How often to damp clothe table?
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I do mine once or twice a week, pretty much as needed. I use a less damp as possible microfiber cloth. I get my sink to just drip.. drip... drip and then fold the clothe up as small as possible and press real hard to even out moisture throughout rag/cloth. The vacuum wont get the hand greese/sweat built up transferred from ball to cloth off. I still do a very light delicate vacuuming to get off loose chalk/dust before I use the cloth. The guys who set up my table said I never need to vacuum it but I still do just cause I don't like the idea of rubbing chalk around on my cloth. A gentleman at Diamond said I could use a slightly damp cloth to clean the cushion area but I'm too scared to get any moisture in the cushions. I do clean the balls about everyday. The cleaner I keep them the cleaner my table stays. I've been doing this method for awhile now and havnt noticed any problems yet.
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I don't ever "damp cloth" my table.
First of all, the table is always covered whenever it is not being used.
It is vacuumed once per week with low suction using an attachment that won't lift or damage any cloth fibers.
A Simonis X-1 cleaner is used after vacuuming to capture any remaining chalk or dust particles through state electricity / capillary action on both the cloth and the rails.
The balls are run through a short polishing cycle as well.
The total time all of that takes is literally a few minutes once a week.
Using any kind of damp/wet cleaning agent couldn't be good for either the slate or the cloth NOT TO MENTION having little to no effect in actually lifting the microscopic chalk dust that may be in the cloth fibers. IMO.
BTW - most of the tables I have seen at friend's homes have numerous wet/damp/stain/cleaning spots on the cloth - usually in numerous places. From what I asked. Yes - damp cloth cleaning or using one of the numerous spray-type commercial cleaners they say. Go figure.
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First of all, the table is always covered whenever it is not being used.
It is vacuumed once per week with low suction using an attachment that won't lift or damage any cloth fibers.
A Simonis X-1 cleaner is used after vacuuming to capture any remaining chalk or dust particles through state electricity / capillary action on both the cloth and the rails.
The balls are run through a short polishing cycle as well.
The total time all of that takes is literally a few minutes once a week.
Using any kind of damp/wet cleaning agent couldn't be good for either the slate or the cloth NOT TO MENTION having little to no effect in actually lifting the microscopic chalk dust that may be in the cloth fibers. IMO.
BTW - most of the tables I have seen at friend's homes have numerous wet/damp/stain/cleaning spots on the cloth - usually in numerous places. From what I asked. Yes - damp cloth cleaning or using one of the numerous spray-type commercial cleaners they say. Go figure.
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I don't see how water is going to damage slate, and pool cloth is just like other cloth: getting it wet won't hurt it any more than getting your clothes wet when you wash them.
Further, a good wipe down with a damp cloth makes a huge difference in the way a commercial table looks and plays. Try it sometime.
I suppose if you really soaked a table it could damage the wood frame or the joint compound, but a damp rag doesn't hold that kind of volume.
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I use an X-1 and still agree with a wipe down with a damp cloth. You would have to have a very wet (not damp) cloth to do any damage to the joint compounds. I swear, a wipe down with a damp cloth not only aligns the fibers but also tightens up the cloth a bit ...although this may be completely in my own mind.
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I usually vacuum and damp cloth my table every time or two I shoot. It will not hurt anything. Obviously not soaking wet but I wring out a wet cloth as much as I possibly can and its all good.
I vacuum and wipe down my three cushion table (Gorino Granito M) once a month at the least.I use a slightly damp sponge on rails and cloth.I would suggest that you use a RANDOM ORBITAL motion when doing so or else you may end up with streaks.The damp sponge seems to keep the cloth tight.
I used to think it was taboo to ever wipe the cloth with anything containing water. After several well-respected AZers said it was OK I gave it a try. IMO it really brings out both the appearance and the playability.
I brush every day. Once a week I vacuum right after brushing. About once a month I brush, vacuum, and then wipe everything down with a damp microfiber towel.
I use a lot more water than most say they use. Not dripping, but wet enough so that I have to let the cloth dry for a few hours before I can play. Wetting the cloth seems to tighten it up again (once it dries), and it improves the rail gutters. The whole surface just seems more uniform. And it looks so freakin' good!
