Care and Methods of Cleaning Antique Pool Tables

If you own antique pool tables, one of the most important things to remember is that you want it to last. One general rule is to never make a shot with the cue at an angle of more than 45 degrees (you might tear a hole in the felt), but cleaning the antique pool tables is even more important.

One of the biggest obstacles to keeping antique pool tables' felt clean is the fact that chalk powder will obviously get on it; you can't stop it. However, you can brush down your antique pool tables after each use. There are special billiard table brushes designed specifically for this purpose. It has the longest bristles on the edges for cleaning out the corners of the antique pool tables. With the center's shorter bristle, you can clean off all the bumper railings along the pool table.

Start cleaning your antique pool tables starting with the bumper railings. Any dirt up there might end up down on the playing area, and you don't want to have to do your work twice. From there, you should go toward the midsection of the antique pool tables and send all debris, dust and dirt outward to the pockets, making sure you don't leave anything behind. Now, you want to choose a pocket and just start going all around the table, brushing the accumulated dirt toward the next pocket. Go around the table.

After you clean the whole surface of the antique pool tables, you're ready to deal with the dirt in the pockets. Get a vacuum cleaner with appropriate attachments, or a hand-held vacuum cleaner, and suction the pockets out. Next, take a thin attachment and make your way around the table to make sure you get all the dirt out from the corners of the antique pool tables.

To maintain the look of your antique pool tables, you should polish the wood. This is the last step in the process. Just take your preferred furniture polish and wipe down the wooden surfaces once you're finished cleaning the felt. Don't forget to polish the legs and levelers regularly, even if you don't do them as much as the bumper railings.

One last way to preserve your antique pool tables is to cover them when they're not in use. There's really no special material that works better than others, except that some may leave lint on your felt. The choice is up to you.

You may have had quite a job of cleaning your antique pool tables for the first time. Just remember that it's easier to keep it cleaned on a regular basis than to try to remedy old problems. The fresh, new look is worth the trouble.