Infinities are one of the most long-lasting juggling beanbags on the market. That's why you probably want to know how to treat them, so that they stay as beautiful and functional as when they are new.
The good news is that there is no caveat in treating Infinities compared to other juggling balls. Infinities are durable, so if you treat them the way you would treat less durable balls, they will be just fine. What's more, you can even do stuff that you cannot do with other beanbags! Let's go through the individual situations that you will be dealing with and our advice for you.
You can store Infinities in all the basic ways: have them sitting on the table, shelf or floor; or get a bag in which you keep them when you are not juggling. Both ways, with or without a bag, are fine.
You should definitely avoid:
If you want to take Infinities with you on your travels, it is quite useful to have a special bag for them. That offers some protection from other objects that you have in your big luggage, such as food (which might make your balls dirty) or sharp objects (which might accidentally pierce your ball).
From my experience, a cotton drawstring bag is the best kind of bag. It does not take up too much space in your big luggage, it is quick to open and close, you can wear it on your back and take it with you when you go for a walk. Cotton is a great material because it is breathable and soft.
Infinities stay relatively clean without any special care because the outer material does not absorb dirt. When it appears so, it usually is just on top of the leather, so you can easily clean it. The following video shows that quite well.
And that takes us to the important question: how to clean Infinities?
There are three basic methods:
And they are ordered from the least invasive to the most. That means that using the first method repeatedly does not affect balls negatively from the long-term perspective, while using the third method repeatedly might result in some change of feeling.
This is the method we recommend if the balls are dirty from outdoor juggling (or using them in other dirty environments).
Besides it is least invasive, it is also easy and quick: unlike the other two methods, you do not need to let them dry.
To clean the balls, wipe them with wet wipes, applying medium pressure. Start with the most dirty spots and make your way to the less dirty areas. Don't worry about sliding down the seams: that's absolutely safe to do!
This is a more invasive method because it involves water getting inside the balls. It is totally fine since Infinities are water resistant, but two things should be noted: you should let Infinities dry well every time they get wet, and contact with water can make the balls turn slightly softer.
This method is useful when you do not have wet wipes, or when there is dirt stuck in the seams and you cannot remove it in another way.
To use this method, put Infinities under lukewarm running water, and gently wash their surface with soap using your fingers.
Once again, do not forget to let Infinities dry well – leaving them in fresh air can help speed up the drying.
This is the method that gives your juggling balls a full, inside-out wash. It may be useful after you juggle Infinities in a natural lake or spill a sweet drink on them.
The disadvantage of this method is that the balls will turn noticeably softer, because being soaked in the soapy water makes the leather more elastic, plus they get some beating in the washing machine.
If you want to use the washing machine method, throw Infinities into the washing machine and wash on a mild program at 30 °C (=90 °F). Then as usual, let Infinities dry well (ideally in fresh air) before putting them in a bag.