How to clean dirty (and stinky) golf discs

I remember my first Star Destroyer …

How dumb is that?

One round, after rediscovering disc golf back in 2016, I found myself barefoot, wading through three feet of water in search of a disc I’d grip-locked straight into the drink. The stuff was dark and gross. Worst of all, however, was the six inches of mud-scum that lined the pond’s floor.

The bad news is I never found the disc I went hunting for in the first place. The good news is that I stumbled upon the Star Destroyer in question. When I first picked it up, I didn’t really know what it was, but Paul McBeth’s name was on it. At the time, that was good enough for me.

Fortunately, it was a gem of a disc …

168 grams and beautifully beaten.

Seven years later, it’s STILL in my bag.

The only real downside was the putrid smell emanating from it. It was so bad, in fact, when I first brought it home, the wifey couldn’t stand to be in the same room with it. Considering we lived in a two-bedroom apartment, one frisbee had made her a prisoner in her own house. My better half’s ultimatum of cleaning the disc or tossing it in the trash led to this post …

Years later, of course.

If you’re one of those hockey-player-type golfers who considers it bad luck to wash gear, this isn’t for you. As for the rest of us, here’s how to remove dirt, grime and stench from your plastic:

• Step No. 1 – Douse the disc in warm water.
• Step No. 2 – Scrub it aggressively with dish soap.
• Step No. 3 – Attack dirt and stains with a Magic Eraser.
• Step No. 4 – When clean, dry the disc well with a towel.

There’s really not much to this …

A few things to keep in mind, though:

First, most of this can be avoided with the regular use of a towel during play. Next, whether you’re playing in the rain or pulling a disc from a puddle, dry it off. Fail to do so often enough, and it’s possible your disc grows mold inside your bag between rounds. This is where that smell comes from. And lastly, don’t be an idiot: Using a dishwasher to clean your discs warps them.

How often do I straight-up clean my frisbees?

Almost never.

But when you find (or retrieve) a hidden gem from a filthy pond or one of your discs manages to come into contact with a steamy pile of dog poo, you better believe this is a mandatory task.

Dish soap will do more good than a mid-round “spit-shine” ever could …

For the sake of those you love, wash responsibly.

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