How to Clean Your Electric Scooter Properly

When people get their first electric scooter, one thing that most e-scooter owners may not think about is how to clean an electric scooter. People can have various ways to clean their electric scooter, depending on how clean they want it to be or how their electric scooter is designed. Some e-scooter owners put great effort into cleaning their e-scooter.

However, don’t feel overwhelmed! Cleaning an electric scooter is easy, but you need to have the patience to clean it thoroughly. If you are a first-time e-scooter owner or a long-time owner who might still be clueless about cleaning their scooter, this guide will walk you through the basics of cleaning your electric scooter properly. 

1. Get your cleaning supplies ready

To start off, prepare your cleaning supplies so that you have everything you need before you start cleaning. You will need:

• A soft sponge
• An old toothbrush or small brush
• Soap for vehicles
• A bucket of clean water and a bucket of soapy water
• Clean towels, preferably microfiber towels
• A lubricant such as WD40, oil, or Vaseline spray

Preparing these items will ensure that your electric scooter gets a thorough cleaning. If you don’t have soap for vehicles, you can use dish soap. However, keep in mind that it could cause the colour to fade over time. Automotive cleaners are recommended since it's safer for your vehicle and effective at cleaning dirt and debris.

2. Prepare your electric scooter

Once all your cleaning supplies are ready, it’s time to prepare your electric scooter for cleaning. Take your electric scooter outdoors, and unfold it. Since you will need the space, it is better to clean your e-scooter outside. 

Make sure your electric scooter is not plugged in a socket or any charging device. Also, ensure that all the charging ports and holes in your electric scooter are covered. You may cover ports with a plastic bag or other waterproof material. Before starting to clean your electric scooter, make sure that all parts with electricals are covered and dry to prevent any damage to your electric scooter and danger to yourself.

3. Start with the major components

Now that you’re ready to clean your e-scooter, you can start with cleaning the major components of the electric scooter. These include the deck, stem, handlebars, lights, fenders, kickstand, forks, and wheels. Just make sure to avoid parts with electricals.

Cleaning your electric scooter will depend if the e-scooter is waterproof or water-resistant. If your electric scooter is waterproof, you can start by rinsing your electric scooter with clean water to remove the loose dust and dirt. It will help make it easier to scrub your electric scooter later. 

However, if your electric scooter is just water-resistant, start by soaking the sponge with soapy water and then squeezing out the water as much as you can. Cleaning scooters are different from cleaning cars, where you need plenty of water. When cleaning an electric scooter, too much water could damage the electronics or erode the parts.

4. Scrub it down

Once you have rinsed your electric scooter or washed it with soapy water, it’s time to scrub the electric scooter thoroughly. Electric scooters in Australia could get quite dirty, especially if you have been off-roading. So, it’s important to take the time to scrub the dirt and grime that has built up in the tyres, deck, and other parts of your electric scooter.

A good technique when cleaning is to have two buckets of water. One is filled with clean water, and the other is filled with soapy water. You can dip your sponge in soapy water and then clean the sponge after scrubbing your electric scooter. This way, you can prevent dirt from sticking to the sponge.

For tough dirt or hard-to-reach places, use an old toothbrush or a small long brush to get rid of the dirt. Use it also when scrubbing the holes of your wheels. This is also a good time to inspect your electric scooter for any damage as you scrub it down patiently.

5. Rinse and dry

Once you’re satisfied with scrubbing off the dirt on your e-scooter, quickly rinse off the soap before it dries. Otherwise, the soap could leave marks on your e-scooter. Make sure to avoid getting all the ports and electricals wet. 

Then, dry your scooter using a microfiber towel or a large full-size towel. Dry it off completely to avoid getting any water on the ports and electricals. Also, don’t use a hairdryer as it could blow off the water to the electricals and heat the circuit.

Finally, you can apply lubricant as your last step. It will protect the paint and leave your electric scooter looking new and shiny.

Avoid doing these while cleaning your electric scooter

There are also incorrect ways on how to wash scooters at home. Don’t do any of the following:

• Don’t spray pressurized water on your electric scooter to prevent ports and electricals from getting wet.
• Don’t spray wax or any lubricant on the tyres since they will become slippery.
• Don’t put wax on textured plastic panels to avoid losing its shine.
• Don’t clean your electric scooter when the motor is hot.

Follow the guide above and keep the following tips in mind to make your electric scooter spotless. For more electric scooter guides, check out our other blogs.