What's the best method to clean pool balls by hand without designated ball cleaners?

C

cuetechasaurus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A friend gave me a set but they are quite dirty, most of them have small amounts of gunk on them that won't come off with soap and water.

I did a search and there appears to be a bunch of different ways, but I'm wondering if there is a generally agreed upon method that most people prefer.
 
Aramith ball cleaner, paper towels, and a lot of patience.

If you need, Aramith ball restorer before the ball cleaner.

But, I'll repeat, a lot of patience...

All the best,
WW
 
Box them and take it to a bar with a polisher and pay whetever they want.Hand polishing takes forever.You're welcome.
 
Just buy the Aramith ball polish. It isn't very much, and it will last a long time. Put 4 drops of ball polish in a plastic sandwich bag, then drop a ball in and rub the shit out of it. Take the ball out and set it on a microfiber towel to dry. Add another ball and repeat. You can do about 4 balls per 4 drops of polish. Once all the balls are done, take another microfiber towel and start polishing off the dried polish in order starting with the first ball you polished. It's just like polishing the wax off a car. Your thumbs will ache by the time you're done, but it's the best way to do it.
 
Good timing for this thread, i was thinking about using Quick-Clean on my balls (POOL BALLS) but ill wait and see what this thread says.
 
The advantages and simplicity of cleaning your pool balls by hand shouldn't be underestimated, folks.

Yes, having the Diamond ball polisher is nice - and it's convenient. And it takes less than a couple of minutes to do a full ball set to "near perfection". The key word is near.

Here's how I get my sets to perfection, assuming the balls only have impact marks, scuffs and chalk on the surface:

I start by hand. One tiny drop of the Aramith Billiard Ball Cleaner on a clean microfiber towel in one hand and the other hand holding the ball. One towel covered fingertip in a light-pressure swirling motion is all it takes working your way up-close and in person around each ball. That way you can pay attention to those scuffs and chalk marks you see easily - every single issue. Or blemish. Literally a few swirls. Rotate the ball in the one hand while you figure your own way how to cover every square inch. Then simply turn your microfiber towel over and wipe the reside off and "polish" the ball. Takes a minute or so for each ball.

12244d3f0b4277fb152498b299161ab0.jpg


Grab the next ball and repeat.

Simple. Easy. Not expensive.

And IF you have the Diamond Ball polisher, this is where you'd toss them in and send them for a short turn to ensure a consistent clean and get them to that perfection stage. Cleaned and polished. Not coated. Not waxed. No residue. Ready to play.

Hope that helps.



~ K.
 
Last edited:
Try the plastic bag, m-man! It is the nuts...

K2Kraze said:
The advantages and simplicity of cleaning your pool balls by hand shouldn't be underestimated, folks.

Yes, having the Diamond ball polisher is nice - and it's convenient. And it takes less than a couple of minutes to do a full ball set to "near perfection". The key word is near.

Here's how I get my sets to perfection, assuming the balls only have impact marks, scuffs and chalk on the surface:

I start by hand. One tiny drop of the Aramith Billiard Ball Cleaner on a clean microfiber towel in one hand and the other hand holding the ball. One towel covered fingertip in a light-pressure swirling motion is all it takes working your way up-close and in person around each ball. That way you can pay attention to those scuffs and chalk marks you see easily - every single issue. Or blemish. Literally a few swirls. Rotate the ball in the one hand while you figure your own way how to cover every square inch. Then simply turn your microfiber towel over and wipe the reside off and "polish" the ball. Takes a minute or so for each ball.

12244d3f0b4277fb152498b299161ab0.jpg


Grab the next ball and repeat.

Simple. Easy. Not expensive.

And IF you have the Diamond Ball polisher, this is where you'd toss them in and send them for a short turn to ensure a consistent clean and get them to that perfection stage. Cleaned and polished. Not coated. Not waxed. No residue. Ready to play.

Hope that helps.



~ K.
Click to expand...
 
Black-Balled said:
Try the plastic bag, m-man! It is the nuts...
Click to expand...


Ur nuts!

Ok ----- I tried it. Not bad.

Did 8 your way. The remaining 8 my way.

Same time taken with both.

The balls I worked the "sack method" still had impact and scuff marks in a few places. Granted, they were a friend's well-played Crown Standards with a few months of play on them.

The 8-by-hand came out flawless because I could focus on every scuff and mark as well as clean the overall ball at the end. Perfection.

Sack 0; Hand 8









~ K.
 
Haha....you can still give special attention to the areas that need in, when yer balls are in their bag.

Plus, unlike a towel, the sack does not allow the aramith polisher's abrasive sink into it...allowing a more efficient scrub with less power.

But like I tell my wives...they are my balls and I will clean em however I want!

K2Kraze said:
Ur nuts!

Ok ----- I tried it. Not bad.

Did 8 your way. The remaining 8 my way.

Same time taken with both.

The balls I worked the "sack method" still had impact and scuff marks in a few places. Granted, they were a friend's well-played Crown Standards with a few months of play on them.

The 8-by-hand came out flawless because I could focus on every scuff and mark as well as clean the overall ball at the end. Perfection.

Sack 0; Hand 8









~ K.
Click to expand...
 
K2Kraze said:
Ur nuts!

Ok ----- I tried it. Not bad.

Did 8 your way. The remaining 8 my way.

Same time taken with both.

The balls I worked the "sack method" still had impact and scuff marks in a few places. Granted, they were a friend's well-played Crown Standards with a few months of play on them.

The 8-by-hand came out flawless because I could focus on every scuff and mark as well as clean the overall ball at the end. Perfection.

Sack 0; Hand 8







~ K.
Click to expand...

To me, the sack method is a lot less work. My thumbs thanked me.

But I built my own bucket polisher when I got a home table.
 
Make a ball cleaner

There is a past thread on how to make a ball cleaner using 2 buckets and a buffer from Home Depot. It took me and my grandson about an hour to make it and it works great.

I have less then 40 bucks in it. Any body can make one and get good results.

I drop the balls in and put the Aramith cleaner on them and in less then 10 minutes they shine.
 
Ak Guy said:
There is a past thread on how to make a ball cleaner using 2 buckets and a buffer from Home Depot. It took me and my grandson about an hour to make it and it works great.

I have less then 40 bucks in it. Any body can make one and get good results.

I drop the balls in and put the Aramith cleaner on them and in less then 10 minutes they shine.
Click to expand...
Would anyone like to post before and after pics ,
Especially post some bucket photos.
Thanks.
 
However you do it, if they are aramith balls you will be doing it again very soon.

Unbelievable how much better cyclop balls are in staying clean.

And I'm not a pro or a hypochondriac so frankly I can't tell the difference in how they play.

JC
 
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