Bleaching Cheap Golf Balls - How to Make Them The Right Color

  • Thread starter Thread starter munky99999
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on cleaning discolored golf balls that were purchased cheaply. The user initially attempted to clean the balls with hand soap but later experimented with bleach, Tide, and other cleaning agents. After some time, the mixture crystallized without changing the color of the balls. Suggestions were made to use a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and bleach for effective cleaning, although the user lacks the necessary materials and is looking for a more affordable solution. Safety precautions were emphasized, particularly avoiding mixing bleach with vinegar or ammonia due to the risk of producing harmful gases. The user also mentioned the challenges posed by winter weather and limited access to hardware stores. They considered using hydrogen peroxide as another option for cleaning but may postpone further attempts until spring. Overall, the focus remains on finding a safe and cost-effective method to restore the golf balls' color.
munky99999
Messages
200
Reaction score
0
Ok I bought some really cheap golf balls. They were like 1 cent each and i got lots of them.

I basically used hand soap to clean up all of them.

Except a few. They were weird coloured. So I've tried bleaching them, using tide and water and soap. All at once.

Then i sort of forgot about this since like november 04. Today I find the thing and its all crystallized pretty cool. But the balls still haven't changed colour.

Why did it crystalize so sweet. How should I go about making these few balls the right colour other then paint; household products probably would be best.
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Try this: 1/4 cup trisodium phosphate [TSP] dissolved in a solution of 1/2 quart bleach and 1-1/2 quarts water [makes 1/2 gallon]. Soak golf balls for about 30 minutes then scrub with a brass brush. Wear rubber gloves, the stuff is pretty potent. You can get TSP at just about any hardware store, it's often used to prep surfaces for painting [it works real good on tile floors, grout and caulking too].
 
the problem is i don't have the brush nor TSP, i was looking for a cheap way to do it. But I am not sayign i won't try that method though. But it might be little while till i bother.

But instead i tried it again. But it's really sweet, over night it like dissolved all the crystals and formed like little egg looking things. I think i might just start adding some more things.

For safety reasons, is there anything that should definitely not be added?
 
Don't add vinegar or ammonia to bleach, or you will produce chlorine gas. Whatever you wind up doing, don't do it indoors.

- Warren
 
munky99999 said:
the problem is i don't have the brush nor TSP, i was looking for a cheap way to do it. But I am not sayign i won't try that method though. But it might be little while till i bother.

TSP is pretty cheap. A little bit goes a long way, but be sure to follow the safety precautions Chronos suggested (read the box carefully, and know what it says to do if you get it on yourself before you begin).

Bleach can discolor some things to a yellowish tint rather than whiten them.

Hydrogen peroxide might help, depending on what's discoloring them.

Whatever you try next, rinse them off thoroughly so you don't mix too many things. Read the labels carefully: as chroot pointed out, you don't want to mix ammonia or vinegar with bleach. Bleach may also be listed as sodium hypochlorite on a label, or on dumbed down labels, may be listed as "contains chlorine" or "contains chloride."
 
Well I am in Canada so there is at least 1 foot of snow. The thing will freeze pretty quickly so outside not good.

I also don't have car insurance so driving to hardware store will be bad idea; especially in snow conditions.

So currently i have put bleech, tide, something else that's for super cleaning(which saves colours) & water, there has been one of those dishwasher tab things, with the blue liquid and stuff all in it.

VinegaR i never would have thought of putting in. It's like the same colour as the golf balls. Not likely to be a good choice.

Ammonia I don't think I have in the house, other then pee(urine) i guess, i can't think of anything.

Also the golf balls just haven't changed any colour at all. I think i'll try some peroxide. but i might just wait till spring though.
 
I want to test a humidity sensor with one or more saturated salt solutions. The table salt that I have on hand contains one of two anticaking agents, calcium silicate or sodium aluminosilicate. Will the presence of either of these additives (or iodine for that matter) significantly affect the equilibrium humidity? I searched and all the how-to-do-it guides did not address this question. One research paper I found reported that at 1.5% w/w calcium silicate increased the deliquescent point by...
Back
Top