How To Clean Your Air Hockey Table So It Lasts Longer
An air hockey table is the perfect addition to any game or recreation room. The game is an arcade classic that anyone can pick up and enjoy.
However, failing to keep an air hockey table clean can dramatically affect the longevity and enjoyment of your air hockey table.
Luckily, keeping your air hockey table clean is an easy process and the results can be seen for years to come. Here’s how to clean an air hockey table.
How Do Air Hockey Tables Work?
Before you can effectively understand how to clean an 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 get your air hockey table as clean as the day you set it up. All you need is:
Easy enough, right?
Let’s get into the cleaning process now so you can get back to playing sooner rather than later!
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.
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 leave your cleaning 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.
Featured Image via Pixabay
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make my air hockey table slippery again?
First and foremost, wax and clean the surface of the table, mallets, and pucks. Turn on the fan and wipe the top surface using a cotton cloth or microfiber towel. This should peel off the top layer of dirt that’s preventing your pucks from sliding as they should.
Next, use silicone lubricant spray sparingly. Depending on what spray you’ve bought, you will need to follow the instructions printed on the label to get the best results. The thing is you have to be cautious with how much you use because it can make the table extra slippery.
Afterward, make sure to clean the fan blower because it can trap dirt which may result in slowing down of the blades and dragging of the motor. Finally, consider covering the hockey table when it’s not in use. Even if you use the best wax and other similar products, dust can settle quickly, especially when you’ve left if unused for quite a while.
How do you fix dead spots on an air hockey table?
Use wax that’s specifically designed for air hockey tables and apply an even, thin coat, covering the entire surface. A thin layer will do a great job of smoothing out the surface of the table, but if you make the mistake of applying too much wax you can end up clogging some of the air holes, creating dead spots.
How big is an air hockey table?
As an example, a full-sized air hockey table is approximately 90 inches long and 50 inches wide. Therefore, in order to fit this table, the room should have at least a 10 foot by 7 foot of area. As a matter of fact, more the length of the table, higher will be its respective price tag. Of course, you can always look for tables that are larger or smaller to accommodate the play room as you see fit.
Nice article about cleaning well done.
A very informative article about in cleaning, thanks for sharing this one.
I saw you posted a really awesome article on how to keep your air hockey table clean. I’m sure others will find this helpful too!
I’m glad I found this! We recently got our air hockey table and it’s already a bit dirty. Everybody is too excited to get their hand on it. I can’t blame them though. Thank you for the tips. I will surely follow this.
This is both amusing and beneficial to me as a hockey player. Thank you very for sharing this much.
I learned so much from this blog. Very informative and detailed.
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Nice sharing, Thanks!