Anyone clean their ball with Alcohol?

[LOUVIT]

My ball feels a bit greasy, I am going to bring some to the alley's and try it. They are in a locker so for now I will do it there. If not alcohol what's a decent product to clean them up quick?

[zacks]

I sometimes use Windex after a bath in a bucket of warm water with dish soap. I think Acetone is a no-no, but not sure about alcohol.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

If you must use alcohol try getting the 91%.

[bowl1820]

If you do a search, there's dozen of threads about ball cleaners.

Alcohol is just fine and legal to use.

The majority of cleaners you can get at the pro-shop or online will work okay. So it would just depend on what your PSO carries.

Storm Reacta Clean, Tac-up, BB.com Monster Tac, Ole Roy's Front 9, Motiv Power Gel clean, That Purple Stuff are some that work well.

A cleaner called Clean'N Dull is considered one of the best for drawing oil out of the cover, but is not really suited for general purpose cleaning at the lanes.

[Blomer]

You may want to bake your ball as well if you haven't cleaned it regularly for a while.

[Jaescrub]

If you do a search, there's dozen of threads about ball cleaners.

Alcohol is just fine and legal to use.

The majority of cleaners you can get at the pro-shop or online will work okay. So it would just depend on what your PSO carries.

Storm Reacta Clean, Tac-up, BB.com Monster Tac, Ole Roy's Front 9, Motiv Power Gel clean, That Purple Stuff are some that work well.

A cleaner called Clean'N Dull is considered one of the best for drawing oil out of the cover, but is not really suited for general purpose cleaning at the lanes.

I use the Clean N Dull by ebonite on my un polished balls and it does a great job, on my pearls I use the Ebonite Power house energize, or the Brunswick remove all both are cheap and go along way.

[bowl1820]

I use the Clean N Dull by ebonite on my un polished balls and it does a great job, on my pearls I use the Ebonite Power house energize, or the Brunswick remove all both are cheap and go along way.

Just a FYI: Clean'N Dull can be used on any ball, polished or sanded. Dull is just part of the name, it doesn't dull the ball.

[Hot_pocket]

You may want to bake your ball as well if you haven't cleaned it regularly for a while.

is this safe? I've heard of many people doing it, but can't this method potentially crack the ball?

[RobLV1]

The only ones who don't want you to use alcohol to clean your bowling balls are the bowling products companies who don't want you to know that you can buy a 99 cent product at the grocery store that works just as well as their $15 bottle of ball cleaner.

[bowl1820]

is this safe? I've heard of many people doing it, but can't this method potentially crack the ball?

Using heat to sweat oil out of a ball is safe as long as it's done properly. But If you "Bake" a ball in a home oven you can crack it.

The proper ways are using either the pro-shop revivor type devices or the small home versions or a DIY Dehydrator type.

The hot water & dawn method can work also, but is not as efficient.

[Tony]

I am using a mixture of simple green and alcohol, mine is probably about 50/50, cleans the oil off as well as anything I've used for day to day cleaning and it's very inexpensive.

[LOUVIT]

The ball is not soaked at all, just feels a bit slippery. It was just a general question and lot's of good responses..

[Blomer]

Using That Purple Stuff.

[Jaescrub]

Just a FYI: Clean'N Dull can be used on any ball, polished or sanded. Dull is just part of the name, it doesn't dull the ball.
I know I used it on my un polished because I feel like it's a little stronger and gets in the pores better and gets the black off the Belts / backsplash better my pearls don't seem to pick up as much of that so I use the other cleaner on them.

[bowl1820]

I know I used it on my un polished because I feel like it's a little stronger and gets in the pores better and gets the black off the Belts / backsplash better my pearls don't seem to pick up as much of that so I use the other cleaner on them.

The way your cleaning now is okay and Clean'N Dull is a strong cleaner.

But the one thing C'N D does though that most of the others don't. Is it draws oil out of a balls surface, that's why you should use it once in a while on your polished equipment too.

Besides Clean'N Dull, some other cleaners known to draw oil from the ball are: Neo-Tac Hook-IT, LMB Extreme High Performance Ball Cleaner (I don't recommend it, it's way too chemical smelling).

Motiv Power Gel Scuff is supposed to also, but I haven't tried it and it does dull the ball some.

[Jaescrub]

The way your cleaning now is okay and Clean'N Dull is a strong cleaner.

But the one thing C'N D does though that most of the others don't. Is it draws oil out of a balls surface, that's why you should use it once in a while on your polished equipment too.

Besides Clean'N Dull, some other cleaners known to draw oil from the ball are: Neo-Tac Hook-IT, LMB Extreme High Performance Ball Cleaner (I don't recommend it, it's way too chemical smelling).

Motiv Power Gel Scuff is supposed to also, but I haven't tried it and it does dull the ball some.

Thanks out of the stronger cleaner has one worked better than the others?

[bowl1820]

Thanks out of the stronger cleaner has one worked better than the others?

Between Clean'N Dull and Hook-it, IMO they both perform about equally well. The main difference is C'ND is a gel and Hook-it is spray.

Clean'N Dull is the most commonly used and being a gel when you apply it to the ball, it sits on the cover better and does run off like a spray would. Which allows you to let it sit and penetrate more.

[larry mc]

i tried it once , but it stung so bad i couldnt even get my pants on

[billf]

The only ones who don't want you to use alcohol to clean your bowling balls are the bowling products companies who don't want you to know that you can buy a 99 cent product at the grocery store that works just as well as their $15 bottle of ball cleaner.

Alcohol is NOT a degreaser/cleaner. It IS a drying agent. Yes it's in most cleaners to expedite the drying process but is mixed with an actual cleaning agent.
Alcohol and Simple Green are both on the approved list for use anytime. Acetone cleans great BUT is not approved for use before, during or after competition.

[Tony]

i tried it once , but it stung so bad i couldnt even get my pants on

I would suggest taking Prep Sol, and Lacquer thinner off that list of stuff to try ......

[bowl1820]

Alcohol is NOT a degreaser/cleaner. It IS a drying agent. Yes it's in most cleaners to expedite the drying process but is mixed with an actual cleaning agent.

While it may be used to promote faster drying in other products or mixtures, it's not limited to just being a drying agent.

Alcohol is a solvent and is used in many applications for cleaning and for dissolving oils and works quite well as a degreaser/cleaner on a bowling ball.


Alcohol and Simple Green are both on the approved list for use anytime. Acetone cleans great BUT is not approved for use before, during or after competition.

One thing to note about the popular Alcohol/Simple Green mix is that it's technically illegal to use, because while alcohol and simple green (original formula) are approved individually.

The mix of the two has never been submitted for testing, So has not been approved for any use, either before, during or after competition.

[NewToBowling]

No, I usually drink it