How do you release air from a ball?

At SoccerPro.com, we get asked a lot of questions about soccer balls. One of the most common questions concerns how to safely deflate a soccer ball. There are plenty of reasons you may want to deflate a soccer ball; you’re storing your ball for the winter, you’re an equipment manager who needs to save space while your squad travels, or you’re a Hall of Fame quarterback who just needs a little extra grip in wet conditions (never mind, that’s a different sport). Of course, like everything else, there’s a right and a wrong way to do it. Here are our expert tips on deflating a soccer ball.

Using an Inflation Needle

The best way to deflate a ball is to use an inflation needle. It usually doesn’t matter if the needle is attached to a pump or not, since most pumps allow air to escape when you’re not actively pumping air in. First, find the valve opening. Then, wet the needle (or lubricate it with a gentle oil, such as coconut oil), and slide it slowly into the valve. Keep in mind that the alignment with the bladder pipeline may have shifted during play, and you might need to shake the ball with the valve facing straight down to get it to line up again. Press the needle into the valve, and squeeze the ball gently. You should hear air leaving the bladder, and soon, your ball will be deflated.

Using Something Else

You should always use a needle to deflate your ball. But say, you’re in line at airport security, and you suddenly realize you need to deflate your ball to fit into your carry-on luggage (hey, it has happened). You can use a paperclip, or pen to force the valve open. Usually, this is fine, but sometimes it can damage your valve. If your valve breaks and you need a new ball, fear not. SoccerPro.com carries the latest Nike® soccer balls, adidas® soccer balls, and balls from other top manufacturers.

A soccer ball like any other ball has a valve that controls the flow of air in and outside the ball. The valve is a device with a spherical closure unit.

When the valve is positioned such that the bore is aligned in the same direction as the pipeline, it is in open position, and the air can flow outside the ball through it.

When rotated 90 degrees, the bore becomes perpendicular to the flow path meaning the valve is closed and air cannot pass through.

Due to the possibility of constant wearing on the bores, ball valves are not ideal for throttling applications. The body of the valve is usually made of steel and can be made more durable with nickel plating.

Most of the soccer balls are two-way, which allows the flow to travel precisely from the inlet to the exit. However, the three-way and four-way ball valves allow for current to move in multiple directions including 90-degree angles.

When deflating a soccer ball, one has to be careful not to tamper with the inner bladder or to make the valve hole too big when using a needle.

A soccer ball is deflated for many reasons like you want to store the ball, or you just want to take out a small amount of air if the soccer ball is over-inflated.

How to Deflate a Soccer Ball Guide

Hi there and welcome to our guide on how to deflate a soccer ball!

Here you’ll be able to learn:

• How to deflate a soccer ball with or without a pump.
• How to deflate a soccer ball with or without a needle. And,
• We will even show you a video on how to do it plus suggest the 5 best soccer ball pumps to help you do it.

How to Deflate a Soccer Ball with a Pump

A football ball can be deflated with an inflating pump. The inflating pump has an adapter needle that is used to inflate the ball.

Without this needle, a soccer ball cannot be inflated. This needle can also be used to deflate the association football ball.

The needle is moistened to smoothen so as to avoid wear and tear of the valves. It is then inserted into the valve of the ball; the air escapes out of the ball. If the desired amount of air is attained, the pump needle is slowly pulled out of the ball.

Best Ball Pumps

How to Deflate a Soccer Ball without a Pump

Sometimes you are on the football pitch and there is no needle, a pump or a refrigerator to deflate the soccer ball… all you need to have is a paperclip.

Just straighten the paperclip to look like a needle and moisten it using saliva or water. Insert it slowly into the ball’s valve and push it at a right angle to the center of the ball avoiding puncturing the inner bladder.

The air will get out through the space created by the paperclip up to the desired amount and then slowly pull out the paperclip to prevent any damages to the valve or bladder.

How to Deflate a Soccer Ball with a Needle

An inflation needle is one of the commonly used tools to deflate a football ball: you just need to insert it inside the black valve on the football ball.

Some people prefer that the needle should be lubricated with some water, saliva or spray lubricant so that the needle slides smoothly.

The needle should not be connected to a pump because the air inside the ball will not come out.

Slowly push the needle into the ball, making sure that you do not press the valve inside the football ball or puncture the inner bladder — both events will make the ball unusable; puncturing the inner bladder will call for another cost because it must be repaired for the ball to be useable.

Air starts coming out of the ball when the needle is inside the ball. When you begin to hear the hissing sound of air coming out from the ball, maintain the needle in that position. Hold the ball tightly and squeeze it to push the air out of the ball and prevent the needle from snapping.

TIP: Hugging the ball in your arms, standing or kneeling on the ball speeds up the process.

In case you want a small amount of air to come out of the football ball, just squeezing it with your hands is recommended.

Once the desired amount of air is out, slowly pull the needle out of the ball and store it in a safe place. Once the needle is out, the ball stops deflating.

How to Deflate a Football Ball without a Needle

If you want to deflate your ball and you realize you don’t have a needle, don’t worry.

Just use basic science to deflate the ball.

All you need is to clean the outside of the ball and remove all the visible dirt and debris from the surface.

Move things around the refrigerator to create room for the football ball on the top shelf. Place a cloth or dishtowel at the very back of the top shelf of the fridge and put the football ball on the cloth inside the refrigerator.

Air expands when it is heated and condenses due to cold. So you can use this method to regulate the amount of air inside your ball.

If you want a small amount of air to come out, you need to check the ball inside the refrigerator after a couple of hours.

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