Keeping your bowling ball clean and germ free is more important now than ever, but bowling balls require a little extra care to keep them from getting damaged. If you have your own custom ball, you’ll want to take great care of it so it lasts forever. However, with the threat of COVID-19 looming for the foreseeable future, disinfecting your ball is important for stopping the spread of disease.

Here’s how to safely clean and disinfect your bowling ball in Hampton, VA.

Cleaning vs. disinfecting your bowling ball

Bowling balls can be cleaned and disinfected—and they’re not the same thing. Cleaning involves wiping away dirt, oil, grime and debris so the ball looks and performs better. Disinfecting, on the other hand, uses an agent to kill germs on the ball’s surface. This may or may not remove some dirt in the process, but neither is a substitute for the other.

If you leave dirt and oil on your ball, its performance will decline. Eventually your ball will no longer offer the speed and control you once enjoyed. It’s important to clean off the ball with a soft microfiber cloth after each shot, and do a deep clean once weekly (depending on how often you bowl). Disinfecting, on the other hand, should be done anytime you think your ball may have come into contact with germs and harmful pathogens.

The right way to disinfect your bowling ball

Here are some tips for effectively disinfecting your bowling ball:

  • Avoid rubbing alcohol on its own: Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is a solution that will kill any germs and viruses on the ball’s surface. Although the USBC normally only allows ball cleaners before and after competitions, they recently reversed that ruling to allow rubbing alcohol. Although it’s an effective disinfectant, it can get in the pores of your ball and dry it out prematurely. (If your ball is made of urethane or plastic, rubbing alcohol won’t hurt it.)
  • Use a bowling ball life extender: Before and after your competition, use a bowling ball life extender like So Fresh & So Clean. It’s made for reactive bowling balls—the kind that can get damaged if you use rubbing alcohol alone. All you have to do is spray it on the ball, let it sit for 30 seconds and then rub the remainder away with a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol. You can use the life extender before and after competitions.
  • Use rubbing alcohol in between shots: While you’re playing, wipe the ball down with rubbing alcohol after every shot. This helps limit the spread of disease, and will also keep your ball free of the lane oil that can affect its performance.

Knowing how to disinfect your bowling ball in Hampton, VA to keep it germ free is an important part of slowing the spread of COVID-19, but it’s also just good practice with cold and flu season right around the corner. Stay healthy and safe even while enjoying your favorite indoor hobby!

Enjoy bowling, a well-stocked pro-shop, leagues and more when you visit Sparetimes today.

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