If you are a fitness freak, then you must have a treadmill in your home. If you are having issues with your treadmill, make sure you check whether it is fully lubricated or not. If you’re confused, don’t worry; treadmill lubrication is quite easy and will ensure that your belt is running smoothly. Try this highly-rated Lubricant Here
How to Lubricate a Treadmill?
Turn off the treadmill, slide your hand underneath the belt, creating separation between deck and belt. Slide the lube tube close to the center of the deck, and keep squeezing the lube gently to control the pressure, move it towards the center and edge of the belt.
How to Use Lubricant for Your Treadmill Belt?
If lubricating your treadmill as a whole is not giving you satisfying results, then try applying lubricant to the belt of your treadmill separately. This entire process is like a walk in the park, and to make it easier for you, here is the step-by-step breakdown:
- Using one hand, pull the belt away from the treadmill deck.
- Use your other hand to insert the nozzle of silicone spray or bottle underneath the belt.
- Focus on spraying silicone spray towards the center of the belt.
- Using this approach, spray up and down on the running belt after rotating the belt by hand one-half a revolution.
- After you have completed the process, turn on the treadmill, and leave it running for a few minutes (around three) at a speed of three miles per hour.
A tip for the process: make sure you have placed your treadmill on a surface where it will be easy for you to clean the ruminants of the lubricant.
How Often Should You Lubricate Your Treadmill?
The manufacturers of treadmills recommend applying lubricant to your treadmill after 40 hours of use, roughly every 3 months. If you live where the temperature is warm, regular maintenance and cleaning every 3 months won’t be enough – your equipment might need frequent treadmill lubrication, for the oil is likely to evaporate.
You need to be extra careful with that treadmill lubricant bottle; having excess lubricant on your treadmill might lead to a slippery treadmill.
Alternative Lubricants for Treadmills
It is important to lubricate a treadmill to keep it functioning optimally. Most treadmill manufacturers recommend lubricating the belt after three to six months. Listed below are some alternative lubricants for your treadmill. However, before choosing an alternative lubricant, make sure you go through the owner’s manual of your treadmill to check if the lubricant is safe to use.
Waxing
You can use powdered wax or wax bars to lubricate your treadmill belt. To apply wax powder, free the belt of your treadmill by loosening its back roller. Next, sprinkle some powdered wax between the deck and the belt. Once you have done this on both sides, tighten the belt and run it at a low speed.
Meanwhile, to apply a wax bar, you first need to warm up your treadmill for at least 15 minutes. After that, the application process is the same as the application process of the wax powder.
Silicone Based Lubricant
Many manufacturers recommend 100% silicon lubricants. Silicone can be found in different products specifically made for treadmill belts. Usually, silicone lubricant comes in two forms: spray and liquid.
Silicone Spray
Silicon spray is easy to use – try this one here. The first thing you need to do is remove the cap. Then, attach the spray can or tube to the nozzle. Use one hand to carefully lift the belt and spray right at the center of the belt. After that, change the position of the belt to spray at the underside. Repeat these steps to put silicone spray on the alternate side of the belt.
Silicone Liquid
Other than silicone spray, silicone lubricant also comes in the form of silicone liquid. You should apply silicone liquid as a lubricant just as you apply silicone spray. Put the liquid at the center of the belt by lifting it. After turning the belt from the underside, put silicone liquid on the entire side carefully. Repeat the same process to put silicone liquid on the opposite side of the belt.
No WD 40
Using the wrong lubricant or oil can seriously damage your treadmill’s belt. Household oils and lubricants such as WD 40 can damage your treadmill by deteriorating its parts.
No Vaseline
You should also not use Vaseline as a lubricant for your treadmill belt. Instead, make sure you use a lubricant that is recommended by the manufacturer.
No Petroleum-based Treadmill Lubricants
Treadmill manufacturers recommend using silicone-based lubricants as they are safe for different treadmill parts. In case you do not have silicone-based lubricants, you can use paraffin wax-based ones but never use petroleum-based lubricants. Instead of reducing friction between the tread belt and the motor of your treadmill and increasing its overall performance, petroleum-based lubricants damage the parts of the machine. They might even decrease the overall efficiency of your treadmill.
FAQs about Lubing a Treadmill Belt
If you have chosen a lubricant and are now struggling with how to use it and have a couple of questions around it, then this section is for you. Here are answers to some questions that might have crossed your mind. So to get rid of any underlying confusion and to gain more clarity, have a look at the below answers.
What do you Need to Lubricate your Treadmill?
You don’t need a long list of tools; all you need is a silicon wax spray or treadmill belt lubricant for the proper lubrication process of your treadmill. Other than this, you don’t need to get your hands on any other heavy-duty tool. There’s no need for any hammer or screwdriver. All you need to do is loosen and tighten the cap of the bottle of your treadmill belt lubricant.
Conclusion
Most of the lubricants for your treadmills have silicon in it, so it might get a bit confusing as to which one to buy, but after going over the features of the above-mentioned lubricants, we think we might have helped you. You can easily apply all of the above-mentioned lubricants without wearing and tearing apart your treadmill. So keep yourself and your treadmill in perfect shape by investing in a great treadmill.