I brush every day. Once a week I vacuum right after brushing. About once a month I brush, vacuum, and then wipe everything down with a damp microfiber towel.
I use a lot more water than most say they use. Not dripping, but wet enough so that I have to let the cloth dry for a few hours before I can play. Wetting the cloth seems to tighten it up again (once it dries), and it improves the rail gutters. The whole surface just seems more uniform. And it looks so freakin' good!
Totally agree! I have always vacuumed using a brush that is used only for the table. Then I go over with a damp rag that is thoroughly wrung out. Really brings the color back out and looks great.
X-1 followed by a barely damp microfibre cloth every time I play.
Cloth is wool and nylon.
Cold water may cause the cloth to loosen and should be avoided
RealKingCobra recommends Hot water and Woolite when trying to remove stains.
Cloth is wool and nylon.
Cold water may cause the cloth to loosen and should be avoided
RealKingCobra recommends Hot water and Woolite when trying to remove stains.
I'd suggest you read what Simonis has to say about the care and maintenance of their cloth (I don't know what brand is on your table): http://simoniscloth.com/installation/cloth-care-maintenance
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Never!
Most people know how bad a humid table plays.....
....why make it damp on purpose?
Cop out
I find it very odd that a company like Simonis would tell it's consumers to contact their local dry cleaning business to find out how to remove stains from the cloth they make and sell. For craps sake are they to cheap and lazy to have figured it out for their customers or are there just so many possible stains they don't want to take the time to answer questions like that for their customers? I love the Simonis cloth I have, but gee whiz, quit counting the money for a minute and do some customer support stuff. Whew! Back to the thread, I like the way Real King Cobra does it.
I find it very odd that a company like Simonis would tell it's consumers to contact their local dry cleaning business to find out how to remove stains from the cloth they make and sell. For craps sake are they to cheap and lazy to have figured it out for their customers or are there just so many possible stains they don't want to take the time to answer questions like that for their customers? I love the Simonis cloth I have, but gee whiz, quit counting the money for a minute and do some customer support stuff. Whew! Back to the thread, I like the way Real King Cobra does it.
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Go ahead and get that cloth wet, and see what happens:wink:
Trust me when I say wool and nylon don't shrink when it gets wet!!! Wool is sheep hair and sheep's hair don't shrink up when it rains does it? Nylon, yeah that same kind of nylon you put on a fishing pole, don't shrink up when you cast a lure into the water does it??? Heat DOES however shrink both materials!!
Wet is an overstatement. We are talking about a quarter cup of water over an entire table, and some of that stays in the rag.
I never thought the cloth shrank after wiping, but it obviously picks up chalk.
You haven't said what bad thing will happen. Maybe it should be obvious to me but it isn't. Why should we not do this? I'm open to being convinced.
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Cloth stays tight because the fibers of the cloth are stretched like rubber bands, always trying to pull back into a relaxed position, but they can't because the cloth is stretched tight and anchored in that position. When I install simonis on a 9ft table, I stretch it very tight at 1 3/4" side to side, then tight as I can end to end, and trust me, the cloth is on tight as hell. But I know mechanics that wet the cloth first, then stretch it 6" side to side when they're installing it. So here's something to think about. If I can only stretch it 1 3/4" side to side when it's dry, where do you think all the rest of that 6" stretch is coming from, if it's not the fibers of the weave slipping on one another to allow the cloth to be pulled 6"? If you wet the cloth after its been stretched and installed other than surface cleaning it, you will do nothing but providing the lubricant for the fibers to lose their dry hold on each other, which is what's keeping the cloth springy tight. Wool/nylon don't shrink when it gets wet, it's not like cotton. Wash a wool shirt in a washing machine on cold, when you first take that shirt out and look at it, it looks bigger than it was before you washed it. Now throw it in the dryer on high heat. After it's dry, it'll never fit you again because it'll be way to small. Heat shrinks wool/nylon, water adds to making it lose is memory to shrink back to its original size.
Thanks for the info! You said, "other than surface cleaning it." Do you mean that wiping with a damp cloth is probably OK?
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