The old undying ball cleaning quest/ion. Again.

JackOfNoTrades

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ok, we clearly gave a gap in communication. I was 100% serious. Accustats have been using hand sanitizer and micro fiber, no machine, for a decade. That’s some serious gold info.

Nah, no gaps. It’s all good! It was a barbed gibe at the “tried it on two balls” comment that I found humorous. And I was no more serious about that than I was about muting your commentary, which is to say I wasn’t serious nor offended in any way whatsoever ;-)

So, on to the serious bit: just plain old hand sanitizer and a microfiber. Can’t beat that for simplicity. And since we’ve two cues with Ki-Tech tips I say it’s a slam dunk! A thank you to yourself and Mr. Renfro.

JackOfNoTrades <~~~ wiseacre on easy street :)
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
Step 1: Clean your hands.

Step 2: Clean the table, couple damp paper towels or rag, bed, rails too. Clean the pockets and ball return rails if you're really dedicated.

Step 3: Wipe the balls with a damp paper towel or rag. No need for the cleaners. They don't do anything long term. They're meant to sell, not do any good.

Step 4: Wipe the cue ball with a damp paper towel a few times while you're playing. Get those miscue marks out with a bit of elbow grease, no chemicals.

If you follow the above four steps, your balls will stay clean. Pretty low tech, huh...

All the best,
WW
 

mrpiper

Registered
Ok, I don't want to cause someone to have a stroke (Pun intended) but my set was totally trashed. I am sorry but I don't have a hosting site to post pics. Any suggestions there would be appreciated. I used Maguires Rubbing Compound then NuFinish and they came out so slick, it's hard to even hold them in your hand without dropping them! I have been playing with them now for about 3 months and they have a few collision marks here and there but still look great.
 
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strmanglr scott

All about Focus
Silver Member
Ok, I don't want to cause someone to have a stroke (Pun intended) but my set was totally trashed. I am sorry but I don't have a hosting site to post pics. Any suggestions there would be appreciated. I used Maguires Rubbing Compound then NuFinish and they came out so slick, it's hard to even hold them in your hand without dropping them! I have been playing with them now for about 3 months and they have a few collision marks here and there but still look great.

To post pics, tap the little paper clip on the top middle when writing a post. It will take you to a new page. Select file, down load it, then close the page. You will be back to where you write a post. Tap on the paper clip again and your pic will be in your post, you will see it show up as text.

You need to be careful you don't slick up your balls too much. It affects how they play. The objective is not slick balls it's clean balls.
 

JackOfNoTrades

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Step 1: Clean your hands.

Step 2: Clean the table, couple damp paper towels or rag, bed, rails too. Clean the pockets and ball return rails if you're really dedicated.

Step 3: Wipe the balls with a damp paper towel or rag. No need for the cleaners. They don't do anything long term. They're meant to sell, not do any good.

Step 4: Wipe the cue ball with a damp paper towel a few times while you're playing. Get those miscue marks out with a bit of elbow grease, no chemicals.

If you follow the above four steps, your balls will stay clean. Pretty low tech, huh...

All the best,
WW

I love simplicity, and this sings to my minimalist soul! I’ll just start right there. Sounds like a routine to perform regularly so everything is maintained, nullifying accumulated ‘trouble’.

Thank you sir!
 

Boxcar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For my balls, warm water, a wash cloth and Dove. Sometimes, my child bride will help.
 

WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
I love simplicity, and this sings to my minimalist soul! I’ll just start right there. Sounds like a routine to perform regularly so everything is maintained, nullifying accumulated ‘trouble’.

Thank you sir!

May the force be with you, my good man. Just to show I mean what I say, this set of Hyatt Vitalite, I've played with for decades in pool rooms by myself, with the above rules. The red dash cue ball is separate from the set, but the original is just as good. No chemicals, no detergent, no bleach, and no flux capacitor. Just clean hands, table, and wipe the balls with damp paper towels, especially the cue ball.

All the best,
WW
 

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JackOfNoTrades

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just wanted to add: I’m curious for anecdotal evidence from AZB’ers that try the hand sanitizer w/microfiber — seriously!

I’m delighted that Freddie chimed in with this suggestion, and would humbly ask that anyone who gives this a go to please report back. (Just for the record, I’ve no doubt at this point that it works a treat. Peace and love you crazy bunch of pool nuts - lol)

:cool:
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I read a bunch of the threads on the various cleaners over the years. When I bought my diamond 2 platter polisher, I had paralysis by analysis from all those threads! The windup was, I've had the polisher for I think 7 years now, and have never put any substance in it. I've polished the balls dry all these years, for fear of putting the wrong thing in there, and then it will be stuck in the carpet pads forever.

I do want to use a polisher, but haven't pulled the trigger on anything.

