Best way to clean scanner?

[squad1b]

Just wondering what the best way is to clean the outside case of my scanner?
Scott

 

[RayAir]

Just wondering what the best way is to clean the outside case of my scanner?
Scott

I have used cotton balls and q-tips with some rubbing alcohol before.
Then spray some Armor-All on a clean rag and wipe it down.

 

[slicerwizard]

Sounds like a good way to turn a scanner into a dust magnet.

 

[Ryangn]

I spray windex on a rag and wipe them down. Also a little windex on a qtip to get into those hard to get spots. I don't spray directly on the radio.

 

[DJ11DLN]

I spray windex on a rag and wipe them down. Also a little windex on a qtip to get into those hard to get spots. I don't spray directly on the radio.

This, plus a little rubbing alcohol for anything stubborn enough that Windex doesn't want to clean it. I would stay away from Armor-All type products as well...unless the scanner spends 90% of its time in direct sunlight, degradation of the exterior shouldn't be an issue. If I was going to have a radio in that kind of environment, I'd get/make/have made a case for it.

 

[Ronaldski]

If you have a home patrol DO NOT use glass cleaners, had one fellow come to me after he used a glass cleaner and it ruined the touch screen.
Sent it in for repair.
I would use some cleaning spray that can be used for HD tv's with lint free cloths.
https://www.staples.com/screen+clean/directory_screen%20clean?

 

[lou9155]

i use micro fiber cloth hot water tightly wrung out ...dries instantly cleans great ..harms nothing

 

[mmckenna]

Back a long time ago I had a bunch of HT1000's to get rid of. They needed to be cleaned up before I sold them. Here's what I used:

Denatured alcohol. Works well on plastics. Often sold as a "plastic cleaner". Wetting a rag or paper towel and wiping down the radio removes grease, oils and dirt. Works really well at removing adhesive residue from labels, stickers, etc.

Compressed air works well for cleaning out dust from under controls, audio ports, etc. Small cans of compressed air for cleaning computers can be purchased for a few bucks. If you are going to use an air compressor, turn the pressure way down or you can force dust into places you don't want it, like behind screens.

Soft toothbrush works well for working loose more stubborn dirt/dust. Small paintbrushes work too.

Armor-All does a great job shining the radio up. It made the HT1000's look almost new. As stated, it can attract dust, but if you wipe the excess of really well, it's usually not an issue.

All that worked well on radios designed to take quite a bit more abuse than a scanner is, so you'd have to be careful. I still keep denatured alcohol in my shop for cleaning, as well as a few old toothbrushes.

Being really careful with the screens is key. On the consumer stuff, they aren't always sealed well, and forcing dust behind them is a risk. Same with any fluids, don't spray directly on the screen, use a damp cloth, microfiber, as Lou suggested, but be cautious as some screens scratch easily.

 

[rcool101]

I use screen protectors on my HP-1 and 396's....Works great

 

[CQ]

The same way you wipe a server?

 

[Ubbe]

At work we used to have a product called Son Of A Gun that we sprayed on a radio and used a painters brush cut to 1/2 inch to work it into all hard to reach places like keypad buttons and speaker grills and finished it off with a cloth. It made the radios look almost new. I don't recall it having that slippery soap hard to grip feeling as other products had.

/Ubbe

 

[ratboy]

I use, and have always used, a damp terrycloth rag. Damp, not wet. Works great, and no danger of dissolving anything. If the thing is really nasty, I usually soak the knobs in water with some dishwashing soap. Steel or aluminum cases that are smoky get the dishwasher.

 

[comjomer]

Same here, I just use a damp cloth and q-tips. Then I put some 303 protectant on a rag and wipe it down. It is not greasy or oily so it won't attract dust.