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How to Clean Billiard Balls: Step by Step Guide

Billiard, Pool, and Snooker all have certain things in common. But when it comes to all these games, it’s essential that you care for the equipment. No one would want to play Pool on a dirty table, would they? The same can be said for any Billiard’s game. But while cues and tables are often cared for, one thing that is often ignored is the Billiard balls themselves.

It can be easy to overlook how dirt builds on these balls, and many people forget to clean them regularly. Dirty Billiard balls will impact your game and be very unhygienic. Even the very best Billiard balls can get messy quickly. So, it’s vital that you clean them often.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about cleaning Billiard balls properly.

How to Clean Billiard Balls in 4 Simple Steps?

The good news is cleaning Billiard balls is pretty simple. You don’t need any special equipment either. So, to clean any balls, follow our step-by-step guide below.

Fill A Bucket With Warm Water

Simply fill a bucket or washing tub with warm water. If you don’t have anything available, then you can use your sink. Make sure the water isn’t too hot as this can cause damage to the balls. If your Billiard balls are made from 100% resin, then hot water can be used. If you’re not sure what they’re made of, stick with cool to warm water to be safe.

Add Soap or Detergent

Next, add a dash of soap or light detergent to the water. Household cleaning products might seem like they do a good job, but they can be very abrasive and will often quickly damage Billiard balls. Things like bleach shouldn’t be used either.

Leave The Balls To Soak

This is the easiest step of the whole process! Once you’ve placed all the Billiard balls into the water, simply leave them to soak. It’s best to leave the balls for 4 – 5 minutes. Set a timer to ensure you don’t leave them soaking for too long.

Dry The Balls

Once you have removed the balls from the water, all you need to do is dry them. You can use a tea towel or cloth rag to do this. However, a microfibre cloth will give the best results.

Now while you shouldn’t be overly harsh in drying, you do need to be thorough. Don’t leave the Billiard balls to air dry either, as this can lead to discoloring and leave unsightly spots behind. Once the balls are dry, you should adequately rack them or store them away for at least an hour before using them again.

So, that’s everything you need to know when it comes to cleaning your Billiard balls. When done right, it’s a simple, quick job that will help them last a lot longer.

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