Friday, December 17, 2010

Bowling Ball Maintenance Goods & Bads

        Bowling ball maintenance is a crucial part of making your bowling ball investment last longer.  Bowling balls need proper maintenance to perform at their highest level so to speak.  They are made to absorb the oil on the lane to create friction on the lane surface.  In essence friction equals hook.  Over time that oil absorption in the coverstock of the bowling ball negates overall reaction.  As with almost anything there are correct ways to maintain your bowling ball and a lot of bad ways to do it.  Below are some good and bad ways to maintain your bowling ball.

        The Good:
1.  Routinely cleaning your bowling ball after each use is important to extending the life of the ball.  Each time you throw the ball it picks up oil from the lane, not to mention residue from the pinsetters or the ball lift at the approach.  Commercial bowling products are available for purchase at your local center or you may use a non abrasive product. 

2.  Who would have ever thought your bowling ball would need a bath?  Well it does work pretty well in getting oil out of the ball.  The best method is to fill a 5 gallon bucket with hot tap water (not boiling) about 3/4 of the way up.  Place the ball in the bucket for about a half an hour along with a few drops of dish liquid.  You will see a film rising to the top of the bucket (this being the oil), after the 30 minutes take the ball out and wipe it down with a clean towel.  You may repeat this a couple of times using clean water each time until there is not any residue.  Hot water baths are a good method of keeping the coverstock fresh and maintaining your ball reaction.

3.  Bowling ball resurfacing is another inexpensive way to keep your bowling ball surface clean.  Resurfacing should be done by your local pro shop.  Basically the ball will be sanded at different grits of a sand paper alternative call abralon.  This sanding will open up the pours of the bowling ball.  After several steps of sanding your ball will be almost looking new and reacting better.

      The Bad:

1.  The Oven Method:  Unless you are utilizing a pro shop for this process, I would strongly suggest not putting your bowling ball in a home oven.  One major reason not to use this method is heat control.  If you put one of these balls in the oven at 150 degrees for an hour, don't be surprised if it splits into two pieces as it cools. Thermal stress is not good for balls. If the ball gets too hot it can crack, and even if it does not appear to have a crack on the outside surface the heat can cause many small, unseen stress fractures in the material that weaken it.  Another concern stems from the materials balls are made of. There are all sorts of chemicals in the balls, and many of them are not fit for human consumption. Putting a ball into an oven that is used to prepare food is a bad idea. 

2.  Cold Weather:  Bowling ball coverstocks should be at room temperature, while they are ok in your trunk or garage for short periods of time, I wouldn't let them stay out in the cold for too long.  As the temperature changes the coverstock will expand and contract putting stress on the ball.  If the ball is left at extreme temperatures for too long it will most likely crack or may cause damage to the core of the bowling ball which is the balls motor.

3.  Leaving a bowling ball let's say in your closet for a long period of time is also a bad idea even at room temperature.  Mostly due to the porosity of the bowling ball, along with the different shaped weight blocks in each bowling ball.  Another theory of leaving the ball sitting in one place is the weight sitting on that one spot will cause damage to the ball and cause it to crack.  The lesson here is if you're done using a bowling ball try to donate it or sell it to someone who can use it.


These are just a few good and bad ideas for maintaining your bowling ball.  Before trying anything new be sure to check with your local pro shop before you ruin your investment.