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Author Topic: Another Ball Cleaner Topic  (Read 10751 times)

Brickguy221

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Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« on: April 20, 2010, 01:27:23 PM »
I've been using Valentino's Remedy RX with great success ever since the day it was available. I got down to one 8 oz bottle 3 weeks ago. When I went bowling that Tuesday, I took that last full bottle with me. I kept my towel damp with it during league play as I always do. Then after league, I cleaned my balls with it like I always do before putting them in my bag to go home. Then I went home but accidently left the Remedy on the table where we sit. I didn't miss it until Thursday when I went to the lanes for our weekly Senior Thursday Pot Bowling get-together. Checked at the front desk, but they said no one turned it in, so I was without ball cleaner. Checked the pro shop and they wanted $13.95 for a 6 oz bottle of Hook-It which is all they had and I wasn't going to pay that kind of money for 6 oz of ball cleaner.

When I went home, I decided to mix some Simple Green and Alcohol that many talk about until I could order more Remedy, so I mixed 50% Simple Green and 50% Isopropyl 91% Alcohol. I used it the same way I used the Remedy. So far it appears it does ok. Sure cleans the dirt off but don't know if it draws the oil out as good as Remedy though.

To sum up the reason why I wrote this long Topic is that when using Remedy or any other ball cleaner or this Simple Green-Alcohol mix and keep my towel damp during bowling, it sure makes my microfiber towels really-really dirty. With the purchased ball cleaners, all of this dirt stain never comes out of the towels and they still look somewhat dirty/stained after cleaning them. With the Simple Green-Alcohol mix, the towels come almost completely clean with very little if any trace of stain on them.

Has anyone else experienced when cleaning the towels, that they come cleaner if using Simple Green-Alcohol mix than they do when using purchased ball cleaners?
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WSUstroker

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #1 on: April 20, 2010, 09:56:15 PM »
I'd imagine the Simple Green/IPA mix isn't getting as much grime off the ball as the Remedy RX.

For cleaning the towels, try soaking them in an oxiclean solution or some other stain remover prior to running them through the wash.  That should help get the stingy dirt/oil from the towels.
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RealBowler

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #2 on: April 20, 2010, 10:17:24 PM »
OMG!  You used a non-bowling ball cleaner on your balls?  Now they are going to crack, melt, shrink, leave 10 pins, etc!  
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Brickguy221

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #3 on: April 20, 2010, 11:23:37 PM »
quote:
I'd imagine the Simple Green/IPA mix isn't getting as much grime off the ball as the Remedy RX.


I think it cleaned almost if not as well. For example, I had a couple of ounces of both Remedy and Black Magic Ultimate Rejuvenator in my cupboard at home. When I got home, I tried it to see if the Simple Green-Alcohol mix got the balls clean at the lanes and using a white towel to clean the ball, no more dirt-oil came off the balls using either cleaner.
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ValentinoBowling

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2010, 03:40:36 AM »
I am not sure why the towels do not clean out, we've never really tested this scenario. Remedy RX is designed to breakdown and dissolve lane oil and it definitely will turn a white towel dingy gray from the dirt, lane oil and scuffs.

On another note:

Simple Green is actually marketed as a laundry booster.
http://www.simplegreen.com/pdfs/06_dilutions_consumer.pdf

-Kevin




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Doug Sterner

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2010, 11:03:12 PM »
I have been using Zapp It as my ball cleaner of choice to get the oil off my bowling balls.

recently I noticed that the balls did not feel clean so I sprayed the ball down with 70& isopropyl alcohol. When I did this I got a very nasty residue on my towel...now in the shop I use simple red shop rags from WalMArt or any auto parts store.

I have found that in my home house that if I use the alcohol first and then the Zapp It I get a much better cleaning than if I use either by themselves.

I bowl at another house where the Zapp It works flawlessly on it's own.

In a nutshell I think that the grime and dirt build up that is found in some houses is too much for the regular ball cleaners to cut through. If you use the alcohol first (or perhaps Simple Green etc) then it will cut that grime and allow the ball cleaner to attack the lane oil in the pores of the ball.

