All bowling ball surfaces will gradually change with use.  Shiny balls lose their luster while dull balls will get shinier.  Since changes is surface texture will impact performance, knowing how and when to adjust your surface is critical. 

Regular Maintenance

Resin bowling balls are porous.  This means they absorb oil.  For this reason, having a spray cleaner such as Amplify Bowling Ball Cleaner in your bag is critical. Shortly after finishing bowling, simply spray your ball with Amplify and wipe it down thoroughly.  Additionally, between shots, be sure to wipe your ball down.  Ideally, a Motiv Shammy should be used as they are more proficient at removing oil than your standard towel.  A microfiber towel should suffice for wiping the ball down with Amplify at the end of bowling.  If you keep some surface on your ball, PowerGel Scuff is a great substitute for Amplify at the end of the evening.  This gel cleaner has a gentle abrasive that will slow down the lane shine of a ball that has a textured finish.  If you have hard to remove marks and scuffs that you want to remove, our Power Pucks can easily remove built on grime.  These work on both sanded and polished bowling balls!

Semi-Regular Maintenance

With particularly dull balls (duller than about 3000 grit), a ball spinner should be used every dozen games or so to reset the desired finish.  Consult the Motiv Factory Finish Guide for how to achieve many different surface preps in a fashion that’s repeatable and easy with a ball spinner.  Additionally balls with polish should be shined on a spinner just as often.  It’s a good idea when you do this to use abrasive pads before polishing to remove any of the previously applied polish.  You will want to avoid piling polish on top of polish.  Again, be sure to consult the factory finish guide.  To have a professional tune in your bowling balls with these services, contact your local pro shop. 

Semi-Annual Maintenance

If you bowl in a high friction center, your ball may develop some track damage.  When you start to see significant track wear (gouges, slashes, damage in the track), a full resurfacing is in order.  Additionally, if you notice that your ball “sweats” oil when you leave your hand on it or when it is left in heat for any amount of time, you may want to consider having the oil extracted by a professional.  Many pro shops have specialized equipment that are designed to remove oil from bowling balls.  Be sure to check with your local pro shop.