A player’s performance and score on the golf course get significantly impacted when playing with a dirty golf ball with dimples full of dirt. Therefore, players must know how to clean golf balls.
Golf is a difficult enough game by itself. Every time a golfer tees off, they must utilize clean golf balls.
Maintaining the lifespan and performance of golf balls requires regular cleaning. It keeps the ball brand new and eliminates any dirt, debris, or other impurities that make it harder to play.
Our comprehensive guide to golf ball cleaning offers five excellent ways to thoroughly clean your balls without causing any damage, along with further advice on what to deal with any balls that don’t pass muster!
What Products Do You Need to Clean Golf Balls?
Numerous products are available to help you understand how to clean golf balls, depending on your tastes and the cleaning required. Here are several possibilities:
- Water and dish soap: Cleaning your golf balls with an essential mix of warm water and dish soap can work wonders. Let the balls sit in the mixture for a few minutes, and then use a gentle brush or cloth to scrub them clean.
- Ball washer: A ball washer is a specialized gadget used to rapidly and effectively clean golf balls. Usually, these tools employ brushes or sprayers to remove dirt and debris.
- Ball cleaning pouches: By rubbing your golf balls together, you can clean them with these little bags composed of microfibre or another type of soft material. These reusable pouches are convenient to tote around in your golf bag.
- Ball cleaning solutions: Specialized cleaning solutions made especially for cleaning golf balls are also available. These treatments can offer a thorough cleaning and assist in getting rid of tough stains.
Regardless of your technique, thoroughly rinse your golf balls to remove any remaining soap or cleaning agent.
What Are The Benefits Of Cleaning Your Golf Balls?
Washing your golf balls has several advantages.
- Better visibility: Clean golf balls are easier to find on the grass, particularly on gloomy or overcast days. This facilitates keeping track of your shots and helps you not misplace your balls.
- Increasing accuracy: Debris and dirt on your golf ball can alter its trajectory and spin, impacting how accurately you hit the ball. You can preserve your golf ball’s performance and shape with cleaning, increasing your precision on the course.
- Increased longevity: Keeping your golf balls clean can help shield them from damage and abrasion, prolonging their life. Over time, this may save you money by lowering the need to switch golf balls.
- Improved feel: A fresh golf ball can give your clubface a better feel and grip, enhancing your swing and game.
Learning how to clean golf balls can improve your game and help you maximize your equipment purchase. Professional golfers have mentioned how crucial it is to clean their balls. Enhance your golfing performance by learning how fast a golf ball travels. The speed of the ball is a key factor in various shots, and understanding it can improve your overall game.
How To Clean Golf Balls Differently?
Here’s a quick guide on how to clean golf balls using different methods.
The ‘OG’ Method Using Soap & Water:
- You’ll need one or two buckets, dish soap, water, an old toothbrush or other brush, and a washcloth.
- When your golf balls get dirty, one of the easiest ways to clean them is to use a pail with hot water and a tiny bit of dish soap added to it.
- You can then immerse your golf balls in the soap and water mixture.
- After thoroughly cleaning lightly stained balls with a washcloth, those that weren’t overly filthy when submerged ought to be spotless.
- Golfers can use any brush with gentler plastic bristles, such as an old toothbrush, to clean golf balls with debris or caked dirt.
- Before you dry your golf balls, give them one last rinse in clean water if you intend to go the extra mile and use a different bucket.
The Soaking Method Using
- 1-2 buckets, water, a cleaning brush, a towel or cloth, and your preferred cleaning solution (bleach, oxygen clean, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar) are what you’ll need.
- Allowing your golf balls to soak could be ideal if cleaning them with the previously discussed soap and water mixture isn’t compelling enough or if you don’t want to use as much “elbow grease.”
- First, put one cup of bleach, hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, or OxyClean into a gallon of hot water.
- The golf balls should only be left to soak for 20 to 30 minutes before being removed, regardless of the cleaning solution added. This is because balls with cuts or cracks on their outside may get “waterlogged” or filled with water due to extended contact.
- Your golf balls should look clean and shining when they’ve had enough time to soak and release any dirt or debris that has adhered to their exterior. To finish, use a soft-bristled brush and a cloth to dry them.
- Golf balls will come out more white and “clean looking” when you add one cup of OxyClean to your warm water mixture instead to simply water and dish soap, according to numerous cart shed attendants we’ve spoken with over the years.
The Dishwashing Method
Unusually, your golf balls become too filthy while you play in pleasant weather. You may be shocked to learn that the dishwasher is the ideal solution if it just requires a fast wash.
Light debris can be removed by a dishwasher, much like it can be done with glassware. You may insert the balls into the device and proceed, saving you time and effort. It might be the easiest how to clean golf balls method yet.
- Place the golf balls inside your dishwasher’s utensil section.
- If they use this container, they won’t roll around when the water starts!
- Add dish detergent just as you would with a typical load of dishes.
- Select the medium cycle for the dishwasher. This should be adequate for balls that are only slightly dirty without wasting much water.
- Once the cycle ends, remove the golf balls and pat dry with a towel.
Remove Pen Marks & Scuffs:
You can also remove pen marks when learning how to clean golf balls. You’ll notice that used golf balls have felt-tip or paint markings when you purchase them. It’s as simple to remove them as using an acetone-based nail remover and running water over the golf ball.
