Cleaning mixing desks

gavintheaudioengineer · Post by **gavintheaudioengineer** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 1:47 am

Anyone have any tips for cleaning up mixing desks?

I use a soft paintbrush but the static keeps the dust floating back!

Also- how often should I, if indeed I should, be cleaning the faders and pots?

A.David.MacKinnon · Post by **A.David.MacKinnon** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:24 am

I use a soft paint brush in one hand and a vacuum cleaner in the other.
Clean pots when the start to get scratchy.

fossiltooth · Post by **fossiltooth** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:48 am

DeoxIt is really effective on pots and faders in my experience.

pulse_divider · Post by **pulse_divider** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:14 am

I personally wouldn't use Deoxit on a fader since it can eat through certain materials.
Cailube, on the other hand, works really well for this.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 4:46 pm

I just discovered the wonderful world of the Swiffer Duster. Holy crap is that thing useful for cleaning a mixing desk! When I'm pulling channels and cleaning faders and pots, I'll still do a once-over around the pots and switches and stuff with a Q-Tip and maybe a little bit of rubbing alcohol, just to get the real grime out and/or keep it from building up, but for general day-today cleaning, those Swiffer Dusters are super-useful.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

witchfeet · Post by **witchfeet** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:03 pm

There's a DeoxIT called Faderlube that is better than the regular stuff. I use it on all my amp pots. My tech recommended it. He told me not to use regular DeoxIT as it actually doesn't lubricate so pots will dry out. I'm assuming it's good for faders since it's called Faderlube after all. Probably a shot of regular DeoxiT followed by some Faderlube is the best I'd imagine.

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:18 pm

I've had some bad results with alcohol on an old faceplate once..

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:16 am

for cleaning pots, i've had excellent results with a tiny spray of tri-flow.

I'm Painting Again · Post by **I'm Painting Again** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:52 am

the pots..umm yeah..it depends what kind of pot it is really..for example you'd not want to clean a plastic conductive pot the same way as another type..

sometimes cleaners can attract even more dust and debris into the mechanism and will only work as a short term solution and in worst cases decrease the life of the pot and/or destroy it..

some pots can be opened and some not..they all should be treated differently..

best to ID the type of pot and go from there..perhaps contact the manufacturer(s) for advice..

@?,*???&? · Post by **@?,*???&?** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:07 am

Fantastik dissolves the finger cheese that accumulates very well. That's always on the knobs. I'd suggest wearing rubber gloves when you use it though as after a few hours, your own fingers get weird and raw from cleaning.

Also, this is a perfect task to assign to a first-time intern. They get to the know the console intimately and whereas maybe they haven't heard the language of the studio, getting familiar with the labels on the console will help them learn it.

What do you guys use for cleaning patchbays? I haven't seen something like a felt socket/plug, but that seems like a natural. Maybe make replaceable sheaths that go over a slightly smaller plug than the opening. A burst of Caig and off you go.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:00 pm

@?,*???&? wrote:What do you guys use for cleaning patchbays? I haven't seen something like a felt socket/plug, but that seems like a natural. Maybe make replaceable sheaths that go over a slightly smaller plug than the opening. A burst of Caig and off you go.

Deoxit Pro Gold on the end of a TT connector with a twist forward and a twist back. About once a year or every 18 months, a burndishing tool with half a twist at each point. Maybe less for points that don't get used often.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:20 pm

cgarges wrote:I just discovered the wonderful world of the Swiffer Duster. Holy crap is that thing useful for cleaning a mixing desk! When I'm pulling channels and cleaning faders and pots, I'll still do a once-over around the pots and switches and stuff with a Q-Tip and maybe a little bit of rubbing alcohol, just to get the real grime out and/or keep it from building up, but for general day-today cleaning, those Swiffer Dusters are super-useful.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

This

Message Board

Cleaning mixing desks

Cleaning mixing desks

Who is online