The other thing, is a bunch of people recommend this or that, but rarely does anyone actually link to the product on amazon. For someone that doesn't know the difference between a polisher, wax, cleaner, etc, a description typical like "mcguires red bottle" is too vague.
 

9ball5032

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
a couple years ago I bought an aramith premium set, and washed it with my own hand, using dish soap and warm water. that worked great one time a week. now I have the cyclop zeus set and wash them twice a week. I also use a dust collector on the table every time at the local pool hall. the cyclop set does stay cleaner. I stay away from any abrasive cleaner since I keep them looking like new, I don't need to use anything that would in anyway be abrasive. that's just me, I keep my set so clean they always look just like new, and since I don't use the evil aramith abrasive cleaner, I keep the same factory polish on the balls. nuff said.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
View attachment 533364
Meguiars PlastX is good stuff as well. One of the guys on YT that makes polisher recommends it. Can use it in a powered machine or by hand.

VERY good! I'm currently using it in my home built polisher. No more then 1 drop ber ball.

One that's even better (IMO, and been using it since my body shop days) is Maguiar's Mirror Glaze #9 Swirl Remover. #9 is completely non- abrasive and safe for all paints, including clear coats. And contains NO wax. Excellent product for billiard balls. Again, no more then one drop per ball is necessary.

I would still be using it but I run out. That's the reason I tried the PlastiX. The PlastiX contains aluminum oxide, an abrasive, so i will be going back to #9. But the PlastiX works great on bar room balls that are completely dull. According to the label, it works on compact disks and plastic convertible windows. So it can't be that aggressive.

Neither one seems to change the reaction or the balls. Except for the difference of shooting with dirty vs clean balls that is. Reduces the cling.
 

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windKnott

Registered
AD815EC7-E702-4223-9906-473B31B766F2.jpegIn 50+ years I’ve used a multitude of cleaners on numerous sets of balls. I now play at a room where the tables get very dirty. My current set of Aramith Duramith Tournament balls are over 3 years old. I’ve come to the conclusion that Aramith knows best what should be used on their balls. I hand clean with their cleaner & cleaning cloth after every outing totaling 25-30 hours a week. I play with Kamui chalk (not the cleanest!) I carry a small bottle to clean cue ball during playing. I wax the balls once a month with Griots pure carnuba wax. The balls look like new & play perfectly with no cling. I know there is no underlying problem that may over time hurt the finish. I works for me.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
View attachment 533421In 50+ years I’ve used a multitude of cleaners on numerous sets of balls. I now play at a room where the tables get very dirty. My current set of Aramith Duramith Tournament balls are over 3 years old. I’ve come to the conclusion that Aramith knows best what should be used on their balls. I hand clean with their cleaner & cleaning cloth after every outing totaling 25-30 hours a week. I play with Kamui chalk (not the cleanest!) I carry a small bottle to clean cue ball during playing. I wax the balls once a month with Griots pure carnuba wax. The balls look like new & play perfectly with no cling. I know there is no underlying problem that may over time hurt the finish. I works for me.

Dont most rule sets forbid the use of wax? Just asking. I tried carnauba wax once and ended up stripping it off with alcohol. Too much slide and so slippery you were always dropping them.
 
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j13smiley

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dont most rule sets forbid the use of wax? Just asking. I tried carnauba wax once and ended up stripping it off with alcohol. Too much slide and so slippery you were always dropping them.
Correct and agreed balls don't roll correctly when slippery (waxed).
 

windKnott

Registered
Rules for what? Practice? Absolutely no interest in leagues ....Tournaments provide their own balls. You would get additional slide if your just power banging 9 ball.moved on from rotation games years ago. I mainly shoot straight pool and am more concerned with ball cling. Once a month doesn’t seem to affect my play but I Don clean balls after every outing and clean cue ball numerous times during a 6-7 practice session. Don’t think clean balls break any rules but using a dryer sheet probably wood.
 

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Use car wax for your car. Use ball cleaner for balls, Aramith. I did a study showing how throw changed very quickly when using cleaners/waxes like Novus and I'd bet the same thing happens with the other waxes. When using the Aramith cleaner the throw was consistent all the way through the test.
 

buckshotshoey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Rules for what? Practice? Absolutely no interest in leagues ....Tournaments provide their own balls. You would get additional slide if your just power banging 9 ball.moved on from rotation games years ago. I mainly shoot straight pool and am more concerned with ball cling. Once a month doesn’t seem to affect my play but I Don clean balls after every outing and clean cue ball numerous times during a 6-7 practice session. Don’t think clean balls break any rules but using a dryer sheet probably wood.

Clean balls break any rules... No. Waxed balls... yes. BUT....
They are your balls, you can wash em how you want to!:rotflmao:
 
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