There is nothing like playing a round of golf with golf balls that are sparkling clean. Buying new golf balls every time isn’t always practical, however, and thankfully it’s unnecessary if you know how to clean your golf balls properly.
In this article, we will teach you four methods to clean golf balls. We’ll also give a few general tips to make your golf balls look their best.
How To Clean Golf Balls
There are several different methods to clean golf balls effectively. All of the following will give you great results so why not give them a try and see which one suits you the best.
1. Soap And Water
This is one of the oldest and easiest methods for cleaning golf balls. It works well though and that’s why it’s such a classic.
You’ll need:
- Warm water
- Bucket
- Dish soap
- Washcloth
- Toothbrush
- Towel
Step One
Fill a bucket with a mix of warm water and dish soap. Soak a washcloth in the soap and water.
Step Two
Remove the washcloth and squeeze out the excess water.
Step Three
Use your damp washcloth to scrub each golf ball clean of any dirt or grass that is stuck. If you can’t remove the more stubborn dirt with your cloth, then use an old toothbrush instead.
Step Four
When the washcloth gets too dirty, put it back into your bucket of water to make it clean again.
Step Five
Towel-dry each golf ball before putting them back into your golf bag.
2. Soaking Method
This second method can help clean golf balls that soap and water alone are too weak to clean. If you try the soap and water method first and find that doesn’t work, try this instead.
You’ll need:
- Two buckets
- Hot water
- White vinegar/ammonia
- Toothbrush
- Towel
Step One
Fill your first bucket with hot water. Mix in white vinegar, ammonia, or a similar cleaning agent.
We would recommend that you do this outside or in a well-ventilated area as they have a strong scent that can be an irritant in closed spaces.
Step Two
Place your dirty golf balls into the bucket and allow them to soak in the hot water. You should leave them for at least 30 minutes so that the cleaning agent can go to work.
Step Three
Fill the second bucket with some clean water. After 30 minutes have passed, remove the golf balls from the cleaning agent and drop them into the clean water.
You can use a toothbrush to brush off any remaining dirt and debris as you transfer the balls.
Step Four
The golf balls should now be clean and dirt-free. Make sure that you dry them off with the towel before you put them away.
3. Nail Polish Remover
This method is especially useful if you’re the type of golfer that likes to mark their golf balls with a marker or sharpie so that you can more easily identify them on the course.
Some of the other cleaning methods mentioned in this article might struggle to remove these marks but this one will make short work of them.
You’ll need:
- Nail polish remover or acetone
- Cotton ball
- Gloves
- Warm water
- Towel
Step One
We would advise that you wear gloves while doing this as nail polish remover and acetone can be tough on the hands.
Step Two
Depending on the remover you have, you’ll need to either dip the cotton balls into the acetone or pour it onto the balls. Be careful that you don’t oversaturate the cotton balls.
Step Three
Using firm strokes, scrub away the marks on the golf balls with the acetone-soaked cotton balls. It should only take a few strokes for the marks to come off.
Step Four
Once the marks have been removed, rinse the golf balls in warm water and towel them dry.
4. Dishwasher
Believe it or not, but you can even clean your golf balls in a dishwasher! This works surprisingly well, although some stubborn stains may take more than one wash.
You’ll need:
- Dishwasher
- Dishwashing liquid
- Towel
Step One
Load your dirty golf balls into your dishwasher. We recommend either putting them into the utensil compartment or loading them into a mesh bag and placing this on the bottom rack of the dishwasher.
You shouldn’t leave them loose in the dishwasher.
Step Two
Fill the dishwasher liquid slot with dishwashing liquid until it is full. Choose the presoak cycle on your dishwasher so the golf balls get both a presoak and a regular cycle.
Step Three
If necessary, run the dishwasher for a second or third time. Don’t worry if your golf balls aren’t completely clean after only one cycle.
Step Four
Once you remove the golf balls from the dishwasher, either dry them with a towel or let them air dry.
Cleaning Tips
Here are some general tips to ensure that you always make your golf balls look as clean as possible.
Don’t Soak Them For Too Long
Although soaking your golf balls in water is a great way to get them clean and soften dirt, you don’t want to leave them for much longer than 30 minutes. If you do, you run the risk of them becoming waterlogged.
Don’t Leave Them In The Sun
Allowing your golf balls to dry in the sun is a good idea. However, as with soaking them in water, don’t leave them too long. Too much sun and heat can damage the exterior of the golf balls.
Cleaning Agents
Be careful with the cleaning agents you choose. For example, undiluted bleach is far too strong and can cause damage to your golf balls(see also: (see also: Provisional Ball In Golf? ).
You should also avoid anything too acidic as it can also damage the dimples on your golf balls.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we listed four different methods that will ensure your golf balls will look as good as new. We hope that you give these methods a try and help you get your golf balls clean.
Hi, my name is Garratt Shmidt and I have been playing golf in my spare time for almost a decade.
Before I found a passion for golf, I didn’t see the appeal. I thought it was slow, repetitive, and quite frankly boring.
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