How to clean your pool table felt and get rid of stains is an important task if you want to keep its appearance and functionality for a long time. But be careful! You have to follow the correct process, if you do not, this may cause some damage difficult to repair.
That is the reason why we are going to give you a complete guide to make it without any risk!
The brushing
The first thing you have to do in order to clean your pool table felt is to brush the surface. But wait! You will need a pool table brush. This tool can be easily identified thanks to its ends, at least one of them. The bristles should be longer in that part, and they have to be softer than usual too.
To clean the pool table felt with the brush without any risk of damage, you must avoid back and forth or circular movements. Instead, use straight and light movements from one corner to the other. Also, be sure you cover the small spaces under the rail with the longer bristles.
The next step of the brushing in order to clean your pool table felt may be kind of controversial. Some people may use the vacuum, others do not.
The pros and cons? Pros are a little obvious. You can remove all the dirt accumulated by the brush easily, but the cons may involve real damage. If the vacuum has a good suction power, with just a single pass you can detach the felt.
So, a smart trick? If you are going to use the vacuum, do it with caution, light suction power and always with a crevice and an upholstery tool. But remember, you always must use a dustpan with rubber protection.
Another thing to consider at the moment of cleaning your pool table felt, is to start brushing the rails. This way, all the dirt and chalk dust that may fall into the playing area or the pockets can be cleaned later all at once.
How to clean pool table felt stains
As the brushing should be something similar to a maintenance routine for your pool table felt, stains are another whole other level.
Just to be clear, if any liquids are spilled on the felt, that is a priority case number 1! Run and clean it immediately! Take a clean dry cotton or microfiber cloth and use it to blot the stain or the area, and do not rub! If the stain has been absorbed, use another dry cloth to blot any dampness on the felt.
Sometimes, these kinds of situations can lead to a stubborn stain. In that case, in order to clean the pool table felt stains, you want to proceed with caution, and if you are tempted to use detergent or soap forget it!
The actual way to get rid of that difficult stains is using warm water, again, with a clean microfiber or cotton cloth. Wet the cloth and wring out the excess of water. Then, use the damp cloth pressing directly on the stain. You can maintain the cloth over the stain for about 10 minutes. If the stain still there after that, repeat the process, but be careful not to saturate the felt.
If the stain persists, you can always use a specific foam cleaner indicated for pool table felt.
Other elements you want to keep clean
To clean your pool table felt is a must, but there are other parts that will need maintenance. Those are the wood, the pockets, and the balls.
The easiest one to clean is the wood. You just require a wood cleaning product. Never use soaps or abrasive detergents, or furniture cleaning products containing wax, as these types of products form a sticky layer on the surface that attracts dirt.
As for the pockets, you have two options, the vacuum cleaner or a damp cloth. One thing can lead to another, so, in case you decide to choose the vacuum, remember what we said previously about using it always set to low suction power.
And the balls… Easy-peasy. With a little bit of water and soap, both mixed, you have everything necessary for the task.
First, wipe the balls with a cloth previously dampened with the mixture. Then, you can run each ball underwater in order to remove the soap that may remain. To finish, you can use another dry cloth, to dry them or allow them to air dry.
Prevent the felt to get dirty
The best way to keep the felt clean is with good prevention. This is why you should be familiar with these care and cleaning techniques, but also try to apply them as part of a routine.
If you are an average recreational pool player, with just one brushing per week should be enough. The more you play, the more you should clean the felt.
Another great option is to establish a rule while you are playing, no food or drinks around the pool table. This will help you to avoid stains and keep a good performance of the felt.
When you are not playing, due to random incidents or the action of dust, the pool table felt can also be stained. The best way to prevent this is to invest in a pool table cover or top.
With these tips, you will be able to keep your pool table and its felt as good as new! Millions of exciting games await you! Just have tons of fun and be sure to continue enjoying the same performance, only investing a few minutes of your time. There is no best way to assure years and years of amazing games!
