Cleaning Golf Balls

Can anybody tell me what the best way to clean a golf ball is?

I don't mean the dirt, I'm taking about marker pen and other marks.

My own way of marking a golf ball is to put a black dot each side of the maker's name.

But I'd like to clean some of the golf balls I find so that they look better and are not covered in marks.

Russ

I use a brillo pad and fairy liquid. Works great.

Thanks Michael, I'll have to get the wife to buy some brillo pads.

Russ

soak mine in bleach overnight then give them a good wash in clean water,brings them up like new

I don't mean my own golf balls....  lol

It was more to do with the golf balls I find when out on the course.

Some of the golf balls have been in the pond quite a while and I was just wondering if there was a way to clean off all the dirt.

Also I need to remove the marks put on by the previous owner.

Russ

"Also I need to remove the marks put on by the previous owner."

Why?  As long as you can identify your ball, does it matter how it was marked by the previous owner?

Different phone number and email address  Chris..............

Some of the golf balls I find have more marker pen on them than the school toilets!

So I'd like to get these off so I can look down on a clean ball.

Russ

Why are you hanging around school toilets ???????????????

"Some of the golf balls have been in the pond quite a while"

Sounds like you've found all my lost balls Russ ; )

Dave, I'm just re-living my youth!

Matt, it must cost you a fortune for marker pens if these balls I'm finding are yours.

Russ

How on earth did anyone play golf before marker pens.

Russ.  If you want to get permanent marker off a dry-wipe board or a laminated item then if you use a dry-wipe pen over the top of the permanent marker marks and then wipe it off it takes the permanent marker marks off with it.  Don't know how it works - but it does.

I don't know if it would work with golf balls but if you are that desperate...... 

Thanks for that Andy, I'll have to give it a try.

It is amazing the markings you find on some golf balls.

I bet it takes some of these people longer to mark their golf ball than it does to lose it!

Never mind, another golf ball for my collection!

Russ

I would have thought brake fluid would have taken the cover off the ball, let alone marker pen.

I will give this a test run and see if it works.

Russ

Dont forget gloves

and goggles!

Russ

I'm going to try it Paul, but I will be careful.

Russ

  Brake fluid?, what do you want cleaner balls and loss on your no claims bonus?

Lol

Perhaps not use the stuff already in your car but buy some more???

I've got a small bottle of brake fluid in the shed, probably tomorrow I'll go an get it and I'll post on here how I got on with it.

Russ

 You do realise that you wont get as much run on the ball.

Had a few moments to spare in the shed today so thought I'd have a go using various dangerous chemicals to remove marker pen from golf balls.  The following don't work - 

Paint stripper, brush cleaner, acetone, DOT 5 brake fluid and glass etching acid.

Hydrochloric acid and neat genkleen de-greaser work but tend to take the rest of the paint off as well.

Tim ,I have this mental image of a Mad Professor at large......

News just in

Did you know if you put a ball in trichloroethylene (I believe a now controlled industrial degreaser) it reacts with the ionmer skin, turns it black and then melts it?  Must get in through the splits in the paint.  I think the marker pen came off but I can't be absolutely sure because it looks like its been in the oven for several hours.  Will try and post a picture tommorow...

Quiet on the work front at the moment Tim?

Just a bit Chris.  However, the ball in the Trichloroethylene has know completely disintegrated into a slush at the bottom of the jar.....

Tim, throw it in a pond and I'll get it later!

Russ