Cleaning and looking after your diabolo
The diabolo is a popular juggling tool, but it requires regular maintenance to maintain its performance and appearance. Here's how to clean it effectively.
1. Why and when to clean a diabolo?
Depending on the model and where you practice, a diabolo can accumulate dust or dirt. Whether you juggle indoors or outdoors, regular cleaning will help maintain smooth rotation and extend the life of your diabolo.
2. Disassemble the diabolo
The first step is to remove the shells, which get dirty quickly. Most diabolos require two 10 wrenches to unscrew the axle and remove the shells. For a Finesse model, use two Allen keys.
3. Clean the shells
Use soapy water and a sponge or toothbrush to thoroughly clean the shells. For stubborn stains, a little acetone can do the trick. Regular cleaning helps preserve the original color of your diabolo.
4. Maintenance after a beach session
If you use your diabolo at the beach, salt can damage the axle. Rinse it in fresh water after use and dry each part carefully. Disassemble it to dry completely.
5. The easiest diabolos to clean
- Henrys Circus
- Henrys Jazz
- Babache Finesse
Are you using another model? Share your experience and we will update this list!
I use my diabolo every day (up to 4 hours/day) I just wanted to know the lifespan of the ball bearings, what signs of wear will be visible or felt?
Oh yes, bearings wear out... In general, we are looking at a lifespan of about 1 year with intensive use on a Henrys or Juggle Dream type diabolo with triple bearings. If you have a single bearing diabolo with this type of use, you risk quickly wearing it out...
Hello, my bearing diabolo shakes when accelerating and there is a little play between the shells at the bearing level. Should I tighten the axle nuts?
It's a hyperspin T (diabolo dance Theatre)
This doesn't seem right to me. I invite you to make a short video and send it to us by email; our email address is at the top of the site. Then we can watch it together.
Hello. When I grip my diabolo on each side, there is some play. It turns a little. How do I tighten it? Thank you.
It depends on the diabolo but on the sides there are bolts and you need an 8 key to tighten the two sides.
It's a Hurricane.
Hello, I have the Hurrican diabolo and it makes a lot of noise but for so long it is not the bearing but the friction of the bearing in the middle which rubs the white and black plastic. Do you have a solution?
Good morning,
So I practice the diabolo quite frequently and sometimes I drop it during a "missed throw" and therefore scratch it more or less.
Is there a miracle solution to limit or completely erase these unsightly signs of wear?
Thanks in advance !
I have a 3 stud buster III ball bearing diabolo that doesn't hold its speed.
How to do it
Sorry, we don't sell the model you're talking about. We have a range of quality diabolos that won't cause you this type of problem. We have after-sales support in case of any issues with equipment that comes from us.
I have a juggle dream triple ball bearing diabolo and as soon as I accelerate it starts to twist. I looked and there is a little play between the shells and the bearings. Is it the play that causes the diabolo to twist?
It's very likely that this is because you're not giving it enough speed. I invite you to contact our after-sales service so we can take a look together.
How to clean a triple ball bearing diabolo?
Exactly the same technique. Disassemble the axle, clean the cups and reassemble the axle. You will need two 10mm wrenches and reassemble the axle with the parts facing the same direction :-).
Hello, is the Firefly fire diabolo dismountable?
We do not sell Fyrefli fire diabolos! Contact the manufacturer, they will likely be able to answer your questions.
Hello, I have a Mr Babache that is visibly unbalanced. In fact, when I start rotating it, it spins and becomes uncontrollable. I took everything apart and cleaned it, but I can't find the source of the problem.
Any opinions?
It's quite rare to encounter a problem like this with a Mister Babache diabolo, so I invite you to contact our after-sales service. You'll find our contact details at the top or bottom of the site :-)
Apart from telling us to buy a diabolo, do you have any advice because mine does that too.
Any advice? Maybe avoid buying a Mister Babache bearing diabolo!
If you bought the diabolo from us, do not hesitate to call us, this kind of behavior is abnormal. On high-end diabolos from the Henrys, Hyperspin, Sundia brands, it is very very rare that this can happen, we will intervene. On diabolos from the Juggle Dream range equipped with triple bearings, it almost never happens. After that, it can happen on first-price toy-type diabolos, in which case it means that you use it intensively and it might be interesting to consider a diabolo more capable of enduring intensive use!
The 10 keys, is that a standard size for all diabolos?!
Diabolos that don't require a 10mm wrench to disassemble are rare. Which diabolo do you want to disassemble? The Finesse, the Tornado, and some diabolos from other Asian brands require a wrench other than a 10mm wrench...
elbow grease is found in a supermarket?
Elbow grease is an expression that basically means you're going to have to scrub! So it's all in the strength of your arms!
xD