How to Fix a Dented Ping Pong Ball

Nothing will stop a good game of ping pong or beer pong like a dented ping pong ball. Whether you are testing your hand-eye coordination with the paddle or beating up on your buddies in a drinking game, it is important that your ping pong balls stay functional. Sometimes, there's no stopping those pesky dents, though. When that happens, how do you fix a dented ping pong ball? There are several methods and a few tips that will help you bring that ball back from death and into life.

The best way to salvage a dented ping pong ball is by boiling that ball in a pot of steaming water. To do this, all you need is a pot, some water, and a stove to heat the pot. From there, things are pretty simple. Fill up a small pot with water and set the stove to high. Leave the pot on the stove until the water begins to boil. At this point, drop in the ping pong ball and allow it to sit on top of the water until the ball retains its spherical shape. You should be able to tell that this has happened because the ball will make a popping sound and jump up a little bit. When this happens, grab a pair of tongs and retrieve your ball from the water. Be careful not to burn yourself when trying to get the ball out of the hot water. After this, the ball will be a little soft, but should retain its shape upon drying and cooling.

There are other ways to bring a ping pong ball back to life that don't require hot water. It will require some more heat though. Find a lighter and get someone to hold your ping pong ball. Light the flame of the lighter and run the ball over the flame outside of where the dent is located. This will heat the molecules inside of the ball, causing them to expand and push out the dent. Be sure not to put too much heat on the ball, though, as it could crack.

You can also fix a dented ping pong ball by placing the ball in front of a hand dryer. These can be found in many restrooms at restaurants or malls. Twenty or thirty seconds worth of heat should be enough.

All it takes to fix a dented ping pong ball is a little bit of heat and some know-how. It's easy to do and takes very little time. Get the dent out of that ball and get the game started!