20 May
2021
20 May
'21
6:10 a.m.
On May 20, 2021, at 12:42 AM, Tom Hunter via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
I usually try the following commonly available chemicals listed in
increasing strength:
1) warm water with detergent on a microfibre cloth and some elbow grease
2) alcohol
3) lighter fluid or white spirit
4) acetone (apply carefully and quickly)
Acetone is really the last resort because it will readily dissolve many
plastics.
True, but strong solvents are a fine answer if you're dealing with metal cases. My
default solvent for that case is lacquer thinner, which is a blend of ketones and (I
think) toluene; it is far more effective than acetone for taking off rubbery crud. It is
also even more likely than acetone to attack plastic.
A chemical engineer friend who worked for an adhesives company told me that a gentle
solvent (good for adhesives stuck to plastic) is WD-40.
Alcohol is generally safe with plastics, but there are exceptions. Plexiglas
("lucite") will turn cloudy when exposed to alcohol, as I found out when
cleaning the case of a transmitter that had a plexiglas cover over the display.
For any solvent, it's always a good idea to test it first on an inconspicuous part of
the case you're dealing with.
paul