Games and sport have become mainstay activities in our daily lives. While it’s all fun and games for some, others take it to the professional level and make a living off it.
Every game has its rules, gear, and styles. When it comes to bowling, well, the ball is pretty much key. Although, great hand-eye coordination would come in handy here. But for now, let’s talk about the bowling ball.
The bowling ball is one of the most important tools in the game. It comes in different weights, sizes, designs, colors, cover stock, and grit.
There’s something for everyone here. All you have to do is find the right one for you.
However, it must be kept clean for hygienic purposes and because dirt and grime could affect the performance of the ball. So let’s look at how to clean a bowling ball and why it matters!
How does a bowling ball get dirty?
Bowling lanes are often coated with oil to allow smooth movement of the bowling ball on the bowling track.
Most dirt on the bowling ball comes from this oil. It can get absorbed into the cover-stock of the bowling ball causing the ball to react with less intensity, thereby affecting your bowling performance and overall bowling experience.
Why people don’t clean their ball
For some people, they think that there isn’t enough time between each shot. Also, most players will throw out a new ball after playing a few games and just pick up a new one.
It’s a vicious cycle!
How to clean a bowling ball the right way
Cleaning Your Bowling Ball at home
Cleaning your bowling ball is not as hard as you might think. But just like every other thing, it’s easier to prevent it from getting dirty than to clean it afterward.
The easiest way to do this would be to rub your bowling ball clean with some rubbing alcohol and a microfiber towel as soon as you can after playing
But there are some things to avoid doing here. Firstly, never soak your ball in an alcohol solution. Also, avoid dipping the whole ball inside the alcohol.
You could also use a commercial ball cleaner here.
Another option would be to do a deep cleansing of your bowling ball.
This is just as the name implies, more intense cleaning of your bowling ball. You shouldn’t do this as often as you’d rub with alcohol. A standard timeline is after every 50 games.
It’s a way of “pulling the oil out of the ball”, at least that’s what the pros call it.
All you have to do here is tape the finger holes of the ball shut to prevent water from getting into it. Then fill a bucket with hot water and soak the ball in it for about 20 minutes.
This method works by pulling the dirt and oil out of the ball. It’s pretty effective. You should see the dirt floating on the surface of the water after some time.
Dry your ball with a microfiber towel once you’re done.
Cleaning Your Bowling Balls at the Shop
Here, we just mean taking them to a professional. They’d likely use an oil extraction machine. This is way more efficient.
They could detect other things that you might not see while cleaning the ball – if and where the bowling ball has defects, damages or scratches, and other patches that might need some repairs on the ball.
Conclusion
Not many people own personal bowling balls. They’d typically just pick one at the bowling alley and return it when they’re done. Let’s just say, a typical bowling ball gets a lot of foot (or hand) traffic, so is bound to get dirty.
You don’t have to worry about any of that at Stars & Strikes. At our bowling alley, you and your family can play bowling games all day, without worrying about cleaning the bowling ball.
That’s right, we’ve got top-notch bowling facilities, thoroughly maintained and ready for use.
Visit our website today or reach us via 678-965-5707 for more information.
