Most bowling alleys clean shoes with disinfectant immediately after use. Of course, this may vary depending on individual practices, but overall, bowling shoes are usually cleaned with Lysol when they are returned.
Why Do Bowling Alleys Need to Clean Shoes?
Bowling is a hugely popular sport. Millions of people partake in the activity each year, and bowling alleys remain popular hang-out spots for people of all ages.
The sport’s popularity is the reason why bowling shoes need to be cleaned regularly. Especially during the COVID era. To help keep customers safe, shoes need to be cleaned after each use to help keep a sanitary, professional environment.
Since users can’t wear their regular footwear on the aisles, specialist shoes have to be given before being returned at the end of the game. These shoes need to be cleaned regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs.
Bowling alleys also need to keep clean to succeed. If a particular alley is known for being dirty and uncaring, then they’ll lose business rather quickly.
How Are Bowling Shoes Cleaned?
There are many ways to clean bowling shoes, but most alleys implement the most affordable, efficient option which is to spray them with disinfectant after each use.
This may vary from alley to alley, but overall, this is by far the most popular way of cleaning bowling shoes.
If you feel as though your bowling shoes aren’t as clean as they should be, contact the staff and ask them on their cleaning policies.
Due to high demand and rapid turnover, bowling alleys do not have the time to clean shoes in a washing machine. To help keep efficiency up, they’ll clean them via a hand spray and leave them to dry.
What Shoe Spray Do Bowling Alleys Use?
Lysol is the most popular disifectant spray used by bowling alleys. Dettol sprays are widely used as well, but Lysol remain the most common.
Other sprays may be used depending on the bowling alley. However, most major bowling outlets will use Lysol or Dettol products due to their reliability and usefulness for killing germs, viruses, and bacteria.
There are other ways of cleaning bowling shoes, though. Baking soda, for example, is great for eliminating shoe odors and some bowling allets may still use this practice.
Other shoe santizers are available on the market and these are great for ensuring shoes get a deep clean. Some bowling alleys even use UV lights to help detect bacteria, although this isn’t usually the case for most bowling alleys out there due to time constraints.
Each bowling alley’s approach is different, but usually, they’ll spray the shoes with Clorox or Lysol, which both work well.
To check the current price and availability of Lysol Disinfectant Spray, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Are Bowling Shoes Dirty?
Bowling shoes are dirty by their very nature.
Since they’re worn multiple times a day by members of the general public, bowling shoes can easily become reservoirs for bacteria. Therefore, it’s vital that they are cleaned after each and every use.
What Are the Risks of Dirty Bowling Shoes?
The warm, close-knit nature of bowling alleys presents bacteria with a perfect opportunity to grow. If you’re unlucky enough to wear a contaminated pair of shoes, then you may be at risk of developing infections or catching viruses.
Foot-based infections, such as athlete’s foot, are another danger. If you are not wearing socks and have an unprotected wound on your foot, then you are at severe risk of infecting it even further.
Can You Get Foot Fungus From Bowling Shoes?
Yes, you can. Although the risks of developing a serious infection are rare, it is absolutely possible to develop foot fungus from unclean bowling shoes.
If the previous user has a foot infection, then the shoes are a perfect vehicle for transporting it to the next user. If you’re not wearing socks, then your risk of getting an infection is much higher.
How Can I Reduce the Risk of Developing a Fungus/Infection From Bowling Shoes?
Wear Socks
There are several things you can do to reduce your risk of developing an infection.
Wearing socks is essential whilst bowling as these will shield your feet from the exposed, potentially dirty shoe. Some bowling alleys may have single-use socks for you to wear, but this is far from standard practice.
Make sure you wear thick socks to help add a formidable layer of protection around your foot. This is essential if you are sporting an injury on your foot. Socks are the most important part of avoiding infection.
Bring Your Own Shoes
If you’re an avid bowler who regularly visits the alleys, it may be worth investing in your own pair of bowling shoes. This will save you the hassle of having to rent a pair, and will ensure that you don’t get handed a dirty, contaminated pair of shoes.
Of course, most people do not go bowling enough to justify having to buy their own shoes and will not have any laying around their house. In that case, then be sure to ask the staff if the shoes have been cleaned properly.
Wearing your own shoes, however, will ensure your keep are kept healthy and safe.
Final Thoughts
Bowling alleys clean shoes a variety of different ways. Some may use UV lights to help detect fungus and bacteria and sanitize them if they do, others use baking soda to neutrilise bad odors, whilst most of them use a quick, easy spray to do both.
Each bowling alley has its own practices, but the majority of them clean shoes via Lysol, Dettol, or Colorox spray before leaving them to dry.
We’ve also learned the importance of clean bowling shoes. To help keep alleys safe, reputable, and profitable, staff need to pay great attention to the cleanliness of their bowling shoes and be eager to answer any questions people may have about their practices.
To help keep your feet safe, it’s worth investing in some heavy duty socks and even your own pair of bowling shoes if you’re a regular bowler.