How to Recondition or Refurbish Golf Balls

Golf balls are left on the golf course every year waiting for someone to pick them up to refurbish or recondition them. You can resell reconditioned golf balls or use them yourself to save money. With basic household cleaning items, and a few items you might not have thought of, you can clean your golf balls and have them back on the course just in time to hit that hole-in-one.

Wash your golf balls in the dishwasher. Place the balls in the compartments for silverware to prevent them from becoming projectiles. Use your regular dishwashing detergent. This method works best on lightly soiled golf balls. If your golf balls were under water for a long period of time or the dishwasher did not clean them, try the next cleaning technique.

Soak your golf balls in undiluted bleach or white vinegar or ammonia. Do not mix these chemicals together. Allow the golf balls to soak for two to three hours and then wash them off using clean water.

Mix water in making soda until you create a paste. Put the paste on a toothbrush and scrub your golf balls with the toothbrush. This will remove dirt stuck in scratches, divots or cracks in the golf balls’ surface. Clean the golf balls with warm water to remove the paste residue.

Place a large quantity of golf balls into a cement mixer filled with crushed peanut shells, almond shells or walnuts and tumble them. The shells or walnuts act as a mild abrasive and clean the golf balls. You can also use a small rock tumbler if you have fewer golf balls to clean.

Clean ink off the golf balls with acetone and a toothbrush.