Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Using boiling water
• Method 2 of 2: Using a hair dryer
• Tips
• Warnings

Tennis ball dents are a common problem. Removing them is not difficult at all. You will need a little warmth to get the ball back into its rounded shape. However, do not overdo it, as table tennis balls are highly flammable. In this article, you will find several safe methods to remove a dent from a table tennis ball. While a refurbished ball will be less than ideal, you can still use it for table tennis or beer pong.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Using boiling water

1. 1 Prepare a glass of boiling water. Boil some water in a kettle. Pour hot water into a ceramic cup.
   • You can put the ball directly into the kettle of water, but don't leave it for more than a couple of minutes. Otherwise, the ball may melt or burn.
2. 2 Place the ball in the water. The air expands when heated and will correct the dent. This will give the ball its original round shape.
3. 3 Hold the ball under water (optional). To increase heat and pressure, use a spoon to hold the ball under water. Keep it in water for about 20 seconds, or until you see a positive result.
4. 4 Take the ball out of the water. Use a spoon or tongs to remove the ball from the water. Do not try to reach the ball with your hands. Otherwise, you may burn yourself.
5. 5 Wrap the ball in a cloth and hang it up. Place the table tennis ball on top of a piece of cloth. Wrap it in a cloth, joining all the ends together to make a small pouch. Hang the pouch on a nail or clothes hanger to cool. You will need about 5-10 minutes. Although the ball will not be as good as new, it will take on a round shape again and you can use it while playing.
   • Leaving the ball on a flat surface to cool can cause a dent on one side.

Method 2 of 2: Using a hair dryer

1. 1 Set hot mode. Similar to the first method, you can use heat to remove the dent from the tennis ball. The air expands when heated and will correct the dent.
   • As the air temperature changes, the pressure also changes continuously.This will expand the air inside the ball and remove the dent.
2. 2 Place the ball under a stream of hot air. Hold it with your hand. Although tennis balls can catch fire, using a hair dryer will not burn you. Keep the ball 15-20 cm away from the hair dryer.
   • Turn on the hairdryer, direct the air stream vertically upward and place a tennis ball in the stream.
   • The ball will not ignite if kept in the air. This can only happen if you place it on a surface and bring the hairdryer too close.
3. 3 Wait for the ball to return to its original shape. Hold the ball in such a way that the air flow is directed to the notched side. Remove it from the air flow periodically and let it cool down to avoid deformation.
   • The repaired ball will differ in shape and size from the new one.
4. 4 Wrap the ball in fabric and hang it up (optional). To avoid a dent, you can hang the ball on a nail after wrapping it in fabric. However, there is no special need for this, since you will not use boiling water, as was the case in the first case, but only a stream of hot air.

Tips

• Do not place the ball on a hard surface until it has cooled down, or one side of it will be dented. Hang it up until it cools.
• Table tennis balls are made from different materials. The cheapest tennis balls can be damaged very easily. Cellulose balls are highly flammable compared to other balls made from other materials.
• Don't expect the ball to be as strong as it used to be. After each such recovery, it will lose strength until a puncture or crack appears. Its elasticity will also decrease significantly.

Warnings

• Table tennis balls are highly flammable. Don't look for easy ways. By following the advice from the videos that suggest a quick recovery of the balls, you can harm your health. For example, you might burn your fingers. You will also have to clean up the kitchen as the melted plastic can stain the floor.
• These methods only work for balls that are not cracked. Cover the crack with glue. However, keep in mind that a cracked ball is not the best way to play. Replace the old ball with a new one.
• Do not, under any circumstances, put the ball in the microwave. Just a few seconds of heating will result in a fire, as the temperature will be quite high.
• If you notice an unpleasant odor, move the ball away from the heat source and ventilate the area.