Cloth cleaning - why not vacuum cleaner?

[frieren]

Doing some researches before having a private table. Just a little bit of curious - why not use vacuum cleaner instead of just brushing when cleaning the cloth? Vacuum cleaner with hard brush heads (I.e Dyson) literally removes the dust & chalk from the table. Brushing just forces the dust move from baulk side to the top side, while remaining a lot behind.

The interference to the nap may be equivalent between brushing and low-pressure vacuum cleaning (just to remove chalk residue). IMO the difference is just where the nap ends up - in the filter or on the rails.

Modern slate fillers are resistant to vacuum as they are less likely deteriorate into powder.

There was also a case of vacuum cleaners used in a tournament (cleaning the orange powder poured by a protestor). Cordless vacuum cleaners with proper brush heads and HEPA filter seem dust-free, more thorough and more feasible for the cleaning job. Is there a reason, or evidence, that vacuum cleaners may harm the cloth / table more than brushing, or just a habit?

Thanks!

[DeanH]

Can you guarantee that your table has "modern slate filler"?

"orange powder" event - one off, with many fitters in attendance to correct anything wrong and in the end they did not play after vacuuming the powder but stripped the table, checked everything including gap fillers and new cloth, etc. so I would not take that as an ok to vacuum your own table

Also some say that vacuuming raises the fibres in the cloth too much that it takes longer to lay them back down than if you just use the age-old tried and tested, brushing, napping (optional), and ironing, which each process ensures the fibres are still in good alignment

If you want to use a vacuum - go for it - and in a year or so let us know how it is going, and then when you change the cloth let us know.
Be interesting to know.

[maryfield]

We have used Henry hoover with attachment for over 35 years. Never had an issue. When cloth is changed there isn’t a speck of chalk left in the cloth. Chalk powder is abrasive and forcing into cloth is not good. Nor is breathing it in and not conducive to a clean room. Brushing sends the chalk airborne.

[Cue crafty]

The problem with the old clubs I play in is that they don't really deep clean them.....ever.... I can write my name on the legs there's so much dust!! When we brush the tables the ploom goes up in the air and it's horrible 😷!! You can also see brownish lines in the cloth from the amount of dust impregnated into it when you block.

Glad to hear a vacuum is an option, I think it could really help. The cloths are changed once a year so the slates fillers gets checked.

[maryfield]

Here is an eBay link to the type of tool we use. To use it, attach to hoover hose and use in same way as napping block. With the nap. Removes dust and blocks the nap in one go.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141563480...xoCiJ4QAvD_BwE

[itsnoteasy]

Here is an eBay link to the type of tool we use. To use it, attach to hoover hose and use in same way as napping block. With the nap. Removes dust and blocks the nap in one go.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141563480...xoCiJ4QAvD_BwE

What do you use as slate filler?

[frieren]

Can you guarantee that your table has "modern slate filler"?

"orange powder" event - one off, with many fitters in attendance to correct anything wrong and in the end they did not play after vacuuming the powder but stripped the table, checked everything including gap fillers and new cloth, etc. so I would not take that as an ok to vacuum your own table

Also some say that vacuuming raises the fibres in the cloth too much that it takes longer to lay them back down than if you just use the age-old tried and tested, brushing, napping (optional), and ironing, which each process ensures the fibres are still in good alignment

If you want to use a vacuum - go for it - and in a year or so let us know how it is going, and then when you change the cloth let us know.
Be interesting to know.

Oh I don't know the things happened after the table was vacuum cleaned😥 I'm in a place where cloth is quite expensive (No10 £145/meter, 6m requried for table+cushion) but labor is cheap (~£100 for reclothing + cushion, Xingpai official fitter). I'll take a try and report then.😖 To be honest I never own a billiard table before.

Thanks DeanH!

[frieren]

We have used Henry hoover with attachment for over 35 years. Never had an issue. When cloth is changed there isn’t a speck of chalk left in the cloth. Chalk powder is abrasive and forcing into cloth is not good. Nor is breathing it in and not conducive to a clean room. Brushing sends the chalk airborne.

Appreciations for the experience shared! The abrasiveness of the chalk residue is also hostile to the nap. I'll take a try with the default No10 and examine the performance of the cloth overtime.

[frieren]

The problem with the old clubs I play in is that they don't really deep clean them.....ever.... I can write my name on the legs there's so much dust!! When we brush the tables the ploom goes up in the air and it's horrible 😷!! You can also see brownish lines in the cloth from the amount of dust impregnated into it when you block.

Glad to hear a vacuum is an option, I think it could really help. The cloths are changed once a year so the slates fillers gets checked.

I'm planning for a private table. I have a dozen of air purifiers but they won't help me during cloth cleaning. Besides it'll be very frustrating getting hands dirty and sticky after several frames, just as playing in clubs. Home sweet home. Higher standard in cleaniness is reasonble at home. 🤗