Playing pool goes well with some leisure. You will find yourself holding a beer or soda as you enjoy the game of billiards. Woe unto you if you happen to spill your drink on the felt without a cleaning plan on sight. The billiards table is an expensive addition to your man cave hence maximum care ought to be observed to keep it in the best possible condition.
Taking care of your felt is not limited to cleaning spilled drinks on the felt. It is an all-round maintenance affair. This includes cleaning the ever increasing chalk dust on the felt. There are numerous cleaner in the market today and you need to be extra careful before using them. Ensure you apply the recommended quantities of liquid cleaners or sprays on the felt. Excessive use of the products can harm the cloth leaving you at a worse state.
Every time you play pool on a clean and smooth surface, you enjoy the game more and your performance is greatly improved. This is the main reason why you need to learn and understand every tool that is used to clean the felt, the wooden frame, the cue sticks and all the other pool table parts. With the right equipment and excellent cleaning techniques, you will keep your game room conducive and maintain your personal hygiene standards.
Billiards Table Cleaners
We will dive into the tools that are readily available in the market today to help you clean your pool table by yourself.
Simonis X-1 Pool Table Cloth Cleaning Tool
This cleaning tool from Simonis has proven to be the best in table felt cleaning over the years. It makes everything very easy and gives you a peace of mind every time you play on your table. The tool is made to collect every chalk particle and any other dust particles on the felt with a single sweep. It uses static electricity and capillary action to hold on to the dust after extracting it from the felt. This eliminates the need to keep brushing the cloth from time to time, in real sense the traditional brush pushes the chalk and dust particle all over the cloth.
The handle is made of a non-slip cork material that gives you total control when cleaning the table. This tools does a thorough job even under the cushions as it is curved to get under the cushions comfortable without inuring the rubber or the cloth.
With this tool you totally forget using the vacuum cleaner and reduce the risk of spoiling your felt with the suction effect of the vacuum. With this tool you maintain the felt color and its texture giving you and excellent touch as you enjoy your game.
We recommend this Simonis Tool as a must have cleaning tool for every pool table owner. You will get value for every coin you pay for when acquiring it with the many years of quality felt on your tables.
Table Cleaning Quick Cleaner
If you are struggling with stubborn stains on your felt, then this is the best product for you. It takes care of most spill stains and burn marks on the felt. With the Quick cleaner you bid goodbye to the usual cleaning kits, brushes and vacuum cleaners.
The Table Cleaning Quick Cleaner works within a minute of spraying on the table hence you can use it and enjoy your game as soon as you are done with the cleaning. You do not have to worry about fine chalk particles clogging your felt affecting your table’s lifespan.
Just spray the felt and wait for a few seconds. All the dirt and dust particles will be lifted off the felt and you can easily wipe it out with a microfiber cloth. Just be careful when opening the cap as the spray nozzle is a bit flimsy and you can end up breaking it.
Game Room Guys Pool Table Felt Cloth Cleaner
If you are looking for an affordable cleaner that does the job, then this is the perfect choice. This is the most recommended cleaner for public pool tables and commercial pool tables. This is because you need just a little spray to get the job done and it is awesomely priced.
The manufacturer recommends that you use a vacuum first to get most of the dirt out before spraying. We however had great results even with heavily chalked tables without prior cleaning.
To get the best results spray and clean with a microfiber brush, if you do not like the result spray again after five to ten minutes and wipe again. You will get an excellent result with two or three sprays. It works even on stubborn stains from spills.
It is advisable to first test with a small portion of the felt to see if it affects the color of your felt. This product has a noticeable smell hence it’s advisable to open the window or door to allow for clean fresh air.
CUE CANDY Pool Table Cloth Cleaner Tool Felt Saver
Cue Candy has come up with a revolutionary reusable sticky roller that has changed the way pool tables are cleaned. This is a perfect addition in a game room where children play as they can easily clean the felt without having to worry of excessive use of chemicals or other expensive products. This is an awesome gift for any game lover too.
The felt saver works best on the felt and on the sides. Though the manufacturer says it works on the rails we found it to be a bit challenging. To use the tool, just roll it on the surface you want to clean. It will pick out all chalk, dust and pet hairs leaving your felt clean and ready to use. To reuse the roller clean it, rinse and reuse!
Suzo Happ Pool Table Cloth Felt Cleaner
Suzo Happ is known for its excellent removal of multiple stains on the felt. If you have been struggling with hardcore spills like colored coffee, then this is the right product for you.
This product can be used on any gaming table hence it is multipurpose. To use it on your table, shake it well, remove the cap and follow the dot on the valve cap to revolve the actuator.
It is advisable to spray the whole table for best results and to avoid patches on the table. Do not overspray the table, if need be you can respray after cleaning the first spray with a microfiber cloth. Use a new cloth for each respray to avoid reapplying the deposits on the cloth.
