cleaned my octane burn tonight using some kegal ball cleaner, then using ebonite's powerhouse polish and a paper towel polished it and to my surprise the paper towel was dirty, is this because the ball cleaner isn't working very good.

If there was dirt coming off when you were polishing, then the cleaner wasn't doing a good job.

Was it Kegal Revive? I had some and didn't care much for it, there are a lot better cleaners.

cleaned my octane burn tonight using some kegal ball cleaner, then using ebonite's powerhouse polish and a paper towel polished it and to my surprise the paper towel was dirty, is this because the ball cleaner isn't working very good.

Many ball polishes also contain cleaners, but if the polish was removing dirt, then your cleaner didn't remove all the dirt.

For whatever it's worth, some of the best water based cleaners, which I have found, that can be used both during and  immediately after bowling are Remedy, Vise Cleaner, Zapp-It, Knockout, & Genesis Intense.

Best deep cleaners for use at home are Clean and Dull and Hook-It.

I also have had great results with the Vise cleaner.

Simple Green and water will usually work, but takes longer to do the job.  If mixed too strong can also leave a film behind, in my experience.  Some here on the site have mixed a small amount of alcohol with their Simple Green/water, but I'm in the dark as to how much.

I do the opposite.  I use straight 91% to 99% isopropyl alcohol (avoid denatured may have MEK) to spray on the balls at the lane because its better than simple green at removing oil and you don't have to wait for it to work like you do with simple green (plus its legal at any time which SG mixed isn't).  When I get home especially with my reactives I also do a second just in case cleaning with simple green mixed 1:5 with water (1:1 just wastes simple green imho and more likely to leave a film, plus read the label SG is made to be diluted with water at up to 30 to 1).  I let the simple green sit on the ball for at least one minute a half before wiping off throughly with a microfiber.  I have simple green also because never use alcohol on a ball spinner obviously.  From what I have read its much better to use alcohol and then simple green (or vice versa) than to mix them which reduces cleaning ability of both.  Maybe ball cleaner is best and I certainly have some Monster Tac I use for my epoxy ball and really bad belt marks but I am not paying $1 an oz for ball cleaner again (C&D aside) which I then worry about wasting when cleaning.  With the alcohol  you can get a gallon for like $10 (and simple green can get 6 gal when mixed for $10) so spraying liberally is not an issue.

Link that sold me on alcohol - (it really does melt mineral oil ie. lane oil like hot butter nearly instantly)

https://bowler2bowler.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/bowling-ball-cleaner-experiments-101-by-james-goulding-iii/

Yep 91% alky and Simple Green at home gets vast majority of crud but do occasionally bust out the Monster Tac for really big belt marks or the really hard to get off rare gunk.

I make my own ball cleaner at home. It has three major components, and does a decent job.

 Lots of dirt and grime on the rag after a three game set.

 Even removes sticky belt marks.

 U. S. B. C. would consider it illegal. I didn't send in a sample for their "paid for" approval.

 Their equipment rules are antiquated, and so are their cleaner rules.
O
 Been using it for years. Have equipment that is 8-10 years old that still work as expected, with NO ill side effects.

would you be willing to give the recipe for your home brew?
Please do tell.