Best Contact Cleaner, Products

[DonW]

I'm just getting started. Is there a gold standard contact cleaner or any cleaning products that are widely used? I think I've seen mention of Detoxit? is this available in stores?
Thanks!

 

[Superduper]

Deoxit is available in some stores, but electronics stores are getting fewer & farther between these days. I’ve used many brands of electronics cleaners and to tell you the truth, they all work fully or partially in getting rid of the crackles in the controls. The effectiveness often depends upon how oxidized the controls & switch contacts are.

 

[DonW]

I definitely have some crackles and pops in the volume and balance control along with other controls. I'll clean it first and hope for the best before I try to replace anything. Unless I'm feeling bold and just replace it all while I have it open. This thing is old and has been beat on!

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!

 

[Wes125]

I definitely have some crackles and pops in the volume and balance control along with other controls. I'll clean it first and hope for the best before I try to replace anything. Unless I'm feeling bold and just replace it all while I have it open. This thing is old and has been beat on!

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!
[dont use servisol switch cleaner its rubbish. it only last for a few months....i use servisol flux remover for cleaning volume pots and switches it does the job permanently. it cleans off all the build over the years

 

[hopey]

Any contact cleaner will work even alcohol can yield results. Unfortunately it is only a temporary fix and the issues will return as it cannot remove corrosion. Contact Cleaner is only designed to remove traces of oil or grease on good contact surfaces. The potentiometer will become stiffer after use.

 

[AE_Stereo]

Use Deoxit - Faderlube. It cleans and lubricates at the same time. (They have multiple products. So choose the one with lubrication. called faderlube or the F-Series).
Mere contact cleaners simply clean the contact, but the sliding surface will become rough and loose contact will worsen in no time. While rotating or sliding, you will feel the contact has become dry /loose / rough with regular cleaner.
Whereas Fadelube will restore the smooth feel and contact conductivity at the sliding surface. And the control becomes smooth but firmer, as it is supposed to be.
Writing this from own experience. It stays for years - I have boxes that were cleaned 10 years before and still works.
If the contacts are physically worn out or damaged no contact cleaner can help, but in normal cases the Faderlube restores it for good time.

It is comparatively expensive, but worth the money. I have bought it online from caig.com . They ship it from USA direct.

 

[floyd]

I've had great results from CRC electronic spray cleaner that you can buy at Lowe's or advance auto CRC makes a bunch of different products for cleaning electronics and lubricating.

 

[Hajidub]

Deoxit has been the standard for decades, available online if not available in an electronic store. Have to be careful with some of the cleaners since some don't claim to be non-conductive (deoxit is).

 

[hopey]

Any contact cleaner will work even alcohol can yield results. Unfortunately it is only a temporary fix and the issues will return as it cannot remove corrosion. Contact Cleaner is only designed to remove traces of oil or grease on good contact surfaces. The potentiometer will become stiffer after use.

The real world effectiveness of these products are dramatically overstated by the manufactures and users. Boombox Potentiometers are not serviceable and these sprays are not designed for them. The pots should be replaced as per normal servicing guidelines. A Potentiometer is not a contact.

 

[hopey]

The real world effectiveness of these products are dramatically overstated by the manufactures and users. Boombox Potentiometers are not serviceable and these sprays are not designed for them. The pots should be replaced as per normal servicing guidelines. A Potentiometer is not a contact.

Flint's method for cleaning potentiometers

ATTENTION: Read the following posts in this thread before proceeding to use this method for cleaning a potentiometer. I will no longer be using it. While my method is very common, I don't want to start a war about what method is most ideal, so this is the way I do it. The electronics in my...

theaudioannex.com

 

[dubout]

The manufactures mostly have a line of products. Some are pretty agressive and I have heard that they destroy the contacts after a short peroid of time if you don't wash them out.

My suggestion would be to look into the line of a manufacturer, clean with the 'cleaner only' product and finish with the 'conductivity and lubrication' product. Stay away from the oxid-dissolving products as they might dissolve more than you want.

Basically I am just repeating what AE_Stereo says above as this is what has worked for me the best, too.