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Cleaning speaker grilles

851 SP3

851 SP3

Active Member
You may have seen my posts about some Klipsch speakers that have made their way into our home. One pair of Fortes and one pair of KG 5.5s. Both needed their 'faces' cleaned up.

I did a little research and saw suggestions for cool water and Woolite. Wife said, use the baby shampoo since it was at hand and 'just as gentle'. Who am I to argue?

So, I filled the tub with enough water (+ a bit more) to immerse one piece and added enough shampoo to get some lather. Plunked one KG grille down in and started swishing it back and forth, to and fro, up and down. Flip, repeat, flip, repeat, until my arms were tired. A really good rinse. Then another. Emptied the bath, refilled with a fresh mixture, and I did the second one the same way. Both released a fair amount of grunge. They are currently air drying standing up in the bedroom.

I started with the KGs because their material is similar to some other material I found for a different project - easy to source if I screwed them up.

On to the Forte bits and I was a little apprehensive (not sure why). But, other than a little extra weight when wet (much heavier material), they were just as easy to do. Now, my friend bought these new in early '87. Back then, you could smoke anywhere you pleased (including Army barracks) and he did just that. He only fully quit six years ago. HOLY CRAPTASTIC did some shite come out of them!!! Easily more from one Forte part than both of the KGs combined. Not a fair comparison as I don't know the history of the KGs and they are far lighter material but, you had to see it to believe it. A much longer wash/rinse to say the least. They, too, are air drying in the bedroom.

No before after pics, sadly. No measured cleaning juice recipe either. Just a little story to waste some of your (and my) time.
 
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I used the same method on a pair of AR-4x grills using Wisk?? I gently rubbed the cloth on both side and rinsed. The grills went from yellow to a off white in no time flat. I left them dry over night laying on a wire rack.
 
now that the KGs are dry, one of them still has a light colored area at the bottom. because the previous owner said he used them in his dorm room at college, the wife says it's probably a puke stain. that theory would go well with the water stains on their tops being from beer cans/bottles and a water bong sitting on them. that one will get done again maybe with a soft brush. the other looks great as do the Fortes.
 
pics please. Are you gonna effort going after the "puke" stain? fels naptha lightly rubbed in and soaked over night yielded excellent results for me.
 
stupidhead said:
pics please. Are you gonna effort going after the "puke" stain? fels naptha lightly rubbed in and soaked over night yielded excellent results for me.
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alright, I'll give pics (of all of them) a try tomorrow when I have some natural light.
 
tubeornotube said:
If you don't mind me asking...What are the grille frame made of?

Matt...........tubeornotube
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luckily, in both cases, they are plastic. my method wouldn't work at all for fiberboard or Masonite frames, obviously. don't know what a good way is for those types. auto carpet spray maybe? dry shampoo?
 
Believe it or not, most lower grill stains are dog piss or someone with an over agressive mop. :yes: :D
 
RS Steve said:
Believe it or not, most lower grill stains are dog piss or someone with an over agressive mop. :yes: :D
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interesting. might try something made for the pee. have it in the house.


bentpencil said:
Or sunlight bleaching them out.
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definitely not fading as some of it went away with the first cleaning.

the Forte grilles came out great. just need to find a logo to replace a missing one. good grief they are expensive on ebay.
 
I have used the stuff for cleaning apolstery in cars,the foamy stuff . works good but use a soft brush not the plastic thing that is attached to the can.
 
Sounds like a successful project. I do it similarly. I use Arm and Hammer laundey detergent ay a gout a quarter strength and I do it in the sink using a soft brush and turning them over a few times. There is something in the laundry soap that makes fabric colors look better. I would try OXY on the stain after first trying it on the back somewhere. If it does not damage the color then add it to the regular cleaning solution and brush from the back to push it out the way it went in.
Probably not puke. No college student would barf on a good speaker. Dog pee or spilled drink?
 
What about metal grills,any ideas?My Braun L-1000 monitors have perforated aluminum grills and they look wuite dirty after 50 yrs.They cant be removed either,i was thinking of buffing them with a buffing wheel attached to my drill to bring up a shine,as ive tried wasing them to no avail.
hunter
 
hunter00 said:
What about metal grills,any ideas?My Braun L-1000 monitors have perforated aluminum grills and they look wuite dirty after 50 yrs.They cant be removed either,i was thinking of buffing them with a buffing wheel attached to my drill to bring up a shine,as ive tried wasing them to no avail.
hunter
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how 'bout a pic or two?
 
hunter00 said:
What about metal grills,any ideas?My Braun L-1000 monitors have perforated aluminum grills and they look wuite dirty after 50 yrs.They cant be removed either,i was thinking of buffing them with a buffing wheel attached to my drill to bring up a shine,as ive tried wasing them to no avail.
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The pressure of a buffer will likely distort the thin aluminum.

A better approach may be to use a weak acid to remove the surface corrosion. Citric acid will do this nicely, as will most metal polishes which are a mild acid (typically sulfamic) combined with a very fine abrasive. You can use Noxon if you want an easy pre-made gel. Barkeep's Friend is oxalic acid, a much stronger acid if you have stubborn stains on metal.

The powder form of citric acid is very inexpensive when bought in bulk. Or you could just buy Lemishine (powdered citric acid to remove calcium deposits from your dishwasher and shine up your metalware).

I polish metal all the time this way, but YMMV, try it on a test spot and use the usual hand/eye protection.
 
hunter00 said:
What about metal grills,any ideas?My Braun L-1000 monitors have perforated aluminum grills and they look wuite dirty after 50 yrs.They cant be removed either,i was thinking of buffing them with a buffing wheel attached to my drill to bring up a shine,as ive tried wasing them to no avail.
hunter
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what do you mean by "They cant be removed". later you say you washed them. of they can be removed from the cabinet, instead of buffing, just use water and a green scotch brite pad. lightly scrub in the same direction of whatever grain/finish is left. cleans of the oxidation, renews the grain (sort of), and is cheap and easy.

or you could do as suggested below for a different look. agreed on the buffer.

in either case, eventually, they will oxidize again. someday.


Retrovert said:
The pressure of a buffer will likely distort the thin aluminum.

A better approach may be to use a weak acid to remove the surface corrosion. Citric acid will do this nicely, as will most metal polishes which are a mild acid (typically sulfamic) combined with a very fine abrasive. You can use Noxon if you want an easy pre-made gel. Barkeep's Friend is oxalic acid, a much stronger acid if you have stubborn stains on metal.

The powder form of citric acid is very inexpensive when bought in bulk. Or you could just buy Lemishine (powdered citric acid to remove calcium deposits from your dishwasher and shine up your metalware).

I polish metal all the time this way, but YMMV, try it on a test spot and use the usual hand/eye protection.
Click to expand...
 
same grille top vs. bottom. lighting makes the stain look (quite a bit) worse than in person but, still plenty noticeable.

off for another scrub with something different.
 

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