Players overuse the ice spray. Four or five quirts on each half of the game should last six months or more. When the spray is overused, it can actually slow the game down. We tell parents to clean the game, secondly spray and thirdly place the spray out of sight or the younger players will overuse.
It is also important to clean the puck off each time it leaves the playing surface if there is any risk that metal fragments (the puck is a magnet) could get stuck to the bottom of the puck and scratch. The puck may also pick up dirt off other particles from flooring once it leaves the surface of the game.