As for why then towels will not come clean, again I feel it is due to the Simple Green dissolving the grime on the ball and transferring it to the towel. Regular washing won't cut that grime unless you soak them.
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jt_shanks

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2010, 09:29:41 PM »
I too use Remedy RX, but find it rather pricey. I never had much luck with Simple Green, I always felt that it left a film. (no matter how much I diluted it)

What I do mix as my home grown cleaner is 5 parts water to 1 part Purple Power Industrial Strength Degreaser. You can find this cleaner at Lowes or Home Depot on the cheap. This works very well, and leaves my ball squeaky clean. I haven't tried adding alcohol to the mix, but I may try it the next batch I mix. I'd probably opt for the 90% IPA/10% Water variety.
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tlyrpr7

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2010, 09:50:30 PM »
you guys could also try my cleaner PJ's Tacky Snap . Its approved by the usbc and i sell it in 4oz 8oz 32oz and 1 gal size bottle's I have review's on the other site bbe if interested semd me a pm
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Brickguy221

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2010, 10:52:30 PM »
quote:
I too use Remedy RX, but find it rather pricey. I never had much luck with Simple Green, I always felt that it left a film. (no matter how much I diluted it)

What I do mix as my home grown cleaner is 5 parts water to 1 part Purple Power Industrial Strength Degreaser. You can find this cleaner at Lowes or Home Depot on the cheap. This works very well, and leaves my ball squeaky clean. I haven't tried adding alcohol to the mix, but I may try it the next batch I mix. I'd probably opt for the 90% IPA/10% Water variety.

 


Shanks,

I don't know if it matters or not, but in my 50% Simple Green-50% Alcohol test, I used the 91% Isopropyl Alcohol and not the 70%. I can't prove it does or does not remove or draw oil out of the ball as good as purchased ball cleaners, but do know that after I clean my ball with the 50-50 mix and then apply a purchased ball cleaner to see how well the 50-50 mix cleaned the ball, my towel comes off completely clean, so I will have to assume the 50-50 mix did as good as a purchased ball cleaner.

I still clean my balls every 9-12 games with Clean & Dull (depending on how much oil I have been bowling in) same as I did when using purchased ball cleaners.

As for leaving a film on the ball, I haven't noticed any film left on the ball with the 50-50 mix.

I'm not saying at this time that I won't return to using Remedy RX again as I may do so, I don't know, but I will have to order some if I do. My original topic was meant to report my first experience using a Simple Green Alcohol mix.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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JohnP

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2010, 05:30:06 PM »
To eliminate any film, take 30 seconds to wipe the ball with a damp paper towel when you finish.  I do this as the final step no matter what cleaner I use.  --  JohnP
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Brickguy221

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2010, 05:46:56 PM »
quote:
To eliminate any film, take 30 seconds to wipe the ball with a damp paper towel when you finish


That was my thinking also John if the Simple Green leaves a film on the ball but I haven't noticed any with the mix I am using. Will look closer the next time I clean my ball and see if it leaves a film.

Actually, I use that mix while I am bowling. I keep my towel damp and wipe the ball every time I get up to bowl. I did the same thing with Remedy RX.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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ImakeA2srun

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2010, 11:17:30 PM »
You should only use alcohol every once in a while, it will kill your ball eventually. I would only recommend cleaner made especially for reactive balls. Renew It and hook it are good products. 10 bucks for a 8 oz bottle.
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Brickguy221

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2010, 11:35:54 PM »
quote:
You should only use alcohol every once in a while, it will kill your ball eventually.


I never heard of that before..... Acetone yes, but Alcohol???

Anyone else ever hear of alcohol killing a ball?

 
quote:
Renew It and hook it are good products. 10 bucks for a 8 oz bottle.  
 
 


$13.95 plus tax for a 6 oz bottle in pro shops here.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

TDC57

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #13 on: May 03, 2010, 12:28:16 AM »
Alcohol death is not true. I think he was referring to acetone. That will kill a ball. Here's the deal, I use both Remedy and a 1/3 water, 1/3 Simple Green, 1/3 alcohol mixture on my equipment. I usually use the Simple Green mixture at the lanes when I get done bowling. The next day I use the Remedy on them. I never have the Remedy remove more grime. Both work well. It comes down to cost. If you have a film on the ball after the Simple Green mixture (I don't know why you would) follow with Windex with ammonia that will leave the ball tacky.
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StormFreak5552

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Re: Another Ball Cleaner Topic
« Reply #14 on: May 03, 2010, 12:43:51 AM »
quote:
OMG! You used a non-bowling ball cleaner on your balls? Now they are going to crack, melt, shrink, leave 10 pins, etc!


So that's why I've left so many 10 pins... Thank you mr. for bringing this to my attention! Off to buy another $15 6 oz bottle of cleaner that really doesn't clean that much better than the mixture I currently use!
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