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The bowling ball, the ten pins, and the bowling lane are the three central components of bowling. As you become familiar with the sport, you will quickly realize that the bowling ball is the most important piece of your bowling equipment.
Here are some best bowling ball cleaners that actually works:
1. Neo-Tac Hook It
The Neo-Tac Hook It is the true monster of the bowling ball cleaner market. This product is so strong that the USBC has limited it to only before and after a league game. Unlike other cleaners, players cannot use Neo-Tac Hook it to clean their bowling balls during a league game.
This article will list the top 4 bowling ball cleaners that you can use to get those dirt marks and oil stains out of your bowling ball!
I spent lot of hours creating this comparison table so you can compare different bowling ball cleaners against each other.
This product is incomparable in its ability to make your bowling ball feel as good as new! Players claim that the product is so perfect that the first few throws after a hook it application, make the hook challenging to handle. However, it is perfect after the initial test throws.
Pros
- Incredibly powerful – it sands and cleans your bowl to match out of box conditions
- Neo-Tac Hook It can remove oil and dirt without a lot of effort. You can actually see the scuff marks, belt marks and oil stains disappearing as you wipe
- It works well on any coverstock
- It has a ketchup bottle design, which is quite pleasing.
- It is USBC approved for before, during, after league play, but not during and comes in three sizes.
- It has a nice, fruity smell, unlike some other cleaners.
Cons:
- It is a little expensive
- It can leave residue on hands. We recommend using protective gloves and face mask when applying this product
- Since it is very strong it may make the ball dull; you may need a polish after using this cleaner
2. Monster Tac
Monster tac appears to be a customer favorite. Many bowlers are in love with this product because it takes out dirt and oil from any surface while being affordable
- Keep your equipment clean and ready for...
- Easy application, easy removal
- Convenient sizes for bowling bags
- USBC Approved
- Safe for all bowling balls
Pros:
- It is affordable yet very effective in cleaning the oil and dirt from bowling balls
- It seems to be a favorite of bowling players. It is one of the most popular cleaners on Amazon because it works well while being economical
- It has a strong formula which pulls out oil from any owling ball, even reactive resin ones which absorb a lot of oil
- It is USBC approved, and it can be used before, during, and after a league game
- It comes in 4 oz, 6 oz, and 32 oz bottles
- It is a versatile product that comes in liquid, gel, and foam consistencies.
Cons:
- The smell is very strong; we recommend that you wear a face mask when applying the cleaner.
- It has a flimsy packaging; the pump is fragile and may break easily. If this happens to you, pour the product in a reusable spray bottle.
3. Storm Reacta Shine
I don’t know what I like more about Storm Reacta Shine; it’s packaging or its price. The 6 oz bottle of the product comes in an adorable bowling pin-shaped bottle. Storm Reacta Shine is more affordable than premium brands on the market, yet it performs really well.
The Reacta Shine is USBC approved. It is a 2-in-1 product that is used to simultaneously clean and shine the ball. The product provides a grit of up to 1500, which restores the performance and tackiness of the ball.
The Reacta Shine has a unique formula; it is creamier than other cleaners in the market, ensuring that you don’t have to use a lot of product. It’s no surprise that we have chosen it as a best-value product!a
- It is a 2-in-1 product: it reduces work and saves time
- It is affordable yet effective
- It cleans to a 1500 grit providing great tackiness to the ball
- A small goes a long way – players only need to use a small amount to clean their bowling balls
- It comes in two sizes 4 oz. and 1 quart. The 4 oz bottle can be easily carried in bowling bags
- It has a pleasant fragrance
- The packaging warns that the product may cause cancer. We recommend using protective gloves when applying it to the ball.
4. The Purple Stuff
The Purple Stuff is an amazing product by a remarkable company. I have selected ‘The Purple Stuff’ by CTD (Creating The Difference) as my pick of bowling ball cleaners for several reasons. Firstly, the product is pure magic! I have personally used this and found it far superior to the other cleaners.
- Approved for use by USBC
- Pair with a CtD Power Pad for easy...
- 4 oz flip top bottle
If your ball has scuff marks or it has become extra dirty, you will have to work a little hard to get the dirt and oil out with regular cleaners. With The Purple Stuff, you get twice the results with half the effort! It has a strong formula that wipes the dirt right off your bowling ball.
I especially like it in combination with the bowling ball life extender ‘So fresh & So clean’ also by CTD. Both of these products are innovative and will help you maintain your bowling ball for a very long time.
The second reason I like this product is because I like CTD. CTD is not as big a company as Storm or Brunswick; however, there are products that are truly innovative. The CEO develops the products by keeping in mind the needs of the bowler, and I find his efforts to be genuine and sincere (this is not a paid post!).
Finally, I love the name ‘The Purple Stuff,’ it is an ingenious name for any product. When you hear ‘The Purple Stuff,” it will truly make you pause for a minute and ask yourself what is the purple stuff? And this will increase brand recall and recognition.
