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Author Topic: Alcohol vs. Cleaners  (Read 2560 times)

luvmykings

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Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« on: October 30, 2004, 11:52:57 AM »
I've been reading some of the post that come up occasionally on cleaners and what to use to clean your ball and extend the life of your ball. No one ever mentions alcohol and yet I see many people at the houses I bowl at use this. Is this a good practice? Does it harm the ball or does it actually help?
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a_ak57

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2004, 07:55:19 PM »
It's no better than anything else.  I don't use it, since for me, it just moves around the oil, not clean it off.  But that is just my experience....

I assume that so many people use it because...........it's cheaper than real cleaners.
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stanski

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2004, 09:47:17 PM »
quote:
ACETONE... Now, where have I heard this before??
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stanski

J_Mac

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2004, 01:18:11 AM »
Bob, I'd really like to know who told you that you can't use rubbing alcohol during a game.  I can't see rubbing alcohol hurting the finish on wood lanes, especially if it's given a chance to evaporate first.  It's legal for use during sanction play as stated in the ABC rule book.
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thfonz98

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2004, 01:46:44 AM »
mix orange clean(big orange) and alcohol(used just to help evaporate it)....

towel becomes black(well close to black)...except on pearls as they dont accumulate much durt/oil
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Edited on 10/31/2004 1:46 AM

seadrive

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2004, 09:13:10 AM »
From the Ebonite Tech Center:

My friends tell me to use alcohol or windex to clean my ball. Is this effective?

Alcohol and windex do not penetrate oil and dirt effectively. They tend to lay on top of oil and dirt and, when wiped with a towel, smear along the ball's surface leaving behind residue that is absorbed into the surface pores.


What about acetone, denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, etc?

Acetone and denatured alcohol are strong solvents. Prolonged contact with the ball's surface can weaken the structure of the coverstock, affecting long term durability. There are also health and flammability issues associated with acetone and denatured alcohol. Petroleum based cleaners, such as lacquer and paint thinners and mineral spirits, have limited solubility attributes. They are not extremely aggressive in breaking down lane oil.

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seadrive
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LuvThatWhiteDot

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2004, 08:57:37 PM »
I use 91% alcohol (found in pharmacies) right after the bowling session is done and I use gritless cleanser once a month.

I also keep a bottle of Liquid Nitro (from Neo-Tac) on hand, because it's a good cleaner too.

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rkaycom

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2004, 09:19:34 PM »
Acetone is not aloud to be used on a bowling ball as it effects the surface of the ball by making it softer...
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stanski

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Re: Alcohol vs. Cleaners
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2004, 10:02:55 PM »
quote:
Acetone is not aloud to be used on a bowling ball as it effects the surface of the ball by making it softer...
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"Does The Savage Flip Flip? It Sure Does!"
"Hook Isn't The Key, A Repeatable Consistent Shot Is"
"Increase Your Knowledge, Increase Your Score"
"Ebonite International  ~ Bowl To Win"


Only in large quantities will it make it softer, as every pro shop i know of uses acetone to clean super glue off a ball surface
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stanski