Cleaning VCR heads

[TB Player]

Disclaimer: This subject seems to me to be related to capturing, but please accept my apologies if this thread is in the wrong forum and needs to be moved.

I am wondering what tools/techniques you experienced doods are using to clean your VCR heads. I used to use some special cleaners from Radio Shack - they were foam-tipped cleaning sticks that I could dip in alcohol and use to gently clean residue off the heads, but now they are too old to use and I cannot find new ones anywhere. I have always avoided using a cleaning tape due to my fear that it would be too abrasive for the heads. Recently for the first time I used cotton-tipped cleaners to dab the heads clean, but with these I am concerned that some of the cotton may get stuck to the head and cause damage when the head spins against the tape. So any suggestions/tips/recommendations that would ease my paranoia would be appreciated.

[wulf109]

I had the same problem,couldn't find foam tip swabs. Radio Shack has become a worthless retail store. I found in the cosmetics dept. foam tipped plastic swabs that women use to apply make-up. Their small but can be used to safely clean video heads.

[kupton]

Q-tips, foam tip swaps, etc. should never be used on video heads. They are fine for the audio heads though. Video heads can be damaged by an up and down motion that might happen with a swab. Look closely at the video head and the "rings" that go around the upper drum. You don't want to damage those.

The right way is to take the top off the vcr and use a cotton wipe on the head such as a Texwipe TX304 in conjunction with a completely denatured alcohol. You want to press the lightly moistened wipe against the head and then spin the drum with your other hand. Make sure to never move the wipe up and down. Just hold it still, lightly against the head.

If you don't want to bother getting the Texwipes and denatured alcohol then I've know people to use plain white paper and rubbing alcohol.

[BrainStorm69]

You could also go to an Electronics store like Fry's and get some chamois sticks. Also, I wouldn't use plain rubbing alcohol -- it can leave a residue.

But generally kupton has things right about technique, and the danger of using cotton or foam swabs on your video heads.

[Goober57]

I've always used a small piece of chamois, with the smooth side against the heads. Long lasting, won't wear out, and no lint.

EDIT............Sorry, you beat me to it!!!

(Partsexpress.com has head cleaning chemicals. I was using their freon-based cleaner until it was banned.)

[ZippyP.]

Use pure alcohol, rubbing alcohol is usually only 70%.

[TB Player]

Thanks for all the responses.

I should have said upfront that I have always used denatured alcohol for all tape heads, video or audio. When I recently cleaned my VCR heads with the cotton-tipped cleaners, all I really did was soak the tip in alcohol and dab the tip against the head, not wanting to rub the cotton tip against the head. It took many "dabs" per head, but I was able to remove all visable residue from the head drum. When I was using the foam-tipped cleaners, I would only rub the cleaners along the same line of travel as the drum - never up and down.

It's interesting that no one has yet reported using "cleaning tapes". I'll check out the chamois and Texwipes suggestions - never thought of that. Thanks.

[Goober57]

It's interesting that no one has yet reported using "cleaning tapes". I'll check out the chamois suggestion - never thought of that. Thanks.

Be careful with the low-budget cleaning tapes. I haven't used tapes for a while but after freon was banned they used some oily residue in the fluid.

Also, the cleaning tapes won't clean the dust and other garbage out of the vcr. When you have the vcr open you will have the chance to lube the tracks, etc.

[johns0]

Been cleaning video heads for 20 years with q-tips and isopropyl alcohol,both in shops and at home.Never use cleaning tapes,they are crap,they dont clean the full tape path.

[garry]

My local electronics shop only uses a piece of scrap paper dipped in metho & turn the cylinder by hand. The believe better than any head cleaner tape & never recommend a "cotton ear bud".
No up down movements as mentioned.

[ZAPPER]

Hoppes nitro solvent and a stainless steel bore brush! :P just kidding.


Radio Shack is not what it used to be or our needs have changed. But it seems like you can pick up cleaning fluids and foam sticks or wipes in some of the darnedest places. I think that the last time that I bought a little kit with whatever type of cleaner and about 20 foam tipped sticks was at the grocery store. I don't clean my machines every day so it seemes like a batch last a good long while. I save the foam sticks for the heads and use Q-tips for the tape path rollers ( I think that the most dirt comes off of the soft rubber rollers and the foam sticks are too big to get in tight)
Now if I can find that fingernail file I could get that last spot of dried up jelly