Best Cleaners for Bowling Balls
You’ve taken all the time to figure out your throw, what kind of bowler you are, and what kind of ball will suit you. You researched and chose the best ball for you, had it weighted & drilled, and now it’s a major part of your game. However, when that prized ball starts betraying you because it’s gummed up with oil and residue from the lanes, it’s time to get a good bowling cleaner.
Most cleaners are approved for competition, but it may be good to check the list of approved bowling ball cleaners and non-approved bowling ball cleaners so that you’re not left in the dark. Non-approved cleaners are harsh on the lanes, they can soften your ball, or leave a residue that changes play. Here are the two lists provided by the USBC:
Approved Bowling Ball Cleaners:
See Full List of Approved Cleaners
Non-Approved Bowling Ball Cleaners:
See Full List of Non-Approved Cleaners
If you’re a recreational bowler not looking for a fancy cleaner, then look no further than under your kitchen sink. On the approved list of cleaners, you’ll find Simple Green and Windex. Both of these will cut grease and restore shine to some degree. There is no actual Simple Green bowling ball cleaner, but plenty of bowlers use the original formula at home to do the job. On the same note, clean bowling ball with Windex will remove the oil and grime left from multiple throws.
Name Brand Bowling Ball Cleaners
If you’re looking for something more custom-made for bowling balls, there are a handful of products from brands you’ll recognize.
We’re not going to label any of these as the “best bowling ball cleaner” since preferences can change from bowler to bowler. Any of them will do the trick.
Storm Bowling Ball Cleaners:
Storm is producing some of the most-loved cleaning products for bowlers. These are just a few of the many storm bowling ball cleaner options, and their bowling ball cleaning kit is one of the best in the business. (Also makes a great gift.)
Storm Reacta Foam
Storm Reacta Foam - for restoring your reactive resin ball to its original tacky surface.
Storm Reacta Shine
Storm Reacta Shine - for cleaning and polishing your ball in one step.
Storm Reacta Clean
Storm Reacta Clean - keeps surface tacky and fresh before and after competition.
Storm Reacta Skuff
Storm Reacta Skuff - cleans and sands matte-finish balls.
Storm Surface Management Kit
Check out Storm's Surface Management Kit – it comes with 3 of the products listed above as well as cloths and pads to shine or scuff any ball as needed.
Brunswick Bowling Ball Cleaners:
The Brunswick team also has an impressive line of bowling ball cleaning products to check out. Their Crown Factory compound, polish, scrubbing gel, and foaming cleaner are top of the line for babying your reactive ball. These are the same products used in the Brunswick bowling ball factory and work on any type of ball surface.
Brunswick Big B Cleaner
Brunswick's Big B Bowling Ball Cleaner - for routine cleaning of oil and belt marks.
Brunswick Reaction Recharge Solution
Brunswick's Reaction Recharge Solution - for cleaning and reviving the tackiness of your ball.
Brunswick Quick Clean Ball Wipes
One especially nice product in the Brunswick arsenal is their Quick Clean Ball Wipes. Having a pack of bowling ball wipes in your bag is sure nice when your ball needs a quick wipe down.
Other Great Bowling Ball Cleaners
Monster Tac Bowling Ball Cleaner
Bowlingball.com has partnered with Pyramid and come out with a line of Monster Tac products that are making quite an impression on the bowling world. This Monster Tac Ball Cleaner cuts oil and belt marks very well before and after competitions. The Monster Tac/Pyramid line is worth taking a look at – especially considering their price is competitive also.
Tac Up Bowling Ball Cleaner
Another great option to have in your bag is the Tac up Bowling Ball Cleaner. It removes dirt, oil, belt marks, and scuffs with a strong biodegradable formula. It dries quickly and is safe for all ball surfaces. Our bowlers with matte balls have especially liked Tac Up because it cuts through oil better than other cleaners they’ve tried. It’s also USBC approved as “use any time.”
Bowling Ball Polish
What’s the difference between bowling ball cleaners and bowling ball polish? Cleaners aim to remove oil, dirt, belt marks and residue from the ball and restore tackiness to reactive balls. Polish is used for changing the ball’s reaction on the lane. If you’re looking into polish, you should understand your ball’s grit number (from 500-5500+) and what polish will use on your ball. You could use a hand polish every 15 games or so, where a cleaner would be used between each game. Here are the two best bowling ball polish brands we recommend.
Pyramid Monster Shine Ball Polish
Pyramid's Monster Shine Ball Polish is a cutting edge polish for all types of bowling balls that polishes without altering the balls valleys and peaks that create the ball's performance.
Brunswick Crown Factory Polish
This is the same polish used by Brunswick in their ball factory. This polish works well on urethane, resin (restores tackiness), and plastic balls and doesn't require a bowling ball spinner. Using this polish will help maintain your ball's backend length and motion.
Final Thoughts on Bowling Cleaner and Polish
Because any approved ball cleaner or polish will work on your ball, we recommend trying several of them out to see what you like the best. There are many to choose from but we have put together what we think is a list of the best bowling ball cleaners and ball polish to maintain the performance of your bowling balls and keep you consistent through all of your games and matches.