Table cleaning -- How do you do it?

9BallPaul

9BallPaul

Banned
Never gave a hoot about clean tables when I came up as a player. But after acquiring my own table a year ago, I've become a fanatic. Yes, it's a neurosis, but harmless.

Here's my system: I started with the brush, which was satisfying yet never really cleaned the table. The principle problem in my room is chalk, but there's cigarette smoke, air pollution, you name it. Soon I began cleaning the table with a green product made by Clorox, and that worked pretty well for a long time.

Recently I started using a spray bottle of Simple Green, and the stuff is amazing. It seems to disolve the chalk instantly. After spraying the table, I wipe it down with microfibre towels and then finish -- for no other reason than tradition -- with a brush down.

Now my table can be tournament ready withing a few minutes.

What's your method?
 
I don't use baby powder or any hand powder at all. I think that stuff really causes havoc. I use a hand held mini-vac that does the trick. Every month or so I take a damp cloth and wipe it. Seams to bring back the speed a hair. Done.
 
atthecat said:
I don't use baby powder or any hand powder at all. I think that stuff really causes havoc. I use a hand held mini-vac that does the trick. Every month or so I take a damp cloth and wipe it. Seams to bring back the speed a hair. Done.
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I agree a good old fashioned damp towel can do wonders to even the worst tables..
 
9BallPaul said:
Never gave a hoot about clean tables when I came up as a player. But after acquiring my own table a year ago, I've become a fanatic. Yes, it's a neurosis, but harmless.

Here's my system: I started with the brush, which was satisfying yet never really cleaned the table. The principle problem in my room is chalk, but there's cigarette smoke, air pollution, you name it. Soon I began cleaning the table with a green product made by Clorox, and that worked pretty well for a long time.

Recently I started using a spray bottle of Simple Green, and the stuff is amazing. It seems to disolve the chalk instantly. After spraying the table, I wipe it down with microfibre towels and then finish -- for no other reason than tradition -- with a brush down.

Now my table can be tournament ready withing a few minutes.

What's your method?
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Always clean in one direction Head to foot I think is the norm, it helps to keep a consistent surface on the table. I have always regularly swept them the same pattern every time, wash the balls regularly, wash your hands before you play and don't chalk your cue over the felt and things wont get dirty. As for hand chalk if you clean the shafts on your cues and your hands are clean you don't need it. Higher quality felt seems easier to keep clean then the economy stuff to me, it doesn't have all the little balls that gather up dust. I work my cue shafts on a lathe so it is easier to keep them smooth but a damp rag to wipe them down followed by a dry rag won't hurt your shaft. I am a cue builder and I understand not wanting the to apply moisture to the shaft but it won't hurt a thing if you don't get carried away. After it is clean take a dollar bill and rub hell out of the shaft and you won't need the hand chalk. Or if you can get the shaft rotating a piece of 1000 grit sandpaper cleans them up nicely. As for things like simple green I would look at the ingredients to determine if whatever was remaining after the cleaning was deteriorating the felt, additionally as the cleaning continues the cleaner itself will build up in the felt I would wonder if it was anything that the balls would pick up after it was built up in the felt. Brand new clean balls act much different when they are tied up then crusty old smoke or cleaner drenched balls do. Food for thought
 
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I've been cleaning my home table and our local bar's 3 tables the same way for years now and our bar is known for having the best/cleanest tables around. I start by using a shop vac and vaccuming the table top first to remove whatever loose chalk dust I possibly can from the playing surface. I NEVER use a brush first! It tends to just push the chalk down into the felt and I do not want that. After vacuuming, then I get a clean towel and soak it with HOT water and ring it out as best I can and work over the table in 1/4's rinsing out the towel for each 1/4. You'd be amazed how much color/chalk comes off the table even after a full vacuuming. After I let the table's felt dry up, which doesn't take long if you use really HOT water, then I will brush it down. I do the vacuuming/brushing once/week and the vacuumong,scrubbing w/hot-wet towel, brushing at least once/month and the tables stay in great shape even after heavy usage on a regular basis.
 
I alternate daily maintenance methods using just water or Quick Clean on a microfiber or vac w/a revolving brush. Yes... I know that folks say not to use the vac w/the revolving brush but The Dirt Devil Ultra works fine for 8 years now with no problems. I clean the balls daily and wash hands before and during play. I chalk away from the table and I hold the chalk in my grip hand with the tip/shaft horizontal or slightly upside down... with the butt up, so the chalk falls on the floor.. NOT on the shaft.
 
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IA8baller said:
I've been cleaning my home table and our local bar's 3 tables the same way for years now and our bar is known for having the best/cleanest tables around. I start by using a shop vac and vaccuming the table top first to remove whatever loose chalk dust I possibly can from the playing surface. I NEVER use a brush first! It tends to just push the chalk down into the felt and I do not want that. After vacuuming, then I get a clean towel and soak it with HOT water and ring it out as best I can and work over the table in 1/4's rinsing out the towel for each 1/4. You'd be amazed how much color/chalk comes off the table even after a full vacuuming. After I let the table's felt dry up, which doesn't take long if you use really HOT water, then I will brush it down. I do the vacuuming/brushing once/week and the vacuumong,scrubbing w/hot-wet towel, brushing at least once/month and the tables stay in great shape even after heavy usage on a regular basis.
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Props to you for even cleaning the bar tables! Virtually all of them (around here anyways) are left to succumb to the ravages of time and dirt. The most oft cited reason is, "People are hard on the equipment and they don't really care anyway."
 
If you visit websites like overstock.com and search vacuums / hand held ... You will find some good choices under 40 or 50 bucks. Personally I like the ones that "don't" have the rotating brush.
 
When I first got my table I came here to see what people said to do on cleaning a table , I've got Simonis 860 and my first thing i do is vaccum it with just enough suction to get all chalk and whatever seems to be on the table then i get a towel with hot water and ring it out and do that and the cloth looks brand new everytime i do that it works for me .
 
9BallPaul said:
Never gave a hoot about clean tables when I came up as a player. But after acquiring my own table a year ago, I've become a fanatic. Yes, it's a neurosis, but harmless.

Here's my system: I started with the brush, which was satisfying yet never really cleaned the table. The principle problem in my room is chalk, but there's cigarette smoke, air pollution, you name it. Soon I began cleaning the table with a green product made by Clorox, and that worked pretty well for a long time.

Recently I started using a spray bottle of Simple Green, and the stuff is amazing. It seems to disolve the chalk instantly. After spraying the table, I wipe it down with microfibre towels and then finish -- for no other reason than tradition -- with a brush down.

Now my table can be tournament ready withing a few minutes.

What's your method?
Click to expand...


About once a week I vacuum (hand attachment no moving bristles) going real slow. After that I use the "Quick Clean" and a towel. My rails get a wipe down with Jubilee and the balls are polished with pure carnuba.

I also vacuum out the ball box and wipe the pocket liners with a damp paper towel. About once or twice a year I get underneath and wipe the ball return.
 
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