How to Properly Clean and Protect Pool Table Felt

• Clean dust and debris off the felt with a pool table brush. Move the brush in short, straight strokes in a single direction.
• Blot up spills right away with a dry, lint-free cloth. Let the cloth absorb the liquid as much as possible.
• Lift stains up with a damp microfiber cloth or pool table cleaner. Apply gentle pressure and rub at the stain in one direction.
• ​​Vacuum your pool table top only if you have a brush upholstery attachment with weak suction so you don’t damage the felt.

Brushing and Washing Pool Table Felt

Clean the pool table’s rails with a pool table brush. A pool table brush is the best tool to use for the felt since the soft bristles catch debris without pulling the fabric. Run your brush straight across the rail to pick any dust or debris that built up on the surface. If you need to reach under the rails, use the end of the brush with the longer bristles. Some dust and debris may fall onto the tabletop when you clean the rails, but don’t worry about it for now since you’ll brush it up later.

Brush the table top in one direction using straight strokes. All you have to do is start on one end of your pool table and brush toward the other side. Apply light pressure instead of scrubbing the surface with a lot of force. Move the brush in quick, short strokes so the dust collects at the other end of the table. When you reach the end of the pool table, simply sweep the debris into a dust pan and throw it away. Avoid brushing the debris into the pool table’s pockets since it could get on the balls and transfer back onto your table. Keep the bristles on the brush pointed down while you’re using it. If you flick the bristles up at the end of your stroke, you could spread dust back onto the felt. Brush your pool table felt at least once a week to prevent dust from building up.

Wipe the felt and pockets with a damp lint-free cloth. Wet a microfiber cloth with water and wring it out completely. Gently run the cloth over the table top in the same direction that you brushed the felt. Then, wipe out the insides of the pockets to clean them too. The cloth will pick up any dust and debris your brush left on the surface. Wipe your table top at least once a month to keep it clean. If the pockets are made of leather, wipe them with a leather conditioner instead. Avoid getting any leather conditioner on the felt since it could leave a stain.

Absorb spills right away with a white cotton cloth. Lay the towel flat on the spill so it absorbs on its own. If the towel gets completely wet, just replace it with a new towel and keep soaking up the spill until it’s mostly gone. Try to dry the spill as fast as you can so it’s less likely to damage or stain the felt. Avoid pressing the towel down since it may force the liquid deeper into the felt.

Remove spots with a cotton cloth damp with warm water. Blot the spill or spot with a white towel dampened with water. Gently wipe at the stain using straight strokes. Rinse the towel multiple times to pull up as much of the spill as possible. Never scrub at the spot in a circular motion because this will pull at and loosen the felt. After you have blotted the stain away with water, you can dab it with another dry towel to help it dry out faster. Then, allow it to air dry.

Use a pool table felt cleaner to treat stubborn stains. Felt cleaner is made specifically for pool tables, so it’s safe to apply without leaving any marks or stains. Just hold the can about 2–3 feet (61–91 cm) over the tabletop and coat your pool table in an even layer of foam. Right after applying it, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe up the foam and remove the dirt and debris.

Cleaning the Pool Table and Accessories

Wipe the pool table’s exterior with wood cleaner. You can use any standard wood cleaner or polish on your table. Start by spraying your wood cleaner onto a soft microfiber towel. Then, gently rub the cleaner into the exterior wood on the pool table’s rails and body. Clean the entire pool table to remove dust at least once a week so it doesn’t get too dirty. If your pool table is made of laminate or other synthetic surfaces, just use a microfiber cloth damp with soapy water. Avoid using glass cleaner on wood pool tables since it could ruin the finish. Try not to get wood cleaner on the pool table felt since it could leave stains or damage.

Clean pool cues with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. Wet a paper towel with your rubbing alcohol and gently rub it up and down the shaft of your pool cues. Clean your pool cue after each time you play to get rid of chalk dust or any debris from the table.

Wipe the pool balls clean with soap and water once a month. Dust and debris can stick to the balls and transfer back to the felt. Wet a cloth in soapy water and wipe each of the balls clean. Dry them off with a lint-free cloth when you’re finished. Avoid storing the balls in the pockets so that they rub against the felt. Over time, the felt could wear away and get damaged. Keep the balls in a rack or case off of the table.

Avoiding Common Cleaning Mistakes

Vacuum with a brush upholstery attachment at your own risk. Standard vacuum rollers and hoses have too much suction and could separate the felt from your table. While some experts recommend avoiding a vacuum altogether, a small handheld vacuum or a brush upholstery attachment usually has weaker suction. Carefully move the vacuum in one direction so you don’t damage the felt. Try to use a vacuum only every 3–4 weeks. Most times when you clean, you can get by just brushing the felt.

Keep soaps or harsh cleaners away from the felt. Any type of soap has the potential to leave stains behind when they dry on your pool table. Rather than risking the look of your table, stick to using water to remove stains on the surface. Skip using vinegar as a cleaner since it’s still harsh on the pool table felt even after you dilute it.

Avoid rubbing the felt in multiple directions. Cleaning your pool table using back-and-forth or circular motions pulls the felt, which could cause wrinkles on your table top. No matter what you’re using to clean your pool table felt, only wipe or brush it in one direction so the surface stays smooth.

Protecting Your Pool Table

Chalk your cue away from the table top. People often chalk their cues over the top of the table, but the fine grittiness of chalk can slowly wear away the felt. Keep the table top clean by always chalking your cue off to the side of the table rather than over the table’s surface. Don’t be afraid to tell guests that you don’t want them to chalk over the table. They won’t think about it if you don’t tell them, and it’s your table so it’s okay to have rules.

Keep food and drinks off of your pool table. Putting food and drinks on the felt or the rails could leave behind crumbs or spills. Place some stools or tables nearby, or put up shelves next to your pool table so you have somewhere to put snacks and drinks. Only set pool equipment, like balls or cues, on the table. Anything else should be off-limits. If you smoke while you play pool, keep an ashtray nearby. If ash gets into the felt, it may leave stains or make the fabric wear away faster.

Stop leaning against or sitting on the table. When you lean or sit on the edge of your pool table, you stress and damage the joints. Avoid putting your weight against the table when you’re making a shot, and keep a few chairs or stools nearby so you have a place to sit down when you’re waiting to shoot.

Keep your pool table out of direct sunlight. Changes in temperature and humidity can warp the wood on your table and cause it to crack. Maintain a consistent temperature in the room with your pool table so there isn’t a risk of it warping. If you have a window in the room, keep the blinds closed when the sun shines through it onto your table.

Cover your pool table when you’re not using it. Pool table felt attracts dirt and dust really easily, so put a pool table cover over the top when you’re finished playing. Keep the cover on so dust builds up on it instead of the felt tabletop. Even if you don’t have a cover and don’t want to buy one, lay a clean sheet, tarp, or blanket over the table for a quick fix.

Limit how many jump shots you attempt. Jump shots are when you hit the cue ball at a downward angle to hop it over another ball. If the cue hits the felt tabletop, it could leave white “burn marks” that you can’t clean off or remove. Even though a jump shot looks cool when you do it, you can usually find a way to bounce the ball off a rail to make your shot. If you really want to practice jump shots, get a small square of felt to put underneath the cue ball. That way, your cue won’t damage the top of your pool table.