A good cleaner for your equipment...

Thanks for the tips Steve

While yes, that is good advice, I have to put in a caveat.

Since it is automotive "detailer" and meant for automotive grade paints with clear coats or other sealed finishes, I have to say that one should use this product with care in your home. Most of the "quick detailers" are nothing more than a Windex like solvent and a light silicone protectant in an emulsifier that evaporates and lets the solvent evaporate but deposits the silicone which gives you that bright, clean and smooth shine.

These products can stain and damage paint and plastic on things like home audio equipment and home furniture. They can also destroy finishes so be very careful what you use them on. Also, silicone is an incredible insulator. If you are going to use the detailer, be sure not to get the "detailer" inside the equipment, on any electrical connections on the back or any heat syncs. The reason why is, the silicone can interrupt electrical currents. No juice no sound and possible damage. Keep it off the heat syncs because it will drastically reduce the heat sync's ability to disappate heat quickly. Judging by the listed equipment I have seen here that people own, that is a very real concern. If you do use it and like the results, I suggest spraying it liberally onto a cloth (like what was already mentioned) like you would have for a camera lens and rubbing only the parts you want to clean and shine. In most cases, it shouldn't damage finishes at all but there is always that small percentage that will be affected. Overall, you should be able to use it safely if you use it wisely.

What I normally use to clean equipment is simple really. Get yourself a California Car Duster. It will pick up the dust off of your equipment without using static electricity. It's works incredibly well and takes seconds to use. To clean greasy finger prints and such, I use vinegar and water. Dilute the vinegar in the water so that you can still, slightly smell the vinegar, usually about a 1:1 ratio, maybe a littel skewed towards the water end. Put it in a spray bottle and use like you would glass cleaner. The vinegar and water evaporates quickly and cuts grease and dirt well. It won't damage electronics or finished surfaces because the vinegar displaces the water so it doesn't leave any deposits. The best results come with using distilled water.

The vinegar and water doesn't leave much of a shine but it doesn't streak and doesn't leave an icky mess. It'll smell a little but the odor is gone in a few hours and nothing that some air freshener won't clear up.

For cloths to use, I have dedicated rags for cleaning electronics. Mainly because paper towels leave fibers, cottom rags leave fibers and heavier paper towels, nylon/polyester and other plastics don't soak up anything and can scratch lenses and display screens. Most camera cleaning equipment works well but the solvents can be expensive which is why I use the vinegar and water. The cloths aren't all that expensive and you can get many many uses out of them if you clean them in a light detergent like Woolite.

Another option is from the computer industry. You can usually get rolls of sheets called "delicate task wipers" or computer screen wipes. They have no solvents on them but will work like a paper towel. They are basically treated linen/paper and are used for cleaning optics like projector lenses, display screens like a front projection HT screen, CRT screens treated with an anti-glare coating, LCD screens and tape heads. They are anti-static and lint free. They can be a little expensive but worth the extra cost. Companies like Kensington, Kimberly-Clark, Scott and other paper companies have them. If you get them in bulk, they are cheap and will last a long time. They don't deteriorate too quickly either so they have a long shelf life.

John is right, silicone products in the house and on audio gear are NEVER a good idea, neither is Armor-All on speaker surrounds.

One other thing though. If you use a silicone based product on equipment that gets very hot, like a tube amp case, the silicone can end up discoloring the finish.

Originally posted by steveinaz
I agree 100% that silicone products should not be used on audio equipment. I believe Quik Detailer is Carnuba based, no silicone. I've used it on plastics for years with great success, namely the fairings/instrument cluster/fenders/windscreens on my sportbikes; and never had any problems--it is what the motorcycle dealers use on their demo bikes.

Theories are a wonderful thing, but the very essence of a theory is that it must have the potential to be proven wrong (otherwise it is a FACT). Give me some evidence to support your claims...my evidence is a couple posts up...

Why are you getting so defensive about it?

I don't have the "proof" that you speak of because I learned the hard way a long time ago what it can do to things. I did not take pictures at the time because I didn't think that someone on the Intarweb, 10 years later, would be getting all uppity and questioning solid, well-intentioned advice based in experience and demanding proof of said experience.

You want proof? The only proof I have is the amount of money it cost me to fix my screw up. I learned the hard way and I'm trying to save someone else from learning the hard way too.

I find the new Swiffer works great the lil one swiffer duster....to remove all dust and not damage any parts.

Thanks !!

I find the material is soft enough not to damage the tweets and does a great job of removing dust. I use it for all speakers and all my equipment. I would never use polish and waxes on my speakers , to me speakers are not furniture, and that stuff is furniture polish. the swiffers are 51/4 $ CAD nice and cheap and you get 4 or 5 dusters with it.

Side note: Meguiars makes the best car wax I have ever used. Their "cleaner wax" can work wonders is you have a little road tar on your car.

Regards,
PolkThug

15 years of cleaning that Yamaha sure took its toll. It is all blurry looking. Hard to read the lettering. I'm glad none of my stuff looks like that!
madmax

No I use swiffer for external cleaning only nevr thought of the static affecting it but kept externaly I see no dangers