Your pool table’s performance and appearance depend greatly on the condition of its felt cloth. Because of this, it is imperative that table owners pay attention to felt care and maintenance. They make billiard cloth with a combination of wool and nylon fibers. Standard woolen felts are are evenly sheared off and Worsted style cloth are woven together. Both cloth styles can be damaged by chalk dust, dirt, liquid spills, pets and other things.
Chalkdust causes the most damage to pool table felt. It is very fine and abrasive and quickly works its way into the cloth. There, it begins to cut and wear on the fibers. Because everyone uses a lot of cue and hand chalk, it can build up rapidly. There are many opinions on how to deal with cleaning up this chalk. but Everyone, however, agrees that regular felt cleaning is a must.
Cleaning
Most important, is to do frequent cleanings before chalk has a chance to work its way deep into the cloth. Combine brushing the felt with a soft bristle bed brush (preferably a horsehair billiard brush) and gentle vacuuming. Use a light-powered vacuum cleaner. Brush the cloth lightly from the center of the table toward the pocket openings.
The use of a rail brush is handy for getting under table rails where the bed brush can’t reach. Brush dirt and chalk into the pocket openings where you can vacuum the accumulated dirt and chalk. Subsequently, you can use a light suction vacuum to go over the entire surface. Most importantly, be sure to use light suction as you do not want to lift or stretch the cloth.
Remove dirt spots, liquid spills and other stains using a commercially available pool table felt cleaner. Most importantly, clean up any visible spots and stains as soon as possible before they work their way deep into the cloth. It is best to follow the label instructions for the product, Most have you test the product on a hidden area first to determine colorfastness and fiber compatibility. Spray or apply a light coat to the soiled area and wipe clean with a dry cloth. Be sure to turn the cleaning cloth often to prevent reapplying deposits. But, do not scrub as this will deposit the soil further into the cloth. Repeat this process until soil is gone. It can take several applications to clean stubborn stains.
Follow these tips to keep your pool table felt in the best condition:
1. Regularly clean, brush and vacuum your pool table felt.
2. Clean pool balls when you clean your felt.
3. Clean dirt and liquid stains as soon as they occur.
4. Keep pets, drinks and liquids away from the table.
5. Monitor and train children in proper shooting techniques.
6. Keep all hard and sharp objects off the felt such as coins, keys, etc. to prevent cuts and tears.
7. Wash hands before playing to prevent the transfer of dirt and oils onto the table and cloth.
8. Chalk pool sticks away from the table and use a minimum amount of hand chalk only where it is needed.
9. Always use a quality pool table cover when the table is not in use.
