Pool Cue, Table, and Ball Care - How to Clean and Maintain

[dr_dave]

Good Video Doc , I enjoyed it.

Thanks. I'm glad to hear it.

I clean my Sons table the exact way except i use a Dirt Devil hand held car vac with the brush removed. It cleans good and is powerful. I also clean the balls the same. Some people say you can wash the balls with a mild soap but I always thought it would take away from the shine. I like the Aramith cleaner myself.

People use all sort of cleaning and polishing products on pool balls, and most of them create problems with playing performance (mostly throw characteristics that can change dramatically with play). For more info, see the videos and info here:

Ball Cleaning and Surface Treatment Effects​

 

[dr_dave]

I have read on AZ somewhere that some believe the Magic Erasure could be a bit abrasive and will wear down the shaft a bit.

I don't think Magic Eraser is abrasive at all. It is amazing stuff, being able to lift all dirt and even stain from a shaft without abrasion. Those green scouring pads people use are another story ... they are abrasive.

I do believe you need something slightly abrasive to clean a really dirty cue, but would not do it too often. So I no longer use it. I use only alcohol and on rare occasion my cleaner of choice...Cue Doctor....https://www.billiardwarehouse.com/accessories/cuestix-2014/SPSC03.html. Still an abrasive so used sparingly.

Try Magic Eraser. I was shocked how well it cleaned the wood shaft in the video. That shaft had many years of play on it and had never been cleaned except with occasional wipes with damp paper towels.

 

[ChrisinNC]

I don't think Magic Eraser is abrasive at all. It is amazing stuff, being able to lift all dirt and even stain from a shaft without abrasion. Those green scouring pads people use are another story ... they are abrasive.



Try Magic Eraser. I was shocked how well it cleaned the wood shaft in the video. That shaft had many years of play on it and had never been cleaned except with occasional wipes with damp paper towels.

A Magic Eraser with a dab of denatured alcohol is also awesome for removing black miscue / scratch marks off cue balls.

 

[pwd72s]

Many thanks! I could have stopped after the cue care only, but kept watching in case I win a lottery and then have a new home with space for a home pool room.

 

[dr_dave]

A Magic Eraser with a dab of denatured alcohol is also awesome for removing black miscue / scratch marks off cue balls.

That Magic Eraser stuff truly is magical.

 

[dr_dave]

Many thanks! I could have stopped after the cue care only, but kept watching in case I win a lottery and then have a new home with space for a home pool room.

You're welcome. Good luck with your lottery chances!

 

[dr_dave]

FYI, I just posted a new video that demonstrates how to clean, maintain, and care for a pool cue, a pool table, and pool balls. Check it out:

Contents (with timestamp links):
0:00 – Intro
0:24 – Cue Care
2:12 – ---- carbon fiber
3:29 – Cue Tip Care
4:16 – ---- shaping
6:22 – Table Care
7:43 – ---- vacuuming and wiping
10:47 – Ball Care
11:46 – ---- cleaning and buffing
12:54 – Wrap Up
13:30 – ---- montage

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!

Does anybody else have any "tips" to offer that are not mentioned in the video or in the discussion above?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[dquarasr]

Would a $20 or even a $100 bill burnish the cue shaft better than a $1 bill? (grin)

 

[dr_dave]

Would a $20 or even a $100 bill burnish the cue shaft better than a $1 bill? (grin)

Good point, but it goes against my nature to abuse a bill worth more.

 

[DaveK]

larger brush attachment would be nice; although, if it is too big, there is much less suction, so there is a tradeoff there.

This has been my experience. I use the upholstery brush, it cleans much better due to the greater suction (I tested both years back, using the upholstery brush AFTER the floor brush you can tell the difference ... ya, the table was pretty dirty when I did the test).

Dave

 

[dr_dave]

This has been my experience. I use the upholstery brush, it cleans much better due to the greater suction (I tested both years back, using the upholstery brush AFTER the floor brush you can tell the difference ... ya, the table was pretty dirty when I did the test).

Dave

That has been my experience too. I guess it depends on how strong your vacuum is. If you have a powerful vacuum, a larger attachment is probably better.

 

[fishblade2]

I am late to this party but Dave, in regards to pool ball cleaning, I see many sites that state for resin balls to use hot water with either dawn soap or detergent, let sit for 5-10 minutes, take out and scrub with a microfiber cloth, place in a bucket of cold water for a few minutes and then take out and dry immediately. Would this be every something you would recommend before doing the Aramith pool ball cleaner to polish them up?

 

[rexus31]

I am late to this party but Dave, in regards to pool ball cleaning, I see many sites that state for resin balls to use hot water with either dawn soap or detergent, let sit for 5-10 minutes, take out and scrub with a microfiber cloth, place in a bucket of cold water for a few minutes and then take out and dry immediately. Would this be every something you would recommend before doing the Aramith pool ball cleaner to polish them up?

This is incorrect. Dishwash detergents such as Dawn will ruin the finish on phenolic pools balls. Pool balls should not touch water or any aggressive detergent. You should only use products specifically intended for use on phenolic pool balls as they contain no harsh detergents, silicones and minimal wax. Aramith Ball Cleaner, Aramith Ball Restorer (only if the balls are in really bad shape), Ballstar Cleaning Solution and Tiger Product Ball Cleaning Solution are all good choices. Less is more when applying these products especially if you plan to use them in a ball cleaning machine.

 

[fishblade2]

Rexus, thank you for the reply! I thought that was the case, but I just saw several different sites stating this. I decided to dive into forums here where I could get the facts.

 

[dr_dave]

I am late to this party but Dave, in regards to pool ball cleaning, I see many sites that state for resin balls to use hot water with either dawn soap or detergent, let sit for 5-10 minutes, take out and scrub with a microfiber cloth, place in a bucket of cold water for a few minutes and then take out and dry immediately. Would this be every something you would recommend before doing the Aramith pool ball cleaner to polish them up?

I see no reason to go through all these steps. Aramith ball cleaner is all that is needed. And as rexus31 points out, using aggressive detergents is not recommended. For more info, see the 3rd video and other info here:

ball cleaning and surface treatment advice​

 

[Chip Roberson]

Does anybody else have any "tips" to offer that are not mentioned in the video or in the discussion above?

Thanks,
Dave

Try using the Toam V10 chalk and the X1 cloth cleaning pad, clean the table about 4 times the way you already do it and watch how much longer it will be before you need to clean your table again. I'm play 2 to 3 hours and my hands are clean to the point , no one think I had been around a table. If this is your home table , this will work great , in a room not so much