How to Clean Tennis Balls

Co-authored by Peter Fryer

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Whether you use tennis balls as a toy for your dog or you’re an avid tennis player, they probably get pretty dirty from time to time. You can wash your tennis balls by hand or in the washing machine.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Washing by Hand

1
Fill a bucket or sink with warm water. The water shouldn’t be so hot that you can’t put your hands in it without getting burned. If you’re washing multiple tennis balls at once, or if your tennis balls are very dirty, you’ll want to use more water rather than less.^{[1]
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2
Add liquid soap or detergent. Once you’ve got your bucket or sink full of water, add soap. You can use either dishwasher soap or laundry detergent for this step, and you should use the same amount you would if you were washing dishes in the sink.^{[2]
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- If you’re washing tennis balls that your dog plays with, you can mix a pet-friendly homemade cleaner made up of equal parts water and white vinegar.
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3
Let the tennis balls soak. Once you’ve added the soap, dump your tennis balls in and let them soak for 30 minutes. If your tennis balls are really dirty, you might want to let them soak longer.^{[3]
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4
Scrub them with a rag or sponge. Once the tennis balls have soaked, scrub them with a rag or sponge. This will get rid of any dirt that has soaked into the ball.^{[4]
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5
Rinse with warm water. You might need to rub at the tennis balls with your hands to make sure you get all of the soap off as you rinse them.^{[5]
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6
Air dry the tennis balls. Once you’ve finished cleaning the tennis balls, set them out to air dry, If you’re in a hurry, you can also put them in the dryer. Simply set your dryer to its lowest heat setting and toss them in. You should dry them for about ten minutes.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using the Washing Machine

1
Set your washer’s water temperature to cold. Using hot water can cause the rubber in the balls to warp or melt. Use the same settings you would use for washing a normal load of clothing.^{[7]
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2
Don’t use the spin cycle. Don’t let the washing machine go through the spin cycle. Using the spin cycle on tennis balls can cause them to warp, and it can also cause damage to your washing machine.^{[8]
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3
Add laundry detergent. You can use your regular laundry detergent for washing tennis balls. You should use about the same amount you would if you were washing a small load of clothes.^{[9]
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4
Dry them on a low heat setting. Once your tennis balls are clean, you can put them in the dryer on the lowest heat setting possible for about ten minutes. You can also allow them to air dry.^{[10]
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How can I get mud off of tennis balls?

Peter Fryer
Tennis Instructor
Peter Fryer is a tennis writer and coach based in Derry Northern Ireland. He completed his professional teaching tennis qualification shortly after finishing university and has been teaching tennis for over 13 years. Peter began Love Tennis Blog in 2010 and contributes to the BBC and national media outlets.

Peter Fryer

Tennis Instructor

Expert Answer

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You can use a garden hose to clean any dirt or stains from tennis balls. Ensure that once you're done you allow the tennis balls to dry on a sunny window or radiator. Do not put damp balls back into the tube as they will lose their pressure.