How To Clean Your Air Hockey Table So It Lasts Longer

How Do Air Hockey Tables Work?

Before you can effectively understand how to clean your air hockey table you need to have a complete understanding of how an air hockey table works.

Each table is built symmetrically with perfectly aligned holes drilled through the playing surface. An air pump pushes a steady stream of air through these holes which creates a frictionless playing surface for the puck to travel. This gives the illusion of a puck travelling on slippery ice.

Dirt, grime, and debris can affect the playing surface in a variety of ways.

Keeping a clean air hockey table can ensure that every game is as good as the last. Plus, your friends won’t have any excuses when you beat them!

Gather Your Materials and Tools

Before you dive into cleaning, make sure you have everything you need ready and within reach. This will make the total cleaning process very quick and convenient.

You won’t need much to clean your air hockey table and make it look like it did on day one. All you need is:

Easy enough, right?

Let’s get into the process of how to clean your air hockey table so you can get back to playing!

No Elbow Grease Required

An air hockey table is often made of a thin sheet of wood or plastic. When in doubt, lighter is better while cleaning your air hockey table.

First, turn on the air pump. This will prevent any additional dirt, dust, or debris from getting into the holes and blocking the air flow while you are cleaning.

Now, use your vacuum cleaner to suck up any dirt or dust that may be present on the playing surface.

If possible, remove any attachments that require contact with the playing surface. Hover the vacuum hose over the playing surface as close as you can without touching. Pick up as much dirt and dust as you can.

The next step is to use a damp cloth.

Be sure you have chosen a non-abrasive cloth for this job. Leave the steel wool under your kitchen sink for this cleaning. Gently run the damp cloth across the playing surface to pick up any dirt or dust that was left behind by the vacuum cleaner. Be sure to get the corners of the air hockey table as clean as possible. This will allow the pick to travel around the edges of the playing surface more easily and make the game much more smooth and fun.

Finally, dry off the playing surface with a towel.

This is especially important if you want to start playing again right away. Drying up any leftover water is also helpful in preventing dust from sticking to the playing surface as it settles.

Once you’re done cleaning your air hockey table. Turn off the air pump if you aren’t planning on playing right away. Otherwise, grab your paddle and jump right in.

Save Stress with Regular Cleaning

Just like you probably vacuum your home more than once a year, you should also clean your air hockey table on a regular basis.

The cleaning process can be done very quickly and the few minutes required to clean your air hockey table can go a long way in preventing issues like clogged air holes.

If you wait to clean your air hockey table until the dirt and dust have built up quite a bit then you may find that your cleaning process takes a lot longer than a few minutes and it may be almost impossible to remove some blockages without further maintenance.

If you have invested in this fun game for your home then you’ll want to make sure your investment lasts for years to provide plenty of entertainment. Make a cleaning schedule and stick to it. A little bit of effort will go a long way in making sure your air hockey table works like new for a long time now that you know how to clean an air hockey table.