How to Remove Wax From a Bowling Ball

Every time you go bowling, wax from the lanes can collect on your ball. While the wax makes the ball slide more easily, it can also make the slide more difficult to control. This can hurt your game. The ball washers available in many bowling alleys can clean the wax and other debris from your ball, but the machines usually wax the ball as well. So, if you want to remove the wax from your ball and keep it off, you must clean it by hand.

Things You'll Need

  • Bowling ball
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Rag
  • White vinegar
  • Dish soap
  • Dishwasher
  • Dry rag
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wipe your ball down with standard rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol cuts through the wax and grease the ball picked up from the lane. Put just a little alcohol on the rag, just so it's moist, hold the ball by the finger holes and wipe around the entire surface of the ball.

    • 2

      Make a solution with white vinegar and use it to wipe down your ball instead of using rubbing alcohol. Vinegar Tips recommends a solution made with two cups of water, a cup of white vinegar and a teaspoon of dish soap for removing waxy build-up.

    • 3

      Put your ball into the sink and wash it with dish soap and water. Ten Pin Bowling Balls suggests covering the holes with water-proof tape to prevent water from soaking it to the finger holes. Allow the ball to soak in the soapy water for 20 minutes or less, and then wash just like you would wash dishes, scrubbing the outside with a cloth.

    • 4

      Wash it in the dishwasher, if you have one. Improve Bowling states that the dishwasher works well for removing grease and oil from the ball, but he high water pressure should also work well to remove wax. Keep the washing cycle in the dishwasher to 20 minutes or less, so that the ball isn't subjected to a long period of heat.

    • 5

      Wipe the ball down with a clean, dry cloth after you finish washing it. While wiping, pay specific attention to spots that feel waxy on the ball. If you find any, rub hard with the cloth until the wax is removed.