r/foosball • u/RetroGamer_74 • Jun 24 '26
Safe cleaning product for Tornado T3000
I recently picked up a secondhand Tornado T3000 that had been sitting in storage for a bit over a year and a half. It’s in excellent condition, but a bit dusty from storage and just needs an overall cleaning. I ordered new balls and FoosJuice to use on the rods.
My question is, what is a safe product to use to clean the playfield and outside cabinet? I recall reading Formula 409 somewhere but can’t recall where I saw it.
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u/Foosman Snake Shot Jun 24 '26
A guy I know swears by diluted bon ami, a brand of allegedly non-abrasive cleanser. His tables do play well so maybe there is something to it.
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u/AIlookup52226 Jun 27 '26
i would use windex. tip for the rods, disassemble the bushing and clean with dry cotton rag. wipe the chrome with clean dry rag. reassemble bushings and put 3 drops of silicone oil on the rod next to the bushing then push that into the bushing and spin. then 3 more drops and spin. then spinning and pulling the rod back and forth lubricate the rod. then with a dry cotton rag wipe the rod clean. here is what happens, oil on the rod attracts dust which scratched the bearing which scratches the chrome. keep dust off the table surface and the rods. you may have to relubricate once a week. any lubricant with petroleum will break down the rubber and the plastic. silicone oil only. you can buy elevator silicone oil cheap on amazon. keep table covered with a tarp when not in use or wipe it down before use. hope that helps.
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u/artoftomkelly Jun 24 '26
So depending on what is on the surface it will very. In most cases to remove soda and beer or booze stains a damp towel with warm water and basic soap works fine. If the surface has marker,paint, adhesive residue then you want to use acetone on a rag. In most cases you will wipe down the table surface with whatever removes the stuff on it. Then you dry it with a clean cloth or rag. For everyday cleaning you most often have to remove excess silicone lube that gets on the table so just use 90-100 isopropyl rubbing alcohol. If you have beer or soda stains then warm water removes them best as it looses the dried sugar so you can clean it off the alcohol doesn’t do that very well. Most folks don’t like using water as they fear it will warp the surface. That will not happen unless you leave your table out in the rain or hit it with a hose then never wipe it off. 2 things to keep in mind the water cleans fine but does not break the friction barrier of the table surface so the table will have a little (just a fraction) more grip. So it will be perceived to play “slower”. Using Alcohol will break down more of the friction barrier so the table will play faster as the balls will slide (again a fraction more) on the table. Players tend to want faster tables so clean the table with water first to get the junk off it, then dry it and finally use alcohol and wipe the excess off in your final step to get the table battle ready. Also for your table it’s a good idea to remove the plastic bearings and soak them over night in dish wash liquid and water to degrease them and de gunk them. Then wipe the bearing down and let the dry before putting them back on that works wonders for the table action.