How to clean your billiard cue

Keeping the billiard cue in perfect condition is vital to get the most out of each game. There are players who care for it as if it is a treasure and others would not be able to remember the last time they cleaned it. Whether you are part of the careful or not, today you will discover some tricks that are really useful to keep your cue always as new.

1- Clean the Shaft
As you play, the shaft will gain a dark blue tone due to dirt from the hand or chalk residue.
To clean it, it is best to rub it every so often with a thin, slightly dampened cloth. It can be done with a little bit of water or, better still, applying special products to clean shafts. We have used both Undo and Cue Doctor and with both the cue returns to its original tone. It is important that this products do not contain alcohol or other substances that could damage the wood.

Get a cloth, throw a few drops of the product and rub the shaft a couple of minutes. Fast but without excessive pressure. In the end you will see that all that dirt is impregnated in the cloth and disappears from the shaft. Depending on how much or little you play, you can clean it once a week or every month.

2- Clean the ferrule
Doesn't it get you mad when it turns blue, huh? And if you do not act on time, there is no way to recover that nuclear white color of the first day. The ferrule gets dirty very quickly since the loose chalk particles are deposited every time we use chalk.

There are several options to clean it:
With the same system that we explained in the arrow cleaner
With toothpaste (I have not tried it, but there are billiards who recommend it)
With a little Mr. Clean or any similar soap.

It is best to have the habit of cleaning the ferrule often, even after each game day. This will make it easier for you to keep it's natural white color.

3- Clean the Cue Tip
More than getting dirty, the cue tip deteriorates with time. It is super important to keep it in good condition because it is the part that directly impacts the cue ball, which must provide us with control.
It is highly recommended to always carry a multi-purpose tool such as the Summa, which allows you to scratch the cue tip, lower the edges or compress it.

More useful tools for a good conservation of the cue tip:
Blue Spike: has sharp points that allow to subtly pierce the cue tip so that it retains the chalk better and provides a better grip.
Lija Kamui:  to renew the surface of the cue tip or clean it after making a blunder.
Cuetec Tip Tool: with this 3 in 1 tool, changing the cue tip becomes much easier.

If you play and compete a lot, it is recommended to change the sole more or less every 5 months.

The maintenance of the billiard cue is something very subjective that depends on the billiard player's taste, the climatic conditions (humidity, temperature ...) and the play material. I hope this post can help you keep your cues as good as new. If so, share it with your billiard friends :)

Do you know more tricks to clean the cue? I wait for you in the comments!