How to Clean a Ping Pong Table

Everyone loves to enjoy a good game of ping pong. But is it possible to play on a table that has collected dust or stains?

Well, it isn’t.

When a tabletop is unclean, its touch and feel become different, it won’t let it spin or bounce like it is supposed to. And the nastiest part of this is that it can harm your racket.

The playing surface of the ping pong table is manufactured with Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). It can get scratches or stains. It would help if you cleaned it regularly to keep it in its optimal condition.

If you leave your table in storage for a more extended period, it can collect dust and dirt on its playing surface. In case you host parties and play beer pong on it or use it as a dining table, you can accidentally spill something over it. It all can damage the top of the table.   

Whether you play ping pong as a hobby with friends and family or you’re a severe professional player how loves to play every day, you will need to clean your ping pong table from time to time, when you do the cleaning. You must make sure that you do not harm its playing surface and use appropriate products to keep getting an enjoyable gaming experience. 

It is why we have come up with this guide to discuss all the cleaning ping pong table. So first thing first, let us have a look at some good reasons you should clean your ping pong table. 

Why it is Important to Clean your Ping Pong Table

You might want to clean your tennis table so that it doesn’t look bad to the eyes or because a spill or stain must be removed from it. However, even if there are no spills or stains on your table, you should do the cleaning regularly. Here is why:

A table having dirt hinders the game play

The ball won’t spin or bounce alright on a table that has dirt or dust over it. Its surface becomes inconsistent, and this is why the gameplay is affected. Rules for ping pong requires a consistent bounce when the ball is dropped at the playing surface of the table.

A dirty table will make your paddles dirty

Whenever the ball bounces off the table and hits your paddle, it brings some of the dirt from the table and leaves it on your paddle’s surface, bit by bit. Your paddle will lose its stickiness and, consequently, perform poorly and eventually wear off quicker than it is supposed to.

A table that collects dust isn’t long-lasting

Proper care and cleanliness make the table good to look at and preserve its useful life. If a point of time comes where you decide to sell your ping pong table, if you have maintained it well and it has a good condition, chances are you’d get a reasonable price for it. 

How frequently should you clean the Ping Pong Table?

The required frequency of cleaning the tennis table depends on how frequently that table is being used, how clean or unclean it is its surrounding environment, how it is being stored, and other factors. As a rule of thumb, if you keep your table without a cover in an unclean environment, such as a garage, you should clean it with a slightly damp cloth one time every week, and before you take it out to use it. Just wiping it clean after every use and keeping it covered when it is not in use can reduce the requirement to clean your table more often. Keep in mind that wet cleaning is not good for the wood of the ping pong table. It is why it is recommended to wipe it dry after every cleaning session. 

Things to avoid when cleaning a Ping Pong Table

There are certain things you should avoid when you clean your ping pong table. You only want to keep it clean and not cause harm to its surface. Therefore you should:

Do not use harsh Ping Pong Table Cleaner

The common cleaners at your house can be too harsh for a delicate surface like your ping pong table. Either get a mild product designed explicitly for ping pong table cleaning or make a mild solution yourself. We have shared a simple method for a cleaning solution later in this article. 

Do not get the table very wet

If it is an indoor table, it most likely isn’t going to be waterproof. Moisture and water can destroy such a table made of wood. Moisture causes warping, and the table loses its shape. Therefore be cautious when using water, and do not forget to dry the table entirely after cleaning. 

Things you’ll need

• If you want to do a regular light clean up, mix half a cup vinegar with two cups of water and fill it in a spray bottle. You can spray it over the table and wipe it clean, or you can also put it in a bucket or a bowl and use it with a cloth. 
• Use a lubricant such as WD40 on the moving parts of the table to keep them fluid. The metallic components of the table need proper lubrication so that rust doesn’t form or dirt doesn’t accumulate in those areas.
• Keep a dilute vinegar solution handy in a container when you’re doing the thorough cleaning. Even if you use a cleaning solution, mix one-part of vinegar with five parts of water and keep it when you do the cleaning. 
• Clean water.

Step by steps directions

• Take the net out.
• A dry and clean cloth is a good wipe to the whole surface of the ping pong table to eliminate any dry particles of dirt or dust. 
• Spray the diluted vinegar solution on the table and wipe it dry. You can alternatively soak a cloth in the vinegar solution and wipe the table with it.
• If you feel that the table has collected a lot of dirt, you can wipe it once again with a cloth lightly dipped in clean water. 
• Use a good lubricant on all the metallic and movable parts of the table’s frame.        

Keeping the net clean

Mix one part of vinegar with five parts of water. Dip the fabric of the net in the diluted vinegar solution. Just be sure not to let the vertical supports of the net and their attachments go into the vinegar mix. Let the net soak while you clean up the table. 

When it has stayed sitting in the vinegar solution for a while, take it out and rinse it with clean water. Let the net dry for around thirty minutes, and it is clean again. If you are searching for the best ping pong net check our guide.

How to Ensure your Ping Pong Table Stays Clean

Keep it Covered

A straightforward way to keep your table protected from UV, dust is to cover the ping pong table. This is especially important if you store your table in some basement or garage or some unfinished room. You won’t need to clean a table very often if you keep it covered, and obviously, it will have a longer useful life.

So it is best to keep your ping pong table under a cover whenever it is not in use. This will prolong its useful life. Just using a cover would save you from the hassle of cleaning it more frequently. 

Dry Wipe it after every use

If your table becomes dirty or it collects some sweat during a game, give it a good wipe after the use. Do this even if you cleaned the table before starting the game. Just a nice wipe with a dry cloth would keep your table in better condition and reduce the need for the water and vinegar cleaning that often.  

Clean Ping Pong Table after every party

If you have a party at your place and the table may be used for the party for games such as beer pong, it would be best to clean the table after the party and cover it. This way, the table will stay free from any damage or stains that might surface and damage the table.

If the stains are left unattended, it might get more challenging to take them off later. Too much-wet cleaning or applying force can be harmful to the table surface. It is best to clean a spill as soon as it happens. 

Read more: Best Ping Pong Table Under 500 in 2021 

Read more: Best Ping Pong Table under 200

Wrapping it up

Regardless of where you store your ping pong table, it can still be exposed to harmful elements, therefore needing optimal care.

If you do not keep it clean, your ping pong table will start wearing off quickly. Hopefully, the methods mentioned in this guide have helped you, and it is now easy to maintain your table. This effort would go a long way. 

A well-maintained table will last very long with you. It will provide you excellent gameplay for many years.  

Last update on 2022-05-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API