There are some people who have managed to play with a volleyball ball for many years just because they were able to properly take care of it …
In this article, I share my best tips to provide the necessary care for your ball (regardless of its quality), so you will manage to use it for a very long time.
Let’s dive in!
4 Tips to properly take care of your volleyball ball
Below 4 important tips you should consider for volleyball care (BTW, those tips would apply mostly for non-leather based balls like this quality ball for example)
Storage
The ball needs to be stored in a place where there is no sunlight. It is better to store it on a shelf or a corner of your room.
Avoid humid or hot places. The heat and humidity can damage the fabric of the ball.
It is also better to store the ball in a ventilated place, where the air flow is good. It helps keeping the moisture away.
Quick Tip: If you’ve got more than one ball, like a couple, then it is a very good idea to use a ball storage rack. For example, this Storage Rack will help you keep your balls stored all in one place.
Cleaning
The goal here is to keep it shiny and fresh. Cleaning a ball is not hard and is an important part for the vitality of the ball and for its longevity.
There are few ways to clean a ball depending on the ball’s state. If you are not able to wipe the ball clean with dry cloth, you can wipe it with a moistened cloth and afterwards wipe it with dry cloth.
In case you cannot wipe the ball with moistened cloth, wipe it clean with some water-diluted detergent. After that, wipe it clean with dry cloth. Make sure that you have wiped the detergent entirely in order to prevent potential ball discoloration.
It is important to dry the ball in a well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight. This way as we have seen already, you keep away the moisture and ensure that it is dry all the time, as it should be.
In no case is it allowed to wipe the ball with solvents such as benzene. Solvents may cause damage to the cover material, in this case synthetic or natural leather.
Pressure
Volleyballs come in many different sizes, from those meant for kids and beginners, across those that are meant for intermediate players and older beginners, to those that are standardized balls for high ranking championships and professional and semi-professional leagues.
All those different sizes need have advised PSI levels that determine the balls effectiveness. If a ball is overinflated it can become so hard that it can cause bruises, be extremely tough to handle and fly like a balloon.
If a ball is underinflated it can be soft, it can also cause bruises and most importantly it can sting a player after making contact with his hand or a random body area.
So the inflation level for an indoor volleyball ball should be in this range: 4.26 PSI to 4.61 PSI or 0.30 to 0.325 kg/cm2.
When it comes to beach volleyballs all of the above stays the same, except the PSI levels. The recommended PSI level of a beach volleyball should be in this range: 2.49 PSI to 3.20PSI or 0.175 to 0.225 kg/cm2.
Finally, I highly recommend you to learn about the reasons why volleyballs keep deflating!
Use it in the right Ground Type
Volleyballs are made out of many different materials, but all of the materials that they are made of are not tolerable to rough surfaces.
Concrete or asphalt, depending on the surface, are in no way suitable for the use of volleyballs. They are rather made for smooth surfaces, usually wooden courts, sand or grass.
Rough surfaces can damage the outer layers of the ball, be it natural or synthetic leather, or any other material a volleyball is made from.
A rough surface can damage the ball if you play on it for even a few minutes, that’s how delicately they are made.
Precautions to keep volleyballs in good condition …
A good owner will always keep his ball in check and watch over it, ensuring that the ball is in good condition and well taken care of. That can be achieved in many different ways, and here are some of them.
The already mentioned cleaning methods are very important. Make sure not to use wet cloth, but moist cloths, in order to just moisture the ball. Then, clean it with a dry piece of cloth and that should be it.
If the dirt cannot be cleaned with just moist cloth and dry cloth, use water-diluted detergent, but again do not wet the ball too much, so it does not absorb water, but just rather moisturize it, and clean it with some dry cloth.
Inflation is also important. Keep the inflation levels in order. An over inflated ball can become deformed overtime, while an underinflated ball can form crinkles on the covering material.
The last and maybe the most important thing to look out for is the surface volleyball is played on. Use the ball on soft and smooth surfaces that cannot damage the materials the ball is made of.
I’ve put together a comprehensive article on how to soften a volleyball! I think you will find it helpful …
How to properly take care of the ball after using it?
After a practice, it is best to wipe the ball with dry cloth in order to clean the dust or dusty particles off of it. Cleaning is mandatory for the long life span of a ball.
Just like knee pads or knee sleeves, a ball is required to be put in a dry, well-ventilated place after a workout. All kinds of smells and particles end up on the ball during a practice, and just like any other material, the material of the ball absorbs that too.
The well ventilated place will keep the odors away, it will dry the ball if any moisture form the sweat go in and it will also keep the ball fresh for the next time.
Can you put a volleyball in water?
Absolutely not! A volleyball cannot be placed in water under any conditions. All volleyball balls absorb water to a certain degree, even the most resilient ones.
Indoor volleyballs absorb water more than beach volleyballs. They are not made water resistant because of the nature of the sport. Beach volleyballs are made in a more resilient way, and are resistant to water to some degree.
If you soak a volleyball in water however, it will surely absorb the water and get soaked in it, making it more difficult to dry out afterwards.
Do not put your ball in any large amount of water by no means. The washing process or cleaning as it is listed in the upper sections already mentioned and is the most safest way to wash your ball.
How long does a volleyball ball last?
A volleyball usually lasts from 2 up to 3 seasons. It all depends of course on the maintenance the ball gets. With exceptional maintenance it can last a season more, that is a 4 seasons in a row.
The durability a volleyball is determined exclusively by the owner, the material the ball is made of and the manufacturer.
If the owner does not care about his ball, if he does not clean it regularly, if he leaves it exposed to direct sunlight …This would badly impact the life span of the ball.
The intensity of your volleyball practices in another factor. If someone practices volleyball one to two times a week, the ball will last longer.
If a player practices 3 to 4 or 5 times a week, the lifespan will be shorter!
How to take care of a beach volleyball?
Beach volleyball care is no different from indoor volleyball. All the things that we have said about proper maintenance for an indoor volleyball apply for beach volleyball.
However, there are a few maintenance tips that are required to be enhanced because of the nature of the surface beach volleyball is played on, and other factors …
Indeed, sand can be very tricky when it comes to the maintenance of your sports gear.
The sand can end up between the stitches of a ball, or even get inside, ending up between the covering material and the rubber core.
Because of that it is very important to clean your ball of all sand particles that stick to the ball. Also the methods of moist cleaning apply here.
One of the most crucial factors for a beach volleyball is to be ventilated constantly. Beach volleyball is played in wetter conditions than indoor volleyball is.
Final Thoughts …
If you are like me and like using only high quality volleyball balls during your practice sessions or just for recreational playing with your buddies, then, it is important to learn the proper care practices to not damage it. Especially that those quality balls are generally not cheap …
So, try to apply most of those tips and you should be able to use your ball actively for the many years to come!
Finally, I want to tell you about a very important article that you should check whether you are a beginner or not, on how to choose the right volleyball ball. Check it Right Here, you surely will learn a lot!