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Intro
We've all been there, you've had your cube for a couple months now and it's starting to feel a bit gunky, the lube has dried up, you have over-lubed it and let it sit for too long or worst of all - you've dropped it in sand or dirt. Whatever the case, routine speed cube maintenance is important to keep your puzzle performing as well as possible and to extend its lifespan.
Tools Needed
- Fingers
- Screwdriver
- Damp cloth
- Dry cloth
If you don't have a cloth, paper towel can work as well
Disassembly
The first step is to disassemble your puzzle. Turn the upper (U) layer 45°, and take your thumb and index finger to pry out the edge piece. This may require a little bit of force - this is normal, although not too much force. After removing the edge piece, simply take out the corner pieces, and disassembly of the rest of the puzzle should be easy.
For a full clean, you can also fully disassemble the core.
On a standard 3x3, take off the center caps, and use a screwdriver to fully unscrew the screws. This will detach the center pieces from the core itself, but make sure to keep an eye on the screws, centre pieces, centre caps and washers - these are very small and therefore very easy to lose.
Some puzzles such as modern GAN releases and MoYu may have extra adjustment systems, although disassembly should be similar to as stated above - just used the GAN tool or your fingers to unscrew the GES nuts in the centers where screws would usually be.
Check out SpeedCubeReview's video on how to disassemble and reassemble a speed cube.
Cleaning
Separate out the edge, corner, and center pieces from the rest of the parts. With a damp cloth, rub all surfaces of the edges, corners and center pieces so that any dirt or gunk is dislodged. Use the dry cloth to dry up the cube. Repeat this for all the pieces.
To clean the screws, take the dry cloth and wipe the "shank" of the screw - the part above the screw threading.
GAN's GES nuts generally don't need, and may be quite difficult, to clean. You may want to take your cloth and wipe the outside casing of the GES nuts if they are looking dirty.
Reassembly
Reassembly is just the reverse process of disassembly. Re-attach the screws/GES to the core with the center pieces, and reattach the center caps.
For the edge and corner pieces, start with an edge piece and wedge it between two centers. Take two corners and attach it to the edge piece you just re-attached. Attach two more edge pieces to the corners, and then take 2 corner pieces and an edge piece to create the first layer.
Place 4 edge pieces in between the middle layer centers to create the second layer.
To reassemble the final layer, assemble it in the same manner as the first layer. This should be a lot easier as the cube is already two-thirds assembled. Once you are on the final edge, turn the unfinished layer 45°, and insert the edge into the gap.
Congratulations - you have reassembled the cube!
Check out the video from SpeedCubeReview which covers both assembly and disassembly.
Lubrication
Lubrication is a whole other article in it of itself
Some lubrication tips:
- If you have a fast cube and want to slow it down - use a slower/thicker lubricant on the pieces
- If you have a slow cube and want to speed it up - use a fast/thinner lubricant on the pieces
- If you want to keep the cube at the same-ish speed, add a thin layer of thicker lubricant. This may slow it down slightly, depending on the quantity of lubricant added
Some of our favourite all purpose lubricants include
$8.36
Martian Lubricant is our best-selling lubricant and anyone who has tried it understands why. The fast, moderately controllable, soft feel ticks all the boxes for most speed cubers and is just simply great. Recommended for: All puzzles (especially big cubes)… >> SHOP PRODUCT <<Martian Lubricant
$8.36
If you like buttery, controllable turning, Nebula Lubricant is for you. No need to worry about "gunking" up your cube when using Nebula -- just apply and enjoy! Recommended for: 2x2, 3x3, Pyraminx, Skewb, Square-1 Frequently asked questions Q: How… >> SHOP PRODUCT <<Nebula Lubricant
Unsure which lube to get? Check out our bundles
$43.27
Mix and match our premium speed lube lubricants to create a completely custom turning feel! Our easy to apply lubricants each offer its own unique properties so whether you are looking to experiment or simply get a great deal, our… >> SHOP PRODUCT <<Ultimate Lube Bundle
$58.15
Stickers
Stickered puzzles, no matter the plastic colour, will experience sticker chipping with extended use. We offer complete custom stickers for when your stickers chip, from 3x3 to 7x7 and non NxN puzzles such as Square-1.
$0.00
Want to replace those old peeling stickers or just add some personality to your puzzle? Our Cosmic Stickers are the perfect solution. Cosmic stickers are designed by our sticker expert to be a perfect fit for your puzzles and have fantastic grip! The vinyl that we… >> SHOP PRODUCT <<3x3 Sticker Picker
PVC Coat Cleaning
Own one of our signature PVC Coated puzzles? Check out our full article on PVC Coating.
To use the cleaning kit:
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Spray solution onto towel
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Wipe the surface clean
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Gently scrub the edges of the overlays (if applied) with the brush
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Spray solution onto towel and wipe clean
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Dry surface with clean side of towel
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Repeat as necessary
Conclusion
- Speed cube maintenance can extend the life span of you puzzle
- Speed cube maintenance can also bring out the best performance from your speed cube
- Cleaning out your puzzle can also revive older puzzles and with quality lubricants you can breath new life into your older cubes
- Lubricants can help with the process of rejuvenating your puzzles
Check out our article on the best rubik's cube lubricants.
Wondered what the best speed cube is? Check out our article on the finding the best speed cubes.
