How to clean tolex and grillcloth?
- Thread starter pbernotas
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ANIMATED SUSPENSION
Well-known member
I use car interior cleaning products, because I have them anyway, and good quality lint free cloths.
goodwill559
Well-known member
Preparation is the key. Gather your tools first, then remove all hardware, handle, corners, feet, chassis, grille, etc.
Get a couple of cheap toothbrushes and a soft bristle brush. Spray your cleaner generously on one side at a time, I happen to use Armor all just fine, and gently scrub with circular motions. This will get years of dust and grime out of the crevices of the tolex while brushing the cleaner into the crevices for that crazy makes-you-stare-at-it shine. Use a toothbrush to get the smaller and hard to reach areas such as the inside corners (control panel and grille area) and ledges on the front of the cab which frame the grille and control panel. After each side, wipe off the excess cleaner, look at that paper towel, it's totally gross! But the cab looks great.
Take the grill and scrub with a dry toothbrush in circular motions to get the dust out. I hesitate to use any cleaner unless needed because it's a pain. When it is needed, I spray, scrub, then blot dry with paper towels. Don't wipe on the grill, you'll just leave behind paper towel boogers. Blotting takes a lot of time, so does using a toothbrush, but it'll work.
If the grill is jute, a natural plant fiber, I do not use Armor all, I use Doctor's Wood Cleaner to clean, and Bore Doctor to condition the jute, both are fretboard care products. After cleaning, condition the jute by applying the Bore Doctor with a sponge brush and blot it on, don't brush.
For the edges where the tolex has peeled, get contact cement, a roller, and those tiny paint brushes from the craft store. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry, pull pack the tolex a bit, brush on contact cement to both surfaces. Then, you must allow the cement to completely cure before you assemble. Use the roller to apply firm pressure and just like ironing your clothes, press that tolex to the wood and it'll be good as new.
Get a couple of cheap toothbrushes and a soft bristle brush. Spray your cleaner generously on one side at a time, I happen to use Armor all just fine, and gently scrub with circular motions. This will get years of dust and grime out of the crevices of the tolex while brushing the cleaner into the crevices for that crazy makes-you-stare-at-it shine. Use a toothbrush to get the smaller and hard to reach areas such as the inside corners (control panel and grille area) and ledges on the front of the cab which frame the grille and control panel. After each side, wipe off the excess cleaner, look at that paper towel, it's totally gross! But the cab looks great.
Take the grill and scrub with a dry toothbrush in circular motions to get the dust out. I hesitate to use any cleaner unless needed because it's a pain. When it is needed, I spray, scrub, then blot dry with paper towels. Don't wipe on the grill, you'll just leave behind paper towel boogers. Blotting takes a lot of time, so does using a toothbrush, but it'll work.
If the grill is jute, a natural plant fiber, I do not use Armor all, I use Doctor's Wood Cleaner to clean, and Bore Doctor to condition the jute, both are fretboard care products. After cleaning, condition the jute by applying the Bore Doctor with a sponge brush and blot it on, don't brush.
For the edges where the tolex has peeled, get contact cement, a roller, and those tiny paint brushes from the craft store. Make sure both surfaces are clean and dry, pull pack the tolex a bit, brush on contact cement to both surfaces. Then, you must allow the cement to completely cure before you assemble. Use the roller to apply firm pressure and just like ironing your clothes, press that tolex to the wood and it'll be good as new.
goodwill559
Well-known member
kiff said:
Brilliant! I hadn't thought of that. But I have used a vacuum cleaner hose for dust, pet hair, and such, the advantage being that you don't have to inhale the debris.
Sometimes, though, a grille will have spots or streaks of dried residue from soda or beer or whatever and you need to do a bit of scrubbing.
MusicManJP6
Well-known member
I just use compressed air, a t-shirt, and some Windex. I've gone the armor all route but I hate the greasy feeling it leaves behind...
phyrexia
Well-known member
My cat puked on my grille. Only time will take care of my jute I'm afraid.
Ok this may be bad, and I don't want to be responsible for screwing up someone else's grill.......but
I had 2 seperate dc-3 combos I got well used
The first one looked like someone dropped it face first in the sand and dragged it around....completely clogged with crap. I took off the grill and sprayed it out with a hose and a light scrub brush, dried it the best I could with a towel, and let it air dry. Came out beautiful!
The second I did the same, but this one also had two huge white patches..looked like it could have been some kinda burn..not really sure, but they were white circles. Ater cleaning it. I dropped the whole thing in a plastic tub with some black RIT Dye...soaked 30 min, sprayed it out again to get rid of extra dye, let it dry and it looks brand new.
I ended up dying my other one too since it came out so good...but I did learn (the hard way) on the first one ....DO NOT use HOT water...when the grill dried it made the grillcloth flabby and loose. the second one I used warm water and it worked fine!
AGAIN - this may be bad advice so seek more counsel before doing it, I don't want you to screw up your gear on my account, (but it may get rid of cat puke)
I had 2 seperate dc-3 combos I got well used
The first one looked like someone dropped it face first in the sand and dragged it around....completely clogged with crap. I took off the grill and sprayed it out with a hose and a light scrub brush, dried it the best I could with a towel, and let it air dry. Came out beautiful!
The second I did the same, but this one also had two huge white patches..looked like it could have been some kinda burn..not really sure, but they were white circles. Ater cleaning it. I dropped the whole thing in a plastic tub with some black RIT Dye...soaked 30 min, sprayed it out again to get rid of extra dye, let it dry and it looks brand new.
I ended up dying my other one too since it came out so good...but I did learn (the hard way) on the first one ....DO NOT use HOT water...when the grill dried it made the grillcloth flabby and loose. the second one I used warm water and it worked fine!
AGAIN - this may be bad advice so seek more counsel before doing it, I don't want you to screw up your gear on my account, (but it may get rid of cat puke)
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