Being lazy, I use a heavy gear oil (80W-90 is what I have) to keep my single speed freewheel running. Occasionally I get caught out in a rain storm and it sounds less happy thereafter, but the gear oil seems to keep it happy and smooth.

I slant the bike so the gear oil can stand on the side while spinning the wheel and let a few drops work into the mechanism. Pretty sure I took that suggestion off Sheldon Brown’s website.

I think best practice is to take it apart and degrease it, but as I said, I’m lazy.

Otto