Has your bowling ball died on you? Does it not hook the way it’s supposed to? Are you considering a new one even though you haven’t had this one for very long? When you think about bowling maintenance, you probably don’t think about your ball, but that’s a mistake. With proper maintenance of your bowling ball, you can expect to get anywhere from five to ten years of use out of it.

First of all, wipe your ball with a microfiber cloth between each shot. You’re trying to get rid of the oil track–the oil picked up from the lane–before it gets absorbed into your ball. Just a quick swipe will do between shots. After your night of bowling is over you’ll get a little bit deeper with a proper cleaning: use a few sprays of pre-made ball-cleaning spray, homemade solution, or even rubbing alcohol and thoroughly wipe down your ball with a towel before a put it away for the night. Make sure to do this every time you bowl! You don’t want oil and dirt to build up and saturate the surface of your bowling ball.

You can achieve a deeper clean either at our pro shop or at home. If you choose the home clean approach, make sure you securely tape off the finger holes with waterproof tape so no moisture gets inside–they are almost impossible to fully dry out. You’ll need a large bucket, a good deal of water, and a few drops of dish soap. Soak your ball for about 20 minutes and dry thoroughly.

If you take care of your bowling ball, it will give you plenty of bowling enjoyment at Rab’s Country Lanes for years to come!