For someone with little experience in maintaining equipment, what is recommended as far as ball maintenance?  I have a Storm cleaning product that the pro shop sold me and said to clean the ball at least ever 12 - 15 games.  Is that all I need to be doing?  Is there a rule of thumb as far as getting a ball resurfaced after X number of games?

I'm getting back into bowling in a big way after a long layoff, and I want to ensure I'm making the most out of my equipment.  Thanks!

The cleaner I have is the Storm Reacta Foam, does this happen to be one of the 3 you refer to?  Also, are you saying I should use this after each league night rather than the 12 - 15 games I mention? 

I have a Brunswick C System Max.  Surface isn't polished, it's as it came out of box.  Is it just a feel thing as far as how many games I'd need to adjust the surface? 

Thanks!

The cleaner I have is the Storm Reacta Foam, does this happen to be one of the 3 you refer to?  Also, are you saying I should use this after each league night rather than the 12 - 15 games I mention? 

No, it is not one that I would recommend to remove oil. The bowling-ball specific cleaners that truly remove oil are LMI cleaner (formerly LaneMasters), Hook-It and Clean and Dull.

If you're only cleaning the ball every 12-5 games, you might as well not do it at all. You should wipe the track during bowling every time you pick up the ball. The ball should be cleaned immediately after bowling at the center, before putting it back in the bag. Oil is absorbed at an incredible rate.

I have a Brunswick C System Max.  Surface isn't polished, it's as it came out of box.  Is it just a feel thing as far as how many games I'd need to adjust the surface? 

Thanks!

Looks/appearance and ball reaction combined should show you when to do refresh the surface.

I don't know from whom you got your Versa-Max, but the stock surface is a high gloss polish. See
http://www.ballreviews.com/brunswick/csystem-versamax-t1263.0.html
You should ask the person from whom you purchased it what surface they put on the ball. BUT then there's the fact that you've been using it regularly and who knows what surface is on it now. Use generally brings a ball to the area of 20000 grit dull or matte over the course of time. But that is just a generalization that depends on many factors. Where yours is right now, I haven't a clue.

notclay probably added some things I may have forgotten to state.

Looks like I need to get a new cleaner and start using it.  The pro shop mentioned the Storm stuff as being the best stuff available and mentioned 15 games specifically... 

Is there a certain type of towel I should use for applying the cleaner and/or just for wiping it off between shots? 

Micro-fiber towels have proved extremely effective to remove oil and most other dirt. They're found almost everywhere, from Wal-Mart, K-Mart to Home Depot and department stores and car parts stores. For $10 you should be able to get 10 of them, 14" x 14", 16" x 16" more or less. At Costco, Sam's Club or BJ's, they're even cheaper and useful a over the house, car and work.

Sorry, I meant I have the C System Maxxed Out.   It has been used, but only 3 weeks worth of league bowling.  It's working great for me so far, and I want to make sure I maintain it properly.

Glad I checked in here, thanks for the help!

OK, Maxxed Out is completely different. Stock surface is 4000 grit which is pretty sensitive to use, in that it changes quite quickly. Get hold of a Siaair or Abralon 4000 grit pad. Every 9 - 12 games, dampen the pad and go over the surface by hand to restore it. I believe it's one of those 500 grit/4000 grit surfaces. After about 25 - 40 games, depending on how it looks or reacts, you probably need to resurface the whole ball. Unless you have access to a spinner, you should probably have the pro shop do this.

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but I'm not a big believer of cleaning equipment immediately after use.  It certainly won't hurt, but I'm not sure how much you'll gain.

You throw your ball down the lane over and over 2.5 hours, only removing the oil with a towel, micro fiber or not.  Somehow, the ball must be deep cleaned immediately - it can't be done after a 20 minute ride home?  I get to not wait until a week later, but I'm not sure there is a huge benefit in doing it right after the last shot is made.  Modern balls need lots of maintenance, but they don't need to be treated like new born children.

I think the issue comes from people who don't take their stuff home (leave in a locker) or just toss the equipment to the side or in the garage when they get home.  Or even leave it in their car.

You are right, the 20 minute difference may not make a difference, but you also already have the ball out of the bag when you are done bowling.  No better time to clean it.

Thanks for the advice all!  Glad I'm asking this early on in the ball's use.  Here's my to do list I've been making:

1) Go to store and buy micro fiber towels

2) Purchase a good cleaner and clean right after (or soon after!) bowling.  Looking at the clean n dull here: http://www.bowling.com/products/powerhouse-clean-n--dull-quart.htm

3) Purchase pads to use every 9 - 12 games.  Looking at these:  http://www.bowling.com/products/abralon-sanding-pad-4000-grit.htm

4) Visit pro shop about further resurfacing when necessary (usually 25 - 40ish games).

5)  Kick some @ss on my bowling league!!!

Let me know if I'm missing anything.  Thanks agains!!

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but I'm not a big believer of cleaning equipment immediately after use.  It certainly won't hurt, but I'm not sure how much you'll gain.

You throw your ball down the lane over and over 2.5 hours, only removing the oil with a towel, micro fiber or not.  Somehow, the ball must be deep cleaned immediately - it can't be done after a 20 minute ride home?  I get to not wait until a week later, but I'm not sure there is a huge benefit in doing it right after the last shot is made.  Modern balls need lots of maintenance, but they don't need to be treated like new born children.

I'm not trying to convince you, (I am trying to help the original poster) but, I guess I am, in a way.

These new coverstocks absorb oil very, VERY rapidly. If you, like many people, give the ball a quick wipe when you pick it up to bowl the next frame, you are removing oil laying on the surface about to be absorbed. Cleaning the ball after league is over takes maybe 30 seconds. Odds are if you don't do it then, the oil will be absorbed. It's not a lot, at that point in time, but over the course of months or so, the amount does increase. Since you didn't do it then, you're not likely to do it later or after the next league session. Let's be honest. Been there, done that. (Or rather didn't do that.)

This habit has showed positive results recently when testing a friend's new invention, an oil extracting oven. It took me 10 balls of ones that I had used a lot over the past 2 - 3 years, before I found one that gave up its oil. It was a much older ball, 5 - 7 years old. The others, even though they all had 80 -150+ games on them each, gave up no oil and I was wondering about my friend's invention. I need not have worried; it worked fine. I just prevented my bowling balls from absorbing oil by my cleaning regimen.

All balls lose reaction through BOTH oil absorption and changes in the surface finish via use. How much we see and recognize may be reflected in the amount we use these balls regularly. Seeing tiny changes over time is or can be very hard to recognize. Only by comparing to a newly extracted AND resurfaced ball or to a new one, can we really see the changes in a ball's reaction.

I can only suggest it is beneficial to do something similar to regular cleaning to insure we need to buy a few of these expensive items as possible over the course of time. What you choose to do is up to you.