Parkland, FL
Quick question on how to clean my new balls, it says they must be cleaned with alcohol and dried. Is there any other way? I don't stock alcohol in the house although I could get some if needed.
(Topic ID: 309899)
I use Simple Green to remove oil and then Novus #2 to seal them. Or any Carnauba wax to seal is good.
Quoted from Robl45:Quick question on how to clean my new balls, it says they must be cleaned with alcohol and dried. Is there any other way? I don't stock alcohol in the house although I could get some if needed.
Dollar store has it
Quoted from chad:I use Simple Green to remove oil and then Novus #2 to seal them. Or any Carnauba wax to seal is good.
Seal, LOL
I just wipe them off? Why do you need some heavy cleaners when they usually have only a thin film of oil on them for shipping?
Almost anything - novus 1, windex. Anything that adds a little moisture. Oh and get yourself some isopropyl alcohol. It's like a dollar and is useful for many pinball-ish things.
Quoted from Isochronic_Frost:I just wipe them off? Why do you need some heavy cleaners when they usually have only a thin film of oil on them for shipping?
Same here.
I just wipe the oil off with an old t-shirt and drop them in the machine (making sure not to touch them with my hands).
I subscribe to the school that a micro thin coat of oil on them helps prevent oxidation.
Quoted from Pinfidel:Anyone throw their balls in the tumbler?
[quoted image]
I do. It makes the super shiny. Takes 3 or 4 days with walnut media.
Quoted from TheLaw:When you buy replacements you have to clean them too
Important. They have rust preventative on them and it can get onto the playfield and help dirty things up.
LTG : )
Quoted from gliebig:I wipe them in my shirt then dump them in the game.
well that seems easy enough.
Ya, simple soap and water is great technique, however too much shining could be considered playing with them.
Quoted from gandamack:Ya, simple soap and water is great technique, however too much shining could be considered playing with them.
i"m gonna make them really shiny 
A while back I cleaned the brand new ninja's from Ball Baron with alcohol and wiped them clean. Within an hour I started to see oxidation on the pinballs and they looked really bad. Took them out and cleaned them again with the alcohol thinking I must have missed something and they did it again. On the third try I just sprayed them with sprayaway (my favorite glass cleaner) and they have been fine ever sense. I no longer use the alcohol and just clean with the glass cleaner.
Quoted from LTG:Windex, 409, Fantastic. Then rinse and dry thoroughly.
LTG : )
But what if you use the Fantastic first before the Windex and 409? Does that ruin the final result?
Quoted from wolverinetuner:But what if you use the Fantastic first before the Windex and 409? Does that ruin the final result?
Use any one of the three you like. I only posted examples of what types of cleaners to use. Just about anything will work.
LTG : )
Quoted from LTG:Use any one of the three you like. I only posted examples of what types of cleaners to use. Just about anything will work.
LTG : )
I guess my attempt at making a joke failed, Lloyd. This is another example of how helpful you are on this forum. Regardless of anything else, you’re still working to give helpful advice!
New balls you want to degrease - so use whatever grease cutting agent you prefer. Iso Alcohol, Dish soap, spray cleaner, whatever.
People fixate too much on balls - decrease, and play until they are nick'd up and then replace and repeat.
Quoted from gliebig:I wipe them in my shirt then dump them in the game.
That's what I do too.
Quoted from Shogun00:That's what I do too.
Same!
I spray some Novus 1 on a rag, wipe them off quick and drop them in the game. The Novus takes the light film of oil right off.
You’d do more good worrying about waxing your game and replacing the balls when they get scratched than worrying about making sure they are clean enough to eat off. 
Quoted from Spyderturbo007:I spray some Novus 1 on a rag, wipe them off quick and drop them in the game. The Novus takes the light film of oil right off.
You’d do more good worrying about waxing your game and replacing the balls when they get scratched than worrying about making sure they are clean enough to eat off.
I waxed two of the games already, I'm about to wax the third. More concerned about the oil on my balls getting everywhere in the game.
Clean with 90+% alcohol, then polish with metal polish. I only use and recommend Blue Magic metal polish. It leaves behind a thin layer of protective silicone (says so right on the label) that makes them very slippery (like new) when finished. Great for metal lane guides too. Available at auto parts stores or Amazon.
Novus is designed to clean and polish plastics. Car wax is designed for finished surfaces. Use the right tool for the job. Don't need a tumbler, but do need a quality metal polish.
400-06__91406.1514582134__60368.1522951909.500.750~2 (resized).pngQuoted from phishrace:It leaves behind a thin layer of protective silicone (says so right on the label) that makes them very slippery (like new) when finished.
Proceed with caution… While silicone is not inherently detrimental to the playfield, it can really wreak havoc if the game is ever restored in the future.
If you’re sure you, and anyone who happens to own the game after you, will never restore it, then no worries.
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