Air hockey is a fun game that was created sometime in the 1970s. Bob Lemieux, an ice hockey fan, was one of the major proponents of getting this game underway.
It’s a game mostly of skill- not really a physically active game.
The rules of the game are easy, so basically anyone at all can play from children to adults.
If you enjoy this game, you may want to consider purchasing a table for your home. There are lots of advantages to purchasing your own hockey table:
- Air hockey is a social activity- you can’t play it alone. This is great for someone that is typically shy and needs to socialize more.
- Air hockey is not physically intensive- but it is a great cardio game that can increase your heart rate and help you shed a few pounds.
- It’s a great social activity for those who want some easy exercise.
- Air hockey is a great source of entertainment and more than 40% of families that own an air hockey table are happier than others.
- Air hockey encourages competition- and everyone needs exposure to some sort of competition.
- Children that play this game are taught that sometimes they will lose. This game gives them a competitive edge so they are prepared to take on life.
- Air hockey improves reflexes and reaction times because it’s so fast-paced.
- In fact, one study revealed that those who play this game on a regular basis have better hand-eye coordination.
Maintaining Your Air Hockey Table
So you have finally taken the plunge and bought yourself an air hockey table. Chances are you spent a good amount of money on it and you want to take care of it.
Here are a few maintenance tips to ensure that your table will last and you can enjoy it for many years to come.
Why Should You Clean Your Air Hockey Table?
There are a variety of reasons why you need to be sure to clean your air hockey table on a regular basis.
Here are just a few of the reasons a dirty surface will result in issues when you are trying to play air hockey:
- A dusty table results in drag, meaning the puck is not going to glide properly or quickly. This results in a slower game that is not nearly as much fun.
- A dirty surface blocks air holes that also prevent the puck from correctly gliding across the surface of the table and results in dead spots where the puck will stop.
- A dirty playing surface with bits on it results in the puck bumping, jumping, and even flying off the table in some instances.
- For those who play air hockey on a regular basis, you know this kills your game if this keeps happening over and over.
- A dirty playing surface with bits on it not only results in the puck jumping and bumping, but also causes chips in the playing surface.
- This can be a major problem if you want to have a smooth surface that the puck can easily glide across.
How To Clean Air Hockey Table Surface
When you are preparing to clean the surface of your air hockey table, keep this in mind:
Vacuum the table
To get started cleaning your air hockey table, pull out your household vacuum and attach the flat-hose to it.
Then, run it over the entire top surface of your air hockey table.
You’ll want to spend some extra time vacuuming over the air holes to ensure that all of the dirt/dust particles are removed.
Then, you’ll want to run the vacuum down the legs of the table to remove any cobwebs/dust from them.
Scrub the table
After you have thoroughly vacuumed the air hockey table, you’ll want to spend some time scrubbing it.
To do this, take a dry, soft cloth and wipe the table down to remove any dust/dirt particles that remain on the table.
Then, take some rubbing alcohol and dampen the cloth. You don’t want to use soap because it could result in the holes becoming clogged.
Turn the air on and scrub the tabletop with the rubbing alcohol.
Make sure that you scrub hard enough that you can remove any food particles, fingerprints, or any other marks that happen to be on the table for whatever reason.
Of course, you want to make sure that you are not using an abrasive cloth because you don’t want to scratch up your table.
That would only cause more problems.
Once you are finished scrubbing the top of your air hockey table, you’ll want to mix some warm water and dishwashing detergent to wipe down the legs and sides of your table.
Of course, you’ll want to avoid getting the soapy water on the playing surface and don’t use the soapy water to clean the inside rails, as that will have a negative effect on play.
How to Clean Air Hockey Table Holes
If your air hockey table holes are still filled with dust and/or dirt after you have vacuumed and scrubbed the table, you can use pipe cleaners, toothpicks, or cotton swabs to clean the dust out.
You don’t want to slide them across the holes, but instead take the time to poke them into each hole individually.
While this may seem like it’s a lot of work, if the holes are clogged due to dirt and dust, the air is not able to flow out freely.
If you will clean your air hockey table on a regular basis, you should not be required to deep clean the holes again any time soon.
Polish Your Air Hockey Table
After you have thoroughly cleaned your air hockey table, you’ll want to polish it. If you have a wooden table, you can use furniture polish.
Of course, you want to avoid spraying the polish directly on the table- instead, spray it on the cloth.
Then, turn the table on and wipe the cloth over the surface of the table.
The polish will give your air hockey table a smooth coating, which allows the puck to slide smoothly.
If the rest of your table is wood, you can use the polish on the sides and legs to give it a glossy shine.
There are lots of benefits to owning an air hockey table.
However, it does require some maintenance so that you can keep enjoying it for many years to come.
Keep these things in mind and you’ll keep your table in tip top condition.
