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Author Topic: Home Made Ball Cleaners  (Read 9552 times)

An Old Has Been

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Home Made Ball Cleaners
« on: February 28, 2018, 10:53:58 AM »
I found a post about this; but the site suggested I start a "new" one.
I am curious about making home made ball cleaner and looking for opinions...
I see a lot of people say use Simple Green, and I also saw something mentioned like Super Orange and also Citrus Magic "Natural Orange".
And I wondered if something called "Oil Eater" orange degreaser was on the 'approved anything" list? - Or if anyone thought there was any difference between the three.
I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel but did want to get the best degreaser to clean my ball. 
I have read where people use these straight or mix then with anywhere from 10% to 50% isopropal alcohol.  I also saw where others say to use denatured alcohol.  It appears this aids in faster drying?  But I was curious about the difference between what denatured alcohol and regular alcohol does

So I'm just wondering what is the best "magic brew" to use to clean my ball.  Looking for opinions and maybe why you think your ideas are better than others.
Not that it matters for this discussion, but I tend to spray some cleaner on a towel and wipe my ball before every shot.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 11:08:20 AM by An Old Has Been »
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vwDiesel

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2018, 11:26:00 AM »
At home I use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol and Simple Green, but do not mix them. I use them separately, then finish with a spray of water and wipe dry.

For an occasional deeper cleaning, it's always been Powerhouse Clean 'n Dull.
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HackJandy

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2018, 11:32:00 AM »
Just get your self a little 4 oz plastic spray bottle and put straight 91% isopropyl alcohol in it and always use it immediately after a session and you will largely be set (what I do).  Might consider a commercial ball cleaner (I use Monster Tac) in rare cases you get large belt marks which can take a lot of elbow grease with alcohol alone.  Also hear one guy on here say he just cleans his balls with undiluted original Simple Green on a ball spinner at home.  Either of these solutions are completely legal.  I also often use Simple Green diluted with water at home especially on my spinner as a lubricant which not sure if is a grey area or not (USBC says not supposed to mix chemicals, not clear if that includes H2O) so might want to avoid.  In general the problem with straight Simple Green is it will leave a film (alcohol or even water spray step as guy above says after will fix that).  Also chemists on internet I have seen say avoiding mixing alcohol with SG as it makes both less effective.  Better to use one after the other instead.

(edit: also +1 on Clean and Dull, use that as the lubricant for the first step of resurfaces on all my reactives).
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 12:10:20 PM by HackJandy »
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spmcgivern

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2018, 11:46:29 AM »
You may get more from this thread than you bargained for....

Depending on how much of a stickler you are, you can come up with whatever you feel works. 

Most use an alcohol of some type to assist in the drying process and to cut the main de-oiling component.  Using straight Simple Green can leave a residue so cutting it with water or alcohol can help mitigate this.  Any other form of degreaser can probably be used just as effectively.

If you like rules, then it may be easier to just buy something over-the-counter.  There are plenty of cleaners on the market that are legal at any time and not too expensive and work well.  Combined with an occasional de-oiling and you have a long-term solution.

If you like to play chef and cook up your own concoction, then go for it.  I would caution you on proclaiming what you do to prevent the holier-than-thou from griping.  But at home, I don't see what would prevent you from experimenting some.  Just be cognizant of what you are working with and take appropriate precautions.
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HackJandy

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2018, 11:58:49 AM »
Also in general its best to avoid denatured alcohol because sometimes they denature it with MEK which like acetone is a big no no and illegal at all times.

For reference

http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/equipandspecs/pdfs/Approved_cleaner_polish.pdf

http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/equipandspecs/pdfs/Non_approved_cleaner_polish.pdf
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 12:02:52 PM by HackJandy »
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Juggernaut

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2018, 12:03:01 PM »
 For overall, true cleaning, there are several good commercial cleaners available through the pro shop of your choice. For a true, overall cleaning.

 For an in between every shot “cleaning”, a home made concoction can do a fine job, but I don’t think it can replace an actually good, premium cleaner designed for keeping your balls performance up.

 I, myself, use a mixture of my own making to clean the surface of my equipment. I bowl one league a week anymore, but have used my own stuff for years, including back when I bowled several leagues + tournaments + practice, and I’ve never had a ball die on me yet.
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suhoney24

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2018, 01:16:01 PM »
Fabulousa, alcohol, water
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charlest

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2018, 01:20:20 PM »
While there are many very good cleaners available as bowling ball cleaners, yes, some marketers do take advantage and charge more than they should. Again, not all bowling ball cleaners are equally good.

There are, of course, many over the counter degreasers that are perfectly capable of cleaning your bowling of lane oil well; isopropyl alcohol, even at 91%,  is not, in my opinion, one of them.

Strong garage floor cleaners, like Simple Green, will leave a residue and they, themselves, need to cleaned off the ball by something like alcohol after being used. Many of these cleaners have some type of oil in them, even citrus oil, which is probably not good, if absorbed by the ball. They need to be cleaned immediately.

