Cleaning Reels

[NumberOne]

I left my rods strapped to the bow when I was bring the boat home from the lake. Salt all over the roads so now I have a good coat of salt mess all over the reels. What is a good solution to wash them in with out taking each one apart? Or do I need to take them all apart? Will water work if I make sure to dry them real well?

Thanks

[J Risco]

If they were mine, and since I like my stuff to last a long time, I would be stripping them down and cleaning them thoroughly as the salt will corrode the internals. Even if you wash them off well, which will get most of it, there will likely still be some remnants of the salt the worked it's way inside.

Hindsight is 20/20 but this is why it's a good idea to put rods away in the locker before heading home

[dstep0]

Hindsight is 20/20 but this is why it's a good idea to put rods away in the locker before heading home

Every time.

I believe you need to go ahead and take apart to clean the entire reel.

[Ryan]

If they were mine, and since I like my stuff to last a long time, I would be stripping them down and cleaning them thoroughly as the salt will corrode the internals. Even if you wash them off well, which will get most of it, there will likely still be some remnants of the salt the worked it's way inside.

Hindsight is 20/20 but this is why it's a good idea to put rods away in the locker before heading home

This^^^^^^^^^

[Buccaneer]

Throw them in a bathtub of warm water and dawn dish soap, let 'em soak. Take them out and rinse in fresh water, commence to tear down and re-lube.

[J Risco]

Once you do it a time or 2, and have the right tools, lubes, etc, it doesnt take long to break them down, clean and re-lube. Def worth the extra effort, you'll prob be surprised at how much smoother they are after being properly serviced

Lots of good videos online to learn how to do it also, start with a low $$$ reel you dont care as much about to learn on, before long you will be doing all your own reels

[Natch64]

I have been cleaning my reels for 15 years. The materials are cheap and as long as you have a duplicate reel, you never have to worry about, how to put things back together.

[basscat21]

Tackle trap........clean.

[havacman]

Somewhere I read where KVD used a product called “gun scrub” when cleaning his. You for sure want to tear them down and clean/re-lube them.

[TD3]

Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber is your friend.......

[bilgerat]

Use your phone, take close up pictures at each step of disassembly. Make sketches, take notes, do whatever it takes.

[Bronzefly]

Tackle trap........clean.

Thank you.

Wet road grime with salt can wreak havoc on your reels in the long term if not properly cleaned and flushed. If you want them to last, want a thorough clean/lube, send them in to The Tackle Trap. They'll come back sparkly clean, lubed up, and ready for action