How to Clean Wooden Parts of the Pool Table
With some little love and attention, your pool table will always look new and clean not to mention that it will play faster for longer.
The wooden parts of the table can be tricky to clean. However, with a few tips listed here you will be good to go. The first thing is to treat the wooden part like any other wooden furniture. Once you spot any stains or spills, clean immediately with a damp cloth. This ensures that the stains are removed before they dry off and become hard to remove. Some chemicals can also erode the surface if left for long hence it is important to spring into action when you see some dirt.
The second thing is to furnish the wooden parts from time to time. You can use a citrus based polish to keep it shinny and glowing. It is important to read the instructions on the wood polish before using it for the best results.
How to clean the billiard table felt
Unlike the wooden parts of the table, the felt needs a little more care during the cleaning process. Glaring dirt spots on the felt make the table look old and unkempt not to mention that the many buildups of dirt and chalk dust forms barriers on the felt that deviate the balls and slows them as you play.
Use this step by step guide to clean your pool table cloth like an expert.
-
Remove the surface chalk
This is the first step in cleaning your cloth. Many experts recommend using a vacuum to remove the chalk. Though it’s a good option it is not the gentlest way to remove the dust. We recommend that you use low powered home vacuum if you will vacuum your felt. To avoid damage on the felt, attach an upholstery brush and use low suction. High level suction stretched the cloth leaving it loose on the table. Ensure you do a thorough job on the playfield, the edges corners and under the rails.
Dust can be stubborn on woolen cloths hence you might need to use spray on products like Quick clean to charge the articles from the felt for easy wiping off with a micro-fiber cloth.
Use of the spraying products is a better way to clean the felt when compared with vacuuming as it elongates the life of the felt since it has minimal fiber stretching and pilling.
-
Brush off the surface
Arm yourself with a pool table brush and start by sweeping under the cushions, sweep around the table and through the pockets. Make sure you use pool table brush as it is specifically made for cleaning the felt without harming it. Other brushes may have hard bristles that will leave damage marks on your cloth.
Always brush with the direction of the cloth in straight stokes all in the same direction. Avoid brushing in circles or using circular motions as it harms the felt surface. If you have woolen felt, strictly brush in one direction to maintain the directional nap. Use gentle sweeps and heavy strokes will stretch out the cloth fibers.
Get a small dust pan with soft edges and use it to collect the dust at the end of the table. Soft edges wont snag your felt as you lift up the dirt.
The Simons cloths have a special brush that works like magic on them. The Simonis X-1 Cloth Cleaner collects all the dirt on the table with a few gentle back and forth sweeps on the felt. A word of caution is that you should not use any spray products on the Simonis felt as they increase the chances of loosening the weave and will not reduce the chalk dust pilling.
-
Wiping the surface
Run a damp cloth preferably micro fiber on the surface of the table to pick out the dust that may have come on the surface of the cloth.
-
On the Spot Cleaning
Every spill should be dealt with immediately. Allowing it to sit is a recipe for disaster as it will form a permanent stain on the cloth. Use a clean cloth to blot up the liquid. Be keen and do not use a dyed cloth as it might leave color marks on your felt. Do not be in a rush to use paper towels too, though they absorb quickly, they also fall apart easily damaging your cloth with their split fibers.
So how do you handle a spill on the pool table? First get a clean cloth and place it over the spill. Press it down without rubbing and absorb as much liquid as the cloth can handle. The next thing to do is get another cloth and dampen it with cold water and use it over the stained area. Now, pick a dry cloth and press it on the spot again and absorb the liquids. Finally let the cloth dry naturally without covering your table.
Do not be tempted to play on a wet cloth as it leaves the cloth with holes. Let the felt sit until it is completely dry then enjoy your game.
Mistakes To Avoid When Cleaning a Pool Table Felt.
-
Never Use Warm or Hot Water
After a spill and an ugly stain on the felt, the first reflex is to pour a bucket of water which is okay.
However, you should at all times refrain from using warm or hot water as it makes the situation worse. Warm water make the stain messier and leaves a permanent mark on your pool table cloth hence it should be avoided at all costs.
-
Don’t Use Heat On the Surface
Just like warm water, Heat makes the situation worse when applied on a dirty spot on the felt hence it should be avoided.
Heat on felt should be avoided fully as it also worsens the quality of your playing surface.
-
Never Let The Stain To Stay
No matter how small the stain is, it should be removed ASAP. Do not reserve it for a future wash. Spring into action when you see a spill on your felt and it will save you from future problems.
Be extremely careful when colored substance like beer, chocolate or soda spill on your felt as they can deface your pool felt color.
Final Word
A little love and tender care will not harm your pool table. It is a huge investment hence some maintenance budget will come in handy to keep it looking and playing like new.
With great care your pool table will require minimal repairs. You will rarely have to refelt your table with excellent care.
Experts Tip: Always chalk away from your table at all times.