Be very aware that cleaners with denatured alcohol, acetone, MEK, methyl alcohol, benzene, kerosene are all highly toxic to the human body. You MUST wear gloves or other protective devices when using them. Cancer is not a kind killer. If you still think you're a teenager and invulnerable to everything, go ahead and apply them by hand.
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vwDiesel

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2018, 02:11:07 PM »
I should have been a bit clearer: my at home cleaning order is Simple Green -- Isopropyl alcohol -- water. This is for a general surface cleaning, with the Isopropyl alcohol and water steps used as a way of removing any residue from the Simple Green. I don't trust water alone to remove the residue, but perhaps it is overkill. This is not a deep oil extraction.

The real oil removal maintenance should be done at the lanes, immediately after bowling. It sounds like the OP is doing this, so that's most of the battle, imo. In my case, at the end of a set, I'm using LMB International blue cleaner or Adrenaline Wipes. The results are clear to see: on the towel. Sometimes it's unbelievable.

Isopropyl alcohol evaporates so fast that I doubt it does much to remove oil by itself. Some say it does. Perhaps it's better than nothing if used immediately after bowling.

Charlest has always provided great information on this site. I think his opinion on the effectiveness of Isopropyl alcohol vs. industrial alcohols (like the LMB blue cleaner) have been stated very effectively on several threads.
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strikeking12

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2018, 02:52:05 PM »
It depends on what kind of finish you want. I you want a shine, use a "swirl remover" compound.
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charlest

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2018, 03:39:08 PM »
Quote from: strikeking12 on February 28, 2018, 02:52:05 PM
It depends on what kind of finish you want. I you want a shine, use a "swirl remover" compound.

?? Cleaners, in general,  should not change the surface.
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HackJandy

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2018, 04:22:43 PM »
Quote from: vwDiesel on February 28, 2018, 02:11:07 PM
I should have been a bit clearer: my at home cleaning order is Simple Green -- Isopropyl alcohol -- water. This is for a general surface cleaning, with the Isopropyl alcohol and water steps used as a way of removing any residue from the Simple Green. I don't trust water alone to remove the residue, but perhaps it is overkill. This is not a deep oil extraction.

The real oil removal maintenance should be done at the lanes, immediately after bowling. It sounds like the OP is doing this, so that's most of the battle, imo. In my case, at the end of a set, I'm using LMB International blue cleaner or Adrenaline Wipes. The results are clear to see: on the towel. Sometimes it's unbelievable.

Isopropyl alcohol evaporates so fast that I doubt it does much to remove oil by itself. Some say it does. Perhaps it's better than nothing if used immediately after bowling.

Charlest has always provided great information on this site. I think his opinion on the effectiveness of Isopropyl alcohol vs. industrial alcohols (like the LMB blue cleaner) have been stated very effectively on several threads.

TL;DR version going to only recommend ball specific cleaners from now on.  Too many variables and what works for me (on conditions I see, with number of different balls I have, how often I bowl, etc) might not work for others and don't want someone's ball dying being the reason they leave the sport.  Both Monster Tac and Reacta Shine (cleaner+polish, have a quart of both) work great.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 04:52:37 PM by HackJandy »
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An Old Has Been

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2018, 06:58:30 PM »
well.. I bowl at least three times a week; and it gets pretty expensive using the high end stuff.
I can understand wanting to use something with a 'degreaser';... and from what I read the alcohol is pretty much just to make the cleaner dry faster...?
I know I used some simple green when bowling Monday and it seem like the ball still had a film on it when I was ready to throw it.
I'm guessing this could cause an erratic reaction.
I wasn't sure if regular alcohol or denatured would be better and what percentages to use?
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HackJandy

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2018, 10:39:44 PM »
Most people say either half iso and half simple green or 1/3 iso 1/3 water and 1/3 simple green.  Like I was implying what I use is pure 91% iso at the lanes where I wipe it off immediately with a microfiber which gets basically all the oil and then when I get home also do a quick spray of 5 parts water to 1 part SG solution being sure to leave on for 1 minute before I wipe off with a microfiber.  This is more a make sure get everything just in case step and at that ratio doesn't leave a film on the ball.  I bust out the Monster Tac occasionally on bad belt marks.  The one ball I don't use iso on is my epoxy ball but neither here nor there.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 10:43:37 PM by HackJandy »
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Home Made Ball Cleaners
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2018, 01:49:25 AM »
I used to buy name brand cleaners, then I tried some home-brew concoctions.  What I find that works for me is to use a micro-fiber towel to wipe the ball off between frames. 

Every so often (depends on the ball, the surface of the ball, how much oil is on your lanes, how often you bowl) put the ball in a bucket of hot tap water with Dawn, let it soak for 15 minutes or so (don't let the water cool), wipe the ball down and repeat as necessary to remove any oil.  Then do a re-surface of the ball.

I have tested the balls by putting them in the center revivor and a home-use bowling ball oven and have had little oil removed from the bowling balls with the above procedure.

Who knows, I could just be lucky so far?
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