Cleaning a Hardware Mixer

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Creativemind
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Joined: 17 Jan 2015
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England, UK

21 Apr 2022

Hi All!

I've bought a hardware synth which is quite dirty. I'll attach a pic.

What would be the best way to clean it? I've bought cotton buds but wondering what solution to use, anything specific or just some luke warm soapy water perhaps as long as I didn't wet the cotton bud too much?

It's been in someone's store cupboard for a few months and just got a bit dust dirty.

Thanks!
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Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
http://soundcloud.com/creativemind75/iv ... soul-mix-3

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DaveyG
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21 Apr 2022

Nothing more than a cloth slightly dampened with clean water should be your first attempt. Then a bit of normal washing-up soapy water for any stubborn bits. Definitely no solvents or other cleaning products unless you get desperate.

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Creativemind
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Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England, UK

22 Apr 2022

DaveyG wrote:
21 Apr 2022
Nothing more than a cloth slightly dampened with clean water should be your first attempt. Then a bit of normal washing-up soapy water for any stubborn bits. Definitely no solvents or other cleaning products unless you get desperate.
:thumbup:
:reason:

Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
http://soundcloud.com/creativemind75/iv ... soul-mix-3

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Creativemind
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Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England, UK

06 Nov 2022

Just cleaned that mixer. Used a slightly dampened bit of kitchen roll at first but when I realised 80% of it was mainly dust, I used cotton buds. Got 90% of it done. I hadn't done it sooner cause I need another couple of bits of hardware before I will need it so probably won't need it till the beginning of next year anyway.

I have another question about this mixer though. The previous owner had stuck stickers on underneath the channels to label them. Now I've managed to peel 75% of them off but there's a few bits very hard to remove. What would be the best way to remove these bits?
Last edited by Creativemind on 06 Nov 2022, edited 2 times in total.
:reason:

Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
http://soundcloud.com/creativemind75/iv ... soul-mix-3

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DaveyG
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06 Nov 2022

WD40 or Goo Gone (tm), but use in moderation.

Or stick your own stickers over the top!

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Creativemind
Posts: 4875
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Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England, UK

06 Nov 2022

DaveyG wrote:
06 Nov 2022
WD40 or Goo Gone (tm), but use in moderation.

Or stick your own stickers over the top!
Good suggestion for the stickers. Goo Gone, will have to look that one up. Guessing it might be an American brand? when I mentioned cotton buds above, I was thinking I should've mentioned the American name of them, think they may be called Q Tips.
:reason:

Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
http://soundcloud.com/creativemind75/iv ... soul-mix-3

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O1B
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07 Nov 2022

If it happens again…

Girlfriend +
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Keeps all my Gear spiffy! :puf_wink:

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raymondh
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07 Nov 2022

For general dust removal (I don't have any covers on my synths) I keep a paintbrush handy. It's great for dusting in between the switches and pots.

avasopht
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07 Nov 2022

When I was younger, I mixed PVA glue, washing up liquid and nail varnish remover (something like that) and found it does a fantastic job of peeling muck off of metal.

If it doesn't work, blame younger me 😎

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Creativemind
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Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England, UK

08 Nov 2022

Does anyone know how to get brown packaging tape off a circuit board too? The silly company that delivered it stuck the really sticky brown tape onto the actual circuit board (this for an E-Licktronic Nava 909). Now I've got 80-90% of it off but there's still some on there. Don't want knacker the circuit or wouldn't it matter as long as the transistors, capacitors are soldered on right? my dad has ordered isopropyl, will that be ok?
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Reason Studio's 11.3 / Cockos Reaper 6.82 / Cakewalk By Bandlab / Orion 8.6
http://soundcloud.com/creativemind75/iv ... soul-mix-3

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jam-s
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08 Nov 2022

Kontakt PCC or LR could work to clean the PCB. But for starters isoprop is a cheap and safe thing to try first.

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