I have these Play brand stage balls made out of flexible PVC which i use to practice as well as perform (which i'm sure is a terrible idea) and they've gotten rather funky from being banged and slammed against things so much. I tried looking for some kind of cleaner or polish for them online, but the only stuff i came across was for contact balls. I've heard people suggest certain cleaning agents, but i'm hesitant to try any because i've also heard that people have had their balls wrecked completely by using the wrong one on the wrong ball. Is there a product out there that i've overlooked or an effective cleaning method that someone's discovered?

Is the issue that the PVC surface is dirty, or that the surface has abraded and is now rough? If just dirty, I use soap, water and a toothbrush to clean. If the surface is abraded then you can try polishing it, but you'll find it hard to get the surface as perfectly smooth as new.

magic eraser? Don't know but it works for a lot of thing.
Sara K.

Vinegar should do the trick.

I'm not entirely sure, TorontoBoy. I haven't been able to just wash them so i'm thinking the surface has been damaged.


Magic erasers are too hard on the material. They'd lose their shine totally, and the ball itself could be erased.


I'm ready to go give vinegar a whack. Have you used it for this purpose specifically Alex?

Plastics are difficult to impossible to buff back to the original shiny surface. The shiny look is from the metal moulds used in the heat forming process. Plastic polishes such as Novus or Plexus come in three abrasion grades, but is made for lexan, not PVC.

The most cost effective solution, is to buff the surface with varying degrees of fine files and abrasives until you get a smoother but matt surface. Acetone or nail polish remover will melt PVC. Use a respirator, as we do not want clowns with (more) brain damage. Pour some acetone into a shallow glass dish. Roll the ball in the acetone, take it out and rub it down. Wear (I'm unsure which type, no plastic) gloves to smooth the surface. The acetone will melt the PVC surface, filling in the deep gouges. Try a little on the surface first to see if you like the result.

Acetone is highly flammable. No smoking, no fire juggling nearby, no fire clowns whatsoever.

If you want the shiny surface, the best solution is to buy new balls. Silicone stands up very well to wear, but you'll need to see if the weight is acceptable to you.