Best way to detox/de-oil your ball

[Jarhead88]

I have a couple of balls and I bowl a lot...
I hear some may stories and different way to do it. so say don't bake it, some say hot water doesn't work. cook it at 170....??????

So what is the right way..... I know that is subjective but what is safe and effective?

I have a snap lock, hywire, primo....

thanks

[mishatx]

Take it to the pro shop. That's the best way.

You can buy your own rejuvenator, or I think there's a thread around here where someone built one from a food dehydrator.

[Timmyb]

cook it at 170....??????

I've been told NEVER take a ball above 135-140°. I was one of the guys who built his own oven from a dehydrator. Cost me about $110, as opposed to $190 from Nu-Ball. There's is nothing more than a Nesco dehydrator with a modified center. You can find the build plans on YouTube.

[Hammer]

I heard that the safe zone for de-oiling is no higher then 120*. The pro shops usually have the bowling ball Rejuvenator oven.

[bowl1820]

I have a couple of balls and I bowl a lot...
I hear some may stories and different way to do it. so say don't bake it, some say hot water doesn't work. cook it at 170....??????

Baking in the oven is never recommended, Most ovens don't control the temperature well enough and you run a high risk of destroying your ball.

Recommended temperatures for ball heating vary by mfg. with the max usually being 150°, But the typical range is around 125°-130°

So what is the right way..... I know that is subjective but what is safe and effective?

The best thing is preventative maintenance:

A good strong cleaning regimen would be to:

Step 1: Clean after every shot with a leather ball shammy. (DO NOT use ball cleaners on a leather shammy) or at least use a microfiber towel.

Step 2: Clean between each game with a microfiber towel and a cleaner approved for anytime use.

Step 3: At the end of a night of bowling, Clean the ball with a microfiber towel and with the same or a stronger cleaner.

Step 4: Depending on how much you bowl and the conditions, about once a week clean your ball with a penetrating deep cleaner like Clean'N Dull. (Preferably after you've sanded)

Do that and you'd eliminate or at least reduce the need to de-oil a ball.

A step down from that would be to do just Steps 1-3-4

Another important thing to remember is to clean your towels, Dirty towels don't remove dirt & oil effectively.

As far as de-oiling if it's needed, the best method is having it done in one of the Pro-shop devices like the the Innovative Revivor, Jayhawk Detox, Sweat Box etc.

Next would be doing it yourself with one of the at home devices such as the Innovative/Vertex Personal Bowling Ball Revivor or the Salmon Creek NuBall Bowling Ball Rejuvenator.

If your more of a hands on DIY'er, a ball sweater is easily made from a food dehydrator. Various plans and descriptions can be found on this site and on Youtube.

The most low cost method is the Hot water & Dawn method which is just soaking the ball is a bucket of warm water with a little bit of Dawn dish soap in the water. This method is slow and not as efficient as one of the purpose built machines, But has been used for years and is safe. (A commonly mentioned alternative is placing the ball in a dishwasher, But you must remember to turn off the dish dryer setting or you'll damage the ball.)

[bigt_45]

I bought a couple of used balls recently and I just got a 5 gallon bucket and filled it 1/2 way with the hottest water my sink could put out (128 degrees) and soaked the ball for about a half hour. The ball was really slimy coming out but after a quick microfiber wipe down the surface felt very fresh, seems to work good enough for me.

Edit: Disclaimer, be careful putting the ball in and pulling the ball out, that temperature water is VERY hot and does hurt!

[KYDave]

My only concern with the water method is how much water is being soaked into the cover? i suppose it would evaporate and not be an issue tho. Was just always afraid water would get trapped in there. i used the dishwasher method back in the 90's and the ball never seemed the same since. Nor was the dishwasher rack haha.

[Blacksox1]

Your ball if mistakes are made.

[mishatx]

hey i bet there's no oil in that ball

[Timmyb]

Or resin.......