow water to seep into the inner workings of the reel if there is any kind of degrading of the seals.<\/p>\n
Once water gets into the inner workings of a fishing reel, the gears and other moving parts may rust and corrode.<\/p>\n
If I Lubricate My Reel What Do I Use?<\/span><\/h2>\n