When your bowling ball is not clean enough, it is a hassle to hit the pins. If you are enthusiastic about the game, you will want to maintain the ball’s tackiness and smoothness.
Let’s assume it’s your first time cleaning the ball. You might want to inquire about how to bleed a bowling ball?
You can bleed your bowling ball either by professional or DIY methods. Soaking it in hot water for a few minutes helps extract all the oil and dirt residue. You can also use a dishwasher or just let it sit in a warm car. Exposing the ball to a heater will also take out the oil but is a risky method in comparison.
Many people are unaware that a bowling ball requires a thorough clean now and then. Bleeding offers much more advantages than you can think. Let’s find more!
De-oiling A Bowling Ball; Why It Is Important?
If you have recently noticed that your bowling ball feels greasy and less smooth, it can be because of excess oil build-up on its surface. The ball tends to absorb oil every time you roll it down the lane and, in turn, significantly affects the ball movement.
Bleeding the bowling ball allows you to get rid of the oil from the surface and within the ball and keep it in a good state. It also restores the firmer grip and helps you to give a better game performance. This technique primarily focuses on ball cleaning without causing any damage to it.
You can always wipe off the oil with a micro-fiber towel for a quick clean, but most of the time, it is not enough. Especially if you play bowling ball sport regularly, your ball might be in dire need of bleeding.
Four Effective Ways To Bleed A Bowling Ball:
Though you can consult a professional bowling store for extracting oil from the ball, it can be a costly option. Not to worry, as there are many at-home methods through which you can get rid of the unwanted greasiness and return the ball to its maximum potential.
- Submerging In Hot Water:
Using a hot water bath to bleed your bowling ball is safe and effective if you perform it cautiously. It can take a little more time for your ball to be finally ready for the next game, but the results are worth the wait.
Firstly, take a bucket or basin of a size in which you can submerge the bowling ball with ease. Fill it with hot water ensuring the temperature doesn’t go beyond 140 degrees F as it can cause cracking in the ball. Cover the finger holes with tape to prevent water from going into them. Soak the ball in the bucket for about fifteen minutes and then take it out and dry it.
Once it is dry fully, shift it back to the water. Continue repeating the submerging and drying steps until your ball is entirely clean and grease-free. Allow it to dry for one to two days before using the ball again.
- Using A Dishwasher:
This method is not as popular, but it can provide the deep clean you are looking for the ball. As long as you set the temperature to less than 140 degrees F, you have minimal chances of encountering any problem.
The first thing you want to do is block the holes in the sink with some tape. Your bowling ball won’t fit on the top of the sink, so you have to place it in the bottom rack. If you want, you can put some soap in too. But it is not a necessary step, and plain hot water will work fine.
After a while, turn off the heat on the dishwasher and allow the ball to cool down inside. Lastly, let it dry up completely, and it can take up to twenty hours.
- Letting It Sit In The Car:
As much as it sounds odd, you can bleed your bowling ball in the car. During a hot sunny day, the car interior turns quite warm and is an ideal place for de-oiling the ball. It is one of the simplest and easiest methods, but you might have to wait for the right temperature.
Place the bowling sphere on a microfiber towel on your vehicle floor. Now, shut all the doors and windows and observe the ball turning up glossy on temperature rise. When you see that a decent amount of oil has appeared on the ball surface, take it out and wipe all the grease. You might have to repeat the process a few times until you are satisfied with the outcome.
- Heater Method:
Compared to the previous ones, this method possesses more risk and requires you to be extra careful while performing it. The results are good, but it takes a long time to complete as it is challenging to achieve uniform heating.
For this process, locate the ball on a microfiber towel and place it in the front of the heater. Start giving the ball a consistent rotation so that it gets even heating. As you notice the oil build up on the outer shell, thoroughly wipe the ball to clean it properly. Repeat the same steps until you no longer see any oil accumulation on the ball surface.
Once you heat all the parts of the bowling ball equally, it’s time to give it a final wipe and then let it dry afterward.
How Often Should You Bleed A Bowling Ball?
As now you are familiar with different ways of bleeding a bowling ball, you might want to know how frequently you should practice it. It depends on the number of games you play and the oil condition of the lane. If you play this sport regularly, there is a higher chance of oil build-up on and within the ball. Similarly, when you play on super oily lanes, you require to bleed the ball after every 50 games.
Nevertheless, whenever you notice a difference in your ball performance, it is an indication that it is the perfect time to bleed your bowling ball.
So For Sum-Up:
Bleeding a bowling ball is the way to go if you want to make your ball faster and perfect your throw. The oil on the ball surface can act as trouble causing factor. To clean it effectively, you can pick any of the above options that will help enhance your ball performance and provide a pleasant gaming experience.
