Vacuuming cloth

DogsPlayingPool

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
This is a rather specific question. When vacuuming table cloth, in this instance 860HR (in case that matters), is it better to use a vacuum that has rotating brushes or does that possibly cause damage to the cloth or nap and it is better to rely on a vacuum that operates on suction/passive brushes only?

Thanks!
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
This is a rather specific question. When vacuuming table cloth, in this instance 860HR (in case that matters), is it better to use a vacuum that has rotating brushes or does that possibly cause damage to the cloth or nap and it is better to rely on a vacuum that operates on suction/passive brushes only?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

All your doing is sucking up chalk dust.
Use the hose and attachment, not the rotating brushes if you use a vacuum.
You can do just as well with a dustbuster.
 
Dartman said:
All your doing is sucking up chalk dust.
Use the hose and attachment, not the rotating brushes if you use a vacuum.
You can do just as well with a dustbuster.
Click to expand...

Thanks Dartman. I wasn't sure if the rotating brushes can help lift chalk that sinks into the cloth from your hands and balls rolling over it but was afraid they may cause some damage because they do rotate at a fairly high speed. My neighbor has an upholstery attachment to his vacuum that actually has rotating brushes just like the vacuum itself. Not sure if I wanted to use it.

Problem with the dust buster I have is the nozzle is not very wide. Perhaps I can find a portable that has a rectangular shaped attachment so I can vacuum the table in a reasonable number of passes.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
Thanks Dartman. I wasn't sure if the rotating brushes can help lift chalk that sinks into the cloth from your hands and balls rolling over it but was afraid they may cause some damage because they do rotate at a fairly high speed. My neighbor has an upholstery attachment to his vacuum that actually has rotating brushes just like the vacuum itself. Not sure if I wanted to use it.

Problem with the dust buster I have is the nozzle is not very wide. Perhaps I can find a portable that has a rectangular shaped attachment so I can vacuum the table in a reasonable number of passes.
Click to expand...

Rotating brushes are definitly not recommended due to the potential to damage the cloth.
Just use a flat (smooth) attachment. When done use a damp microfiber cloth and wipe down the cloth in one direction.
Done weekly keeps the cloth in good shape.
 
Dartman said:
Rotating brushes are definitly not recommended due to the potential to damage the cloth.
Just use a flat (smooth) attachment. When done use a damp microfiber cloth and wipe down the cloth in one direction.
Done weekly keeps the cloth in good shape.
Click to expand...

I agree with not using any vacuum with bristles,but wiping the cloth with anything damp is going to loosen the cloth from my experience.Any other thoughts on this anyone?
 
I use a cordless Dustbuster at home.

Sometimes you can think yourself to oblivion on something easy.

LWW
 
9-ball B said:
I agree with not using any vacuum with bristles,but wiping the cloth with anything damp is going to loosen the cloth from my experience.Any other thoughts on this anyone?
Click to expand...

It does loosen the cloth, but for only a short period of time. You can run an iron, set on a mdeium heat setting, over the cloth to dry it out or let it dry out naturally.
 
I think I found the perfect solution to my vacuuming needs. I found a Husky shop vac at Home Depot. Plenty of power to vacuum a table but not too much power that will suction up the cloth (as it says on the Simonis site, less is better). What I like about it is the price ($29.97) and the fact it is small and light weight. I have no problem holding it while I do the entire table.

One of the problems with the dirt devil type hand-helds is they don't come with a wide mouth nozzle so you have to make too many passes to get the job done and then still not sure if you covered the whole table.

And I didn't want anything with rotating brushes.

The Husky does not come with a wide-mouth nozzle but Home Depot had these for sale for $10 that fit the smaller 1 1/4" hose of the Husky so I picked up one of these. 6 or so passes with this 10" nozzle and the table is done. The nozzle comes with a passive brush for dry vacuuming and a louvered attachment for wet vac chores. I just don't use either one. The nozzle itself without the brush is nice and smooth and doesn't damage the cloth at all.

All in for $40.

Here's the links if interested:

Husky Shop-Vac

Wide nozzle

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Majic said:
It does loosen the cloth, but for only a short period of time. You can run an iron, set on a mdeium heat setting, over the cloth to dry it out or let it dry out naturally.
Click to expand...

This is true,but,if you have bees wax on your seams,this will melt it and mark your cloth.Maybe just iron around the seams...
 
Dartman said:
Damp cloth = completely wrung out. A damp microfiber cloth won't leave lint.
Good for removing chalk marks and picking up any residue left after vacuuming.
More here - http://www.simoniscloth.com/Simonis_cloth_care.htm
Click to expand...

