How to remove dried tubeless sealant from your bike's tyres

Tubeless tyre systems can be great and certainly have plenty of benefits, however, they do take a bit more maintenance and at times can be unavoidably messy. The sealant that sits inside the tyre waiting to plug any inconveniently timed punctures dries out over time.

If you have ever had to remove dried sealant from anywhere on your bike or kit, you probably already have an appreciation for just how tough it can be to shift. Although there are plenty of products out there that are marketed as a sealant remover, these tend to work best on hard surfaces such as rims or frames. When it comes to getting old dried sealant off the inside of a tyre, these products aren’t always the most effective.

So, how exactly do you remove dried sealant? GCN Tech's Alex Paton has had nearly 10 years of experience dealing with the dreaded dried sealant, so who better to share their top tips?

Read more: 5 reasons to love tubeless tyres and 5 reasons to love inner tubes

Why should you remove old tubeless sealant?

Over time tubeless sealant dries out. Exactly how long this takes will depend on the specific sealant that you've chosen to use. Most manufacturers will state a recommended life of their sealant, which is typically between three and six months.

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Over time tubeless sealant will create a second skin inside the tyre

Although it's not compulsory to remove the old dried-on sealant before replacing it with some fresh stuff, it is recommended, otherwise you'll end up with a build-up of dry sealant. Over time this will add weight to your bike and decrease performance by increasing the rolling resistance of a tyre. Although you might not want to invest the time in this process every time you replace your sealant, it is worth doing from time to time.

Read more: Everything you need to know about tubeless tyre maintenance

A crucial place where sealant dries out on a tyre is the bead itself. If this area is not cleaned before refitting the tyre, it can be a difficult task to get the tyre to seat correctly and create an airtight seal.

Make sure the sealant is dry

This might sound obvious but if you've just removed your tyre, there's a high chance that the sealant might still be a little bit tacky and not completely dry. If this is the case, your best bet is to turn the tyre inside out and leave it to dry for a few days. Trying to remove sealant that isn’t completely dry is a far harder task.

What tools do you need to remove sealant?

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A natural rubber eraser is all you need to start cleaning up your tyres

While dedicated tubeless sealant remover does exist, we've found that a simple natural rubber eraser actually works best, especially on the inside of the tyre. These can often be found at hardware stores or are readily available online for less than £/$/€1. The natural rubber has a high level of friction that drags the dried sealant away as you rub it over the surface of the tyre.

Removing the sealant

With everything prepared, all that is left to do is get down to business and work your way around the tyre. Depending on how much sealant is dried on it might take a little work before it starts to lift off. Once the sealant starts to lift from one area, it can be possible to peel large sections away by hand.

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Working your way around a whole tyre can take around 30 minutes but make sure to pay close attention to the bead of the tyre

It might seem like the central part of the tyre is the best area to focus on but it is actually the tyre beads that need the most attention. If you leave some dried sealant on the centre of the tyre it is unlikely to cause any issues at all, whereas dried sealant on the bead of the tyre can make it difficult to get an airtight seal when it comes to inflating the tyre.

• Read more: Why tyre pressure and tyre width matter so much for cycling

It can be tempting to use a drill-mounted rubber disc to get the job done faster, however, this can be very aggressive and can cause damage to your tyres. We'd recommend doing this by hand which will be kinder to the surface of your tyres.

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It's best not to use power tools to clean away dried sealant as it can damage the tyre

It is best to allow 20-30 minutes per tyre and make sure to follow the guidance of the sealant manufacturer when it comes to disposing of the spoilt sealant. Although it can be a messy process, keeping your tyres free of dried sealant is certainly worth staying on top of.

Do you have any tips when it comes to cleaning up tubeless sealant? Let us know in the comments section below. For more maintenance advice make sure to head over to the how-to section of the GCN website.