What do you use for cleaning bodies and barrels?

[Kirks518]

Like the title says - what do you use, and what is your process for getting camera bodies and lens barrels spiffy looking?

 

[rpsawin]

I use a 50/50 rubbing alcohol and water mix with a q-tip for small or tight areas and it works great.


Best regards,

Bob
CEO CFO EIEIO, Ret.

 

[BrianShaw]

Baby wipes followed by microfiber cloth.

 

[log]

Water with a drop of dishwasher soap and an old toothbrush - dip the toothbrush in the water, don't spray anything on the body of the camera and stay away from any opening in the body.

 

[Peltigera]

Depends on how bad my latest find is! I frequently use ROR lens cleaner on the top plate to remove antique finger grease and occasionally fine emery paper. Mostly, though, just a soft cloth.

 

[AgX]

A paper towel and a little windex.

The same (glasscleaner typically contain alcohols, detergents and maybe ammonia).

For further cleaning, if necessary, solvents appropriate to the very situation.

 

[benjiboy]

Very occasionally I use R.O.R on a lens tissue than a micro fibre cloth.

 

[John Koehrer]

For stubborn spots use Oxi-Clean.

Otherwise alcohol, Windex, Fantastic. Squirt a bit onto a toothbrush & rub-a-dub-dub Never directly on the camera. Dry it with lens tissue.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

A 3 HP pressure washer?

Every delicate part needs solvents to match. Solvents fall into categories. One big one is general oil based. They can range from less active (kerosene, mineral spirits) to quite active (lighter fluid/naptha, auto parts and carb cleaners). Alcohol is a master solvent for some chemicals, certainly for shellac. Lacquer is a whole 'nudder universe..

 

[Bill Burk]

Lots of Q-Tips and wooden toothpicks. Mild dishwashing soap.

 

[chip j]

After I windex & armour-all the body & lens barrels, I use Giotto's lens cleaner on the glass.

 

[Kirks518]

I usually use alcohol, windex, or lens cleaning fluid, on the bodies and barrels with lens tissue, paper towel, or microfiber cloths. Those things usually do a good enough job for the everyday black and /or chrome cameras.

I find I can never get thins like a CZ Biotar's barrel clean and new looking. The decades of grease and dirty just don't want to come off. There are certain stains and what-not I can never seem to make a dent in.

 

[Nokton48]

Depends on what I am cleaning.
On my Sinar Normas I use Electronic Contact Cleaner.
Lighter Fluid works on some surfaces of other cameras.

 

[Xmas]

Sable brush and blower bulb on inside - of camera...

 

[David Lyga]

Sometimes lighter fluid becomes necessary to use, as grit can need such a solvent. Usually, though, regular glass cleaner removes most stuff. Yes, XMAS, a sable brush is good but sometimes one a bit stronger is needed, especially in hard to get areas. - David Lyga

 

[AgX]

Warning:

Just now the printing and its covering laquer of a film-type memory scale on a Braun Paxette came off when cleaning it with glass-cleaner.
So far this never ever happened to me. Also the german varnishes of that period used on bookcovers that would be afffected by Isopropanol can resist that glass-cleaner.

 

[benjiboy]

Generally speaking more damage can done to photographic equipment by obcessively over cleaning it or cleaning it with inappropriate products than leaving it alone.

 

[AgX]

But I like even my battered ones to shine...

And I guess, anyone of us who has many cameras (which of course excludes you) and "took care" of them has ruined one himself.
It's part of that game. As to a certain extent we are negligent and do not do that special test or so when it went fine "a thousand times".

Or that tiny screw that went into oblivion as we decided to do a quick repair without a repair casing.

 

[benjiboy]

But I like even my battered ones to shine...

And I guess, anyone of us who has many cameras (which of course excludes you) and "took care" of them has ruined one himself.
It's part of that game. As to a certain extent we are negligent and do not do that special test or so when it went fine "a thousand times".

Or that tiny screw that went into oblivion as we decided to do a quick repair without a repair casing.

I know on this forum that the received wisdom is more is better and greed is good but I personally don't subscribe to the idea that photography is about buying more and more cameras but about making pictures.
I have owned for more than 25 years

4 Canon New F1's,
1 Canon EF
1 Canon T90
1 Canon A1
1 Minox 35GT
1 Zeiss Contax
1 Mamiya C330F


If I can't shoot good pictures with that lot it's my fault and spending more money on more cameras isn't going to solve anything.
In the eyes of any sane person this is more than enough, any more and men in white coats come and put you in pyjamas whose sleeves fasten at the back and take you to a rubber room on the funny farm