- To get rid of debris and grime, rinse the golf balls. Before using acetone, pat dry with a towel.
- Apply acetone to a cotton swab and use it to remove the pen marks. Paint thinner is another tool you can use to remove paint from the golf balls’ surface.
- The golf balls should be cleaned with dish soap and then towel-dried.
These instructions guarantee that your golf balls stay as clean as a whistle. Ensure you clean your golf balls frequently to avoid letting a dirty game mar your fun.
What To Avoid When Cleaning Golf Balls
Learning how to clean golf balls is complete once you know what to avoid. Other things besides steaming hot water can harm a golf ball. They’re (sadly) not unbreakable, even if they’re ideal for a day on the course. When cleaning golf balls, keep these things in mind:
- Abrasive materials: The balls’ surface may be scratched or damaged by harsh materials such as steel wool, wire brushes, or sandpaper.
- Strong chemicals: The ball’s surface can be harmed and discoloured by ammonia, solvents, or chemicals like acetone, gasoline, or brake cleaner.
- Pressure washers: Also known as power washers, high-pressure washers can erode the ball’s surface and change its flight path.
- Hot water: Golf balls may expand in hot water, impacting their performance.
- Overuse of force: When cleaning golf balls, excessive force or pressure can harm the surface and change how the ball flies.
- Long-term soaking: Golf balls can absorb water and lose some of their performance if left in water for an extended time.
- Uneven surfaces: Scratching or harming the golf ball’s surface when cleaning it on uneven surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt, can occur.
How Often Do You Need To Clean Your Golf Balls?
Now that you know how to clean golf balls, it’s time to shed some light on how often you need to repeat the process to ensure optimal performance.
Generally speaking, you must wash your golf balls after each round or every few holes if the course is really unclean or wet. How frequently you use them, and the state of each course you play will determine the precise frequency.
Cleaning your golf balls’ dimples is crucial because they impact the ball’s aerodynamics and flight path.
Do Dirty Golf Balls Effect Performance Quality?
Playing a round of golf with unclean balls can impact your score, among other things.
- Performance: Compared to a filthy ball, a clean golf ball will fly farther and straighter.
- Accuracy: Debris and dirt on a golf ball can alter its spin and trajectory, which reduces accuracy and causes uneven shots.
- Lifespan: If you’re wondering how long your golf balls endure, you may find out by cleaning them regularly. This will prevent stains, discolouration, and other damage over time.
- Ball identification: It is less likely that you would misplace or hit someone else’s by using a clean golf ball, which is more straightforward to identify on the course.
- Hygiene considerations: It’s also critical to clean your golf balls from a hygiene perspective. Dirt, grass, and other impurities touch golf balls on the golf course. Regular cleaning can help stop the spread of viruses and bacteria.
- Professionalism: Maintaining a clean set of golf balls is crucial in golf culture since it demonstrates respect and competence for the game. It shows that you’re serious about the game and give your gear and performance some thought. Dive into the details of what is a soft golf ball and its cleaning requirements. A clean soft golf ball can contribute to better control and performance during your rounds.
How To Store Your Golf Balls After Cleaning Them?
How to clean golf balls may seem tiring, but its nothing when storing them.
Your golf balls’ performance on the course and your own may suffer if you don’t store them correctly after cleaning them. They may get ruined or contaminated.
- Store golf balls in a clean, dry place: They can decay or grow mildew if kept in humid or damp environments.
- Employ a golf ball holder: These devices can assist you in maintaining your balls’ organization and shield them from dirt or injury. They are made of different materials and sizes; some are attachable to your golf bag for convenient access.
- Mark your golf balls: You could mark your balls with your name, initials, or a unique design to help you remember where you put them and prevent confusion.
- Steer clear of severe temperatures: Don’t put your golf balls in a freezer or a hot automobile. The balls may grow or shrink, impacting how well they function. Unbelievably, the ball’s temperature affects both carry distance and ball speed.
Wrapping It Up!
How to clean golf balls is just the tip of the iceberg; the storage and maintenance of these tiny spheres go a long way.
Although some of you may wonder why not buy new ones when the old ones get scruffy, the truth is no one has the time to keep buying new golf balls now and then. Plus, washing and reusing golf balls can save you a ton of money.
Apart from that, this blog cleared up a lot of essential details golfers need to know about golf balls and their maintenance. If you love this blog, make sure to check out our other works as well.
FAQs
How To Clean Golf Balls Do I Get My Golf Ball White Again?
If frequent use has discolored your balls, thoroughly cleaning using one of the abovementioned techniques will solve the problem.
One advice is to scrub the golf ball lightly with hydrogen peroxide. This toothpaste-like whitening agent is an excellent tool for improving the color of golf balls! Another option is to put your balls in a pail of water with half a cup of bleach and let them soak. Ensure they are thoroughly cleaned and wear gloves when handling them.
How Do Professional Golfers Clean Their Balls?
Many professionals use a specialized device called a golf ball washer, which is made just for cleaning and disinfecting golf balls. These devices, however applicable, are costly and take up a lot of room. These manual techniques are equally efficient.
Is It Okay to Wash Golf Balls in a Dishwasher?
Indeed! Dishwasher safety ensures that cleaning your balls won’t harm your equipment. Just be sure they are firmly inside the machine to prevent them from flying everywhere as the water pressure increases.