- A strong formula which wipes away the oil and dirt easily
- Comes with complimentary accessories which can help maintain your ball for a long time
- Gives the balls a tacky finish so that their performance is almost as good as when they were new
- It comes in liquid, foam, and gentle mist aerosol.
- It is a little expensive than standard cleaners.
- The formula contains strong chemicals that may cause irritation. We recommend wearing protective gloves.
Initially, beginners practice on house balls, but as their commitment to the game increases, they start looking for balls that suit their bowling style.
Purchasing a bowling ball gives the player several advantages; a player can buy a ball that is best suited for their style of bowling and then have it modified to meet their exact specifications.
Players can choose their preferred coverstock and core. They can have the coverstock surface calibrated to meet their bowling needs, and they can even get the bowling holes drilled to facilitate their grip on the bowling ball.
Why You must use bowling ball cleaner ?
Clean Ball Gives Consistence Performance
Every bowling player is familiar that the bowling lanes are oiled. Traditionally, oil was used to protect the bowling lanes from damage. Today, oil patterns are used to increase or decrease lane difficulty to make the game more challenging.
When a bowling ball rolls across the lane, it absorbs the oil. Some balls, like the reactive resin ones, absorb more oil than others. However, every bowling ball absorbs lane oil to some extent.
Now, two things happen because of this:
- The balls become sticky/slick with oil, and thus, they gather more dirt and grime from the lanes.
- The oil and dirt clog the porous surface of the bowling ball, which affects their performance. That is; a bowling ball will not perform as well as it did before.
Cleaners Don’t Damage Bowling Balls: Substances like acetone or cleaning alcohol damage the surface of the ball and corrode its Coverstock. Bowling ball cleaners, on the other hand, are made from substances that do not damage the ball. Hence, they are ideal for bowling ball maintenance.
Easy to Use:
Commercial cleaners are very easy to use. They come in aerosol cans; players can spray the cleaner on to the ball and wipe it clean with a microfiber after playing a game.
The Best Way to Use a Cleaner
It is important that you know the right way to clean your bowling ball. If you don’t, then no matter how good the cleaner is, you will end up with dirty and oily bowling balls. This is how you should use the cleaner to clean your bowling ball:
- Take your ball, your preferred cleaner, and a microfiber cloth or power pad.
- Lightly spray the bowling ball with the spray. You should spray it evenly across the surface of the ball, concentrating on areas where you can see the belt marks.
- Take the microfiber cloth and put it in one hand, use your other hand to spin the ball over the microfiber cloth or power pad.
- Alternatively, you can place the ball on a table or any other surface, and then use the microfiber cloth or power pad to wipe it down. You should make sure to wipe the whole ball, getting it from every side.
- That’s it. You are ready to bowl.
Here is a video to help you understand the cleaning process:
While researching the cleaning process, we took suggestions from several bowling coaches, pro shop workers, and bowling players themselves. Here is what they had to say:
Always clean the bowling ball after you finish your round/game
Coaches and pro shop workers said that most players clean their balls before a game. They insisted that players should get in the habit of cleaning their bowling balls after they finish their game for the day. They said that if you leave your bowling ball dirty, the oil it has absorbed will sink in deeper and deeper overnight. Hence, it will become harder to take out the oil. On the other hand, if you take out three minutes at the end of each game and wipe down your bowling ball, you will stop the oil from penetrating the ball, and you will keep it in the best condition for your next game.
2. Sand the bowling ball for deep-cleaning
Experts advised that players should sand their bowling ball before they clean it for deeper cleansing. Players do not have to sand their bowling balls daily; they can do it once a month, and it will make their ball last longer and perform at its best.
Sanding is really easy- you can take a sanding pad of a low grit like a 5000 or 2000 grit sandpaper is ideal. Just spray your cleaner on to the ball, rub the sandpaper in a circular motion with a light hand and then wipe it clean with more spray and a microfiber cloth/pad.
3. Take the bowling ball to the Pro Shop
All experts recommend taking the bowling ball to the Pro Shop for deep cleaning after 50-70 games. Experts say that well-maintained balls (which are cleaned after each round) can perform well for up to 100 games. The pro shop uses baking or submerging techniques to extract oil from deep within the ball. It will renew your ball and restore its performance.
How do you maintain your bowling ball?
Conclusion
In this article, I discussed the importance of regularly cleaning your bowling balls, the proper way to clean your bowling balls, and the best bowling ball cleaners available in the market. We learned that cleaning your bowling ball will make it durable and ensure its consistent performance. We found out that Neo-Tac is the most powerful USBC approved bowling ball cleaner in the market, but Monster Tac is the most beloved. Finally, we learned that whichever cleaner you are partial to, you must know the correct way of cleaning your ball; otherwise, you will just be wasting time, money, and effort.
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