Between you and Glen you've convinced me that's the way to do things. I vac first using a upholstery brush on a shop vac. The upholstery brush is kind of a pain in the butt as it's only about 3" wide and takes a lot of passes. But it turns out that it works very well because of that. The hairs on the brush are about 2" long so I really brush the cloth with it... as in making long brushing movement back and forth over and over and it really loosens the chalk and other dust and then grabs it.

After I'm done then I wring out the microfiber cloth and wipe everything making sure to get the rails and the pocket drops.

When Glen recovered my table with the 860HR I got this vac and it works great. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ame=All&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

I mounted it to a wall and got a longer hose. Easy to use and always handy.
 
QuickEdward said:
Damp=moisture
Moisture+Chalk Dust=MUD
Click to expand...

And then there are people who dont know what the hell they are talking about. This guy obviously has never tried this. Lets see if I can guess his line of thinking. chalk dust looks like dirt, dirt plus water equals mud, A HA! chalk plus wet cloth equals mud!!! So you can make mud pies on your pool table!!!

I really wish people wouldn't post if the dont know what the hell they are talking about!
 
I still vacuum but. . .

I picked up a Simonis X-1 It came in via UPS and I took it out of the box, I felt disapointed, It seemed small and just had a white pad on the bottom. It was heavier than I was expecting but I felt "well you just threw 90 bucks away" (this wouldn't be the first time).

My table had been vacuumed the day before and I had had about a four hour session the night before with a friend playing 14.1. I shot a couple of racks and noted my palm was getting blue (a sure sign I need to clean the table) I thought I would try the X-1.

I read and the followed the directions, the pad turned a little blue and the table "looked clean". I washed my hands and played six racks of 14.1 as practice and to dirty up the table again. After I played, I checked my hand it was still clean!

It worked! I don't know how or why but it does clean the chalk off the table and rails. I have used it a few more times since then and it has worked each time.
I still have to vacuum to get lint, dog hair and unfinished ceiling stuff off the table but the chalk dust is gone.

I can't say how many times I have been disapointed by a new product (I am an early adopter, still smarting from my betamax experience) it was refreshing to have a product work as claimed.

I have not vacuumed the X-1 yet I want to see how long it takes before it "gets full".

I first to complain when a product doesn't work, so I thought it only fair to report on one that does work.

Demo
 
Last edited:
vacuuming

Is vacuuming the recommended way to clean the X1? I have an electrostatic device I use to clean my cloth and when I vacuumed it to clean it, it shredded.
 
pocketpared said:
Is vacuuming the recommended way to clean the X1? I have an electrostatic device I use to clean my cloth and when I vacuumed it to clean it, it shredded.
Click to expand...

According to the Simonis website, it can indeed be vacuumed:

X-1 website

DogsPlayingPool said:
I think I found the perfect solution to my vacuuming needs. I found a Husky shop vac at Home Depot. Plenty of power to vacuum a table but not too much power that will suction up the cloth (as it says on the Simonis site, less is better). What I like about it is the price ($29.97) and the fact it is small and light weight. I have no problem holding it while I do the entire table.

All in for $40.
Click to expand...

PRICE CHECK! I went into Lowe's today and their $30 Shop-Vac is on sale for $20. Plus it has a little more power (2.5HP compared to 1.75 for the Husky at H.D.). And I like the 10" wide nozzle they have at Lowe's better, it is flatter on the bottom so it will lay more flush to the cloth.

All in now for $30.
 
DogsPlayingPool said:
According to the Simonis website, it can indeed be vacuumed:
Click to expand...

You can vacuum it or tap it against your hand to shake the dust out.
Tapping against a hard object is not recommended. The white pad will
become the color of the chalk but this is normal. The pad is supposed to
hold the equivalent of a cube of chalk. The directions that come with the
X1 are rather straightforward for use.

As a side note - you'll keep most animal hair, lint and other stuff in the
air from settling on your table simply by putting a cover over it. Even a
sheet or some painters plastic will save some cleaning time.

FWIW I doubt Simonis would introduce a product that didn't work.
Granted it's pricey - like all other Simonis products.
 
I found this lint roller at the store, It's about 10"wide and works great. Gets anything on the table including the chalk. When it gets less sticky I tear off the sheet and it's ready to go again... I brush the table now and then but use this everytime I play... Works great...Made by Evercare Large Surface Lint Pic-Up....

roller.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top