Cleaning and Maintaining Bowling Balls and Equipment
People have enjoyed bowling for hundreds of years. Historically, bowling was an outdoor sport that people used to play on the grass. Eventually, the game moved indoors. Long alleys were necessary to accommodate the process of throwing the heavy balls toward the pins. With gutters on either sides of the alleys, an errant throw of the ball will likely end up with the ball entering the gutter instead of connecting with pins at the end of the alley. Bowlers have many things to consider as they play the game, including starting position, approach, and release. Even maintaining and cleaning a bowling ball is an important part of successful bowling. A dirty ball that has collected oils from a bowling alley floor may not roll effectively to knock out the pins.
Bowling Ball Maintenance
Experts generally recommend that bowlers clean their balls after every bowling game. Special degreasing products are available that will help keep bowling balls spotless. Simply spray the degreaser onto the surface of the bowling ball and wipe it off completely. More in-depth cleaning will be necessary for ball maintenance. The timing of this deep cleaning depends on bowling frequency. Some people prefer to have a bowling ball cleaned professionally. Others prefer to save money by cleaning the ball themselves. When self-cleaning a bowling ball, tape up the finger holes to prevent moisture from entering these areas. Submerge the bowling ball in warm water for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the ball from the water, and dry it thoroughly to finish.
- Maintaining Your Equipment: Purchasing a bowling ball is a significant investment for a bowler, so people generally try to maintain balls well to protect them.
- How to Keep Your Bowling Ball in Top Shape: Application of ball degreaser after every bowling session will help maintain a bowling ball.
- Bowling Ball Cleaning and Maintenance : Lack of regular cleaning and maintenance could even cause a bowler’s score to drop.
- Maintaining Your Bowling Ball : A polishing machine located at a bowling alley or a pro shop can help maintain a bowling ball.
- Maintaining Your Ball Reaction : Balls with a significant polish may need to be restored with a special process to maintain their performance.
- Ball Maintenance Checklist : Use a microfiber towel to wipe off a bowling ball between shots when playing.
- Ball Maintenance Procedure : Dirt and oil on a bowling ball’s surface will interfere with performance over time.
Other Bowling Equipment
Bowlers must wear special shoes when bowling. Regular street shoes can be damaging to the expensive wood of bowling alleys. Bowling shoes have special features that assist with bowling. The left shoe of a right-handed bowler has a slippery sole made of hard leather. The opposite shoe for a right-handed bowler has a sole that will grip the alley more effectively. Left-handed bowlers have the opposite configuration for bowling shoes. Bowlers will also need a special bag for transporting a bowling ball. Bags can have special added compartments that enable the bowler to carry other essentials and belongings to and from a bowling alley.
- Bowling Rules: Bowlers cannot bowl in street shoes because they can damage the wood of the lanes. Consequently, bowling involves wearing special bowling shoes.
- How to Choose Your Bowling Shoes: Bowling shoes come in a variety of styles and colors. Choose shoes that offer the best support for the feet.
General Bowling Information
- Helpful Tips for Beginning Bowlers : Learn the rules of the game with information included in these tips.
- Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips : Explore the fundamentals of bowling with tips provided by an expert.
- Bowling Etiquette and Safety : Bowling etiquette involves wearing proper footwear at all times when playing a game and taking your turn promptly to keep others from waiting.
- Bowling Tips : Learning how to hold a bowling ball correctly is one of the first tasks a new bowler will tackle.
- What Types of Physical Benefits Can Be Obtained From Bowling? Bowling can be a great workout, and people of all ages and abilities can do it.
- Bowler Guide : Learn about lane markings before bowling to understand the best placement of the ball.
- Bowling History : Bowling was played outdoors on the grass when it originated hundreds of years ago.
- Bowling Study Guide : The distance between the foul line and the pins is 60 feet, requiring a careful throw to knock the pins down.
- Bowling History Overview : A bowler gets two chances to knock the pins down for each frame unless the first ball results in a strike.
- Bowling Rules, History, Tips, and Equipment: Bowlers can avoid injuries from playing by warming up before a game.