How to maintain your Bowling Balls

If you are an avid bowler, you more than likely have at least 2 bowling balls and possibly more. Premium bowling balls can cost more than $200.00 dollars add  your shoes, bowling bag, and other accessories, and your 2 ball bag may be worth upwards of $600.00. There are still bowlers who, when they leave the lanes throw their bag in the trunk and leave it there until the next time they bowl.

This is not only not good for the bowling balls, it does not allow you to properly maintain your equipment. At the very least, if you are in a cold climate, your fingers will be very cold until the ball warms up. In extreme cold conditions a can actually occur, bowling balls have been known to crack. In a warm climate tape in finger holes can melt, this will be very sticky, and hard to clean out.

My routine has been to keep my bowling equipment in the house or at least a heated garage. Each time, before I bowl I clean the surface of my bowling ball with either rubbing alcoholor a commercially available ball cleaning fluid. If the ball has a dull surface, I will wash it in warm water using “dutch cleanser” and a “scotch brite pad” the abrasives in the cleanser will actually  restore the dull finish and allow the ball to react to the lanes as it is supposed to. If the ball has a shined finish, I will use the product recommended by the ball manufacturer to refinish the ball, in a pinch you can use the wax machine at the bowling lanes to  refinish or shine your ball, however continuing to use these machines will, over time allow wax to build up and adversly effect ball performance. With all of my bowling balls I will check the grip, and if I use tape, I will replace with new tape so I’m sure I have the proper grip.

Properly maintaining your bowling balls, allows them to react to the lane conditions as they are intended and as you expect them too. You should bowl better and your expensive equipment will last longer.