Having a pool table at home might be the best kind of furniture to display, use to hone your skills, or show off while having some friends over to relax with a couple of games. Any well enjoyed table will start looking unkempt or be the subject of stains with continued use. Might it be a spilled beverage or a chalk pod that found its way into the table accidentally, stains will surely appear and it is best to take care of them promptly to avoid the felt on the surface to get permanently damaged.
The best method to properly clean a pool table will greatly depend on the kind of stain and amount or size of it. Since the top of the pool table is made of a soft fleece felt fabric so the balls can glide smoothly to the pockets, it will actually catch a great deal of dust and grime that might stain it if not cleaned properly.
With a few easy steps, you will know how to clean a pool table by treating any kind of stain it may have, but you should also keep in mind some tips to prevent the table from getting any dirt in the first place.
Start by preventing.
Minimizing any potential mess is the first step to ensuring you keep your table clean and in great conditions should be a general rule of thumb to keep in mind when having people over and the overall use and handling around the game table.
Make it clear that no drinking or smoking should be conducted in the immediate premises to avoid any unfortunate mistakes from even happening in the first place. Chalk for the poles is something that will find its way eventually to the table, for this matter it should be used away from the table as well.
Keeping the table covered when not in use will protect it from accumulating dust over time and will be a light barrier for any accidents happening around it while not in use as well. A cover can be anything from a plastic tarp to an actual pool cover you can purchase online or at your local home store.
Other really good prevention tip, is to never use a full sized vacuum on your table, as well as avoiding heat to directly hit the felt, like when using a dryer to treat the aftermath of a stain, as this will affect the integral quality of the felt and might cause it to thin out or create wrinkles that will, sooner rather than later, be an obstacle when trying to enjoy a couple of games with friends. Treating your pool table with the most effective tools and methods will help you clean a pool table adequately, so it maintains its longevity and usability levels to the maximum, thus allowing you to enjoy it for longer.
Felt maintenance.
Since regular vacuums are not the gentlest option, and unless you own a fancy regulated vacuum with a pool table setting you might need to arm yourself with a pool table brush. If you indeed own a low-powered vacuum, use the upholstery nozzle with soft straight motions to clean the table. Otherwise, a pool table brush will be enough to sweep away all and any debris and particles in the way of the felt. For daily or weekly maintenance depending on use level, you can use spray-on table cleaning products for woolen cloth, this will charge the surface so you can wipe it down with a microfiber cloth.
When using a pool brush, the soft bristles designed for the table will aptly collect all the dust and chalk remains without damaging the fabric. For the best results, sweep in straight fluid motions, never circular. Start under the cushions, all around the table and into the pockets.
Brush from one side of the table straight to the other with the direction of the weave. Heavy strokes will most likely do the same damage as using a vacuum cleaner with high suction, so use gentle motions to clean a pool table. If you want serious power to remove chalk dust and seriously improve the quality of your felt, you can get a Simonis X-1 cloth cleaner that is patented to clean pool tables with the use of static and capillary action, when using this method avoid including spray cleaners and other liquids.
What to do for fresh spills.
A quick but accidental spillage is best treated on the spot. Using a dry clean towel, blot the zone of the accident gently and without rubbing, this will only drive the fluid deeper into the felt. Once you get most of the spill blotted, repeat this with another clean cloth, damp it with clear cold water and get the most from blotting the stain with it. Microfiber and undyed clothes are best for this job. After you are done blotting, let the table air dry completely, any attempts to play a game in this condition will only damage the felt further.
What to do for stains.
If any spillage occurred and wasn’t tended properly on time, it might possibly leave a stain, in which case, tending to it as soon and gently as possible is key to perfectly clean a pool table. The best way to do this is using the same method as we did with fresh spills but adding vinegar to our water. Since the stain might be dry, blot it with a damp cloth.
Dip the cloth in the watered down vinegar mixture first and proceed to blot away -not rub- the felt of your pool table. Depending on the stains origin and size, you might need to repeat this process for several rounds to completely get rid of them. After the stain has been taken care of, give the felt some time so it can air dry completely.
Other parts of the table.
Dust will accumulate in many other parts of your pool and it has many compartments and pockets for the balls to glide through. For these other parts, like the pockets, a damp microfiber cloth or the hose extension of your regular vacuum cleaner will remove the dust effectively with a few swipes, preventing any debris from transferring from the pockets to the balls, and from the balls to your felt.
The rails of your table are also prone to dirtying up as sweat, natural oils and many more factors can make their way into it and grime it up. Wipe them down with lemon oils, or citrus based products that have a polishing effect as well. Avoid silicon base products that will damage the finish of the wood.
