An athlete's skates are his/her most expensive and important piece of equipment. It is critical that they are taken care of properly.

Recommended maintenance after every skating session includes;

• Drying blades completely with a soft towel
• Checking blades,… Are they sharp?... Are there any knicks?
• Check the bolts,… Are they tight?
• Are the laces strong, not worn out?
• Putting skate socks on the blades to help dry them out further and protect the blade while in your equipment bag. (Hard guards are for walking on only. They are not to be left on your skates. They hold water and cause rust.)
• At home take skates out of your equipment bag and remove the skate socks.
• Place skates, blades down, standing upright on a soft towel to allow all dampness to run out of blade.