Golf balls are put through a lot during a typical 18-hole round; they’re beaten with clubfaces, subjected to the elements, and have a knack for finding dirt on the tidiest of courses. It doesn’t take long for golf balls to accumulate enough grime and debris to warrant a thorough cleaning.

Many golfers, however, don’t take cleaning their golf balls seriously. They believe that just a quick swipe with a towel or rub on the pants leg is enough to knock off the heavy stuff, and that’s all that matters. These are most likely the same players that are baffled by the way their golf balls occasionally react after a perfect stroke.

The truth is that having a bag full of dirty golf balls can drastically affect the way that your ball is playing during your game. After all, top brands like Titleist and Bridgestone have diligently customized dimple designs that strategically reduce drag and slicing, so thwarting the effects with the buildup of grime can make your ball perform subpar.

Cleaning golf balls is an important part of ensuring that every piece of your equipment is performing at an optimal level during each and every round of golf that you play. Let’s go over some of the best ways to clean a golf ball, so when you pull a ball from your golf bag, it’s a clean one.

Cleaning Your Golf Balls at Home

If you’re cleaning your golf balls at home, have no fear! With our simple process, you’ll take your golf balls from grimy to shiny! But before you dump all of your golf balls out of your bag and into a cleaning bucket, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got the tools with which to clean them.

Some tools to start with:

• golf ball cleaner
• cleaning bucket
• scrubbing tools
• washing machine
• towel for washing/drying

Once you’ve gathered all of the necessary supplies, you’ll be ready to follow these simple steps to cleaning your golf balls:

1. Golf ball cleaner – A mild dish soap or dishwashing liquid should suffice for most basic washes. If your golf balls are in need of a deep cleaning, then using ammonia, undiluted bleach, or even vinegar should do the trick. Just don’t mix any chemicals together as this can harm the coating of your golf balls!
2. A cleaning bucket – You’ll want to add plenty of warm water to a cleaning bucket (try filling it up halfway, remembering to account for displacement) before adding your cleaning solution. Once you’ve mixed up your cleaner with warm water, place your golf balls into the bucket and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
3. Scrubbing tools – Depending on how filthy your golf balls are, you may need to utilize a variety of different scrubbing utensils to get the job done right. Mildly corroded surfaces can benefit from a soapy towel or sponge to clean the outer surface with, while dirtier balls may need something with more cleaning power. An old toothbrush is a great option for scrubbing; just make sure that you throw it away after you’re done cleaning your golf balls.
4. Machine washing – Pressed for time? If you’ve got a dishwasher, then you may want to try loading the top rack with your golf balls and cleaning them the easy way. Golf balls will not harm your dishwasher, and you won’t even have to get your hands wet. Results may vary with this method, especially for golf balls that could probably benefit from a little elbow grease.
5. Towel for drying/polishing – Now that you’ve done the hard part, it’s time to take your golf balls and give them a quick once-over with a towel or cloth before putting them back in your bag. This is a good opportunity to inspect each golf ball, looking closely at the dimples and making sure that no obstructions like dirt or sand remain.

Practicing how to clean golf balls the right way will give you confidence in your equipment during your next round. Clean golf balls hit better, fly longer, and set with the consistency and efficiency that they were designed to provide golfers with from the start. With a wide variety of golf ball cleaning products, tools and equipment for golfers to use both on and off the course, there is never an excuse for any golfer to have to play with a dirty golf ball.