How do I clean speakers with light mold?

[Perkinsman]

Got a ridiculously great deal on some DQ 10's but didn't count on having to clean a little mold off the speakers. I've read anything from using high alcohol (not otc isopropyl) content moonshine to using white bread as some home remedies.

Is there a definitive cleaner that works without damaging the paper cones?

 

[moebuster]

i've cleaned all sorts of speaker cones with a damp wash cloth.
just wipe more or less with the circumference of the driver and don't press too hard.

allow to dry.

 

[moinau]

CLR mould (mold) cleaner

CLR Mould & Mildew Stain Remover is a foam spray that removes tough mould and mildew stains
Works on painted walls, ceramic tile, hardwood floors, baseboards, fabrics, metal, brick, concrete, marble, tires and grout
Does not contain bleach

 

[Blue Shadow]

There are spray products that will kill mold. I'd use those.

I picked up a pair from a smoking home and did a bit of work to make them right. I still have to replace the damping material as I have quarantined those pieces in the plastic bag in the second pic. Everything else lost the smell of smoke with the woofer cone taking a light spray of Febreeze. Worked great.

 

[moebuster]

i'd be leery of spraying paper cones with just about anything.
the safest thing to do will be remove the driver from the cabinet and support the cone as well as possible from the back side as you wipe.

 

[moinau]

Quite right, I forgot to mention, don't spray but do as "moebuster" says.

Using CLR mould remover is safe on fabric, but a little on a soft sponge will go a long way.

Do a test before on some other items.
Anyway, you should do a test with any product you intend to use before attempting cleaning the paper cone.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Spray the driver. A light spray is not going to reposition any of the fibers in the cone. Of course, I only have a few years of pulp and paper experience so when I sprayed the woofers in my speakers it was done by a professional, not some ebay hack to claim it was 'serviced'.

A light misting of the driver with the febreeze did wonders and there isn't anyone reading this that can tell.

 

[moebuster]

would a pic of the driver and or cabinet be possible ?
that we can all see what's what.

 

[gdeihl]

Go as gently as possible and work your way up if necessary. Water first (damp sponge), then damp sponge with dilute dish soap. Don't get those drivers wet, just damp cleaning. If they're coated be leery of anything stronger, even alcohol can remove coatings. Be cautious!

 

[gdeihl]

How about a DRY soft bristle toothbrush? Just rub lightly in a circular motion and try to knock the mold off.

 

[moebuster]

how's the surround foams?
those are basically the same masonite woofer as used on Large Advents aren't they?

 

[Retrovert]

CLR mould (mold) cleaner

CLR Mould & Mildew Stain Remover is a foam spray that removes tough mould and mildew stains
Works on painted walls, ceramic tile, hardwood floors, baseboards, fabrics, metal, brick, concrete, marble, tires and grout
Does not contain bleach

According to the MSDS (See www.jelmar.com/msds/2014/CLR_MOLD%20_MILDEW_STAIN_REMOVER_SDS_760213.pdf ) this product is just detergents and surfactants (i.e. soaps and surface-tension reducing agents).

It consists of an ethoxylated alcohol (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethoxylation ) and a detergent (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauryldimethylamine_oxide ). Like soap, these destroy cell walls in bacteria and molds.

Think of it as overpriced dish soap with a degreaser, both in a water carrier.

I wouldn't use it on speakers.

Why don't people just read the MSDS? It's tells you what the secret sauce is for just about everything. The inert ingredients do matter, true, but the stuff that does the heavy lifting must be disclosed.

 

[Retrovert]

A light misting of the driver with the febreeze did wonders and there isn't anyone reading this that can tell.

Febreze just traps odor molecules, it doesn't actually kill anything.

It works by dispersing cyclodextrin (a molecular cage) in water. The odor molecules diffuse into the water and become trapped inside the cyclodextrin which has a fat-attracting interior. (Most odors are things like fatty acids, which is why they are neutralized by baking soda, such as the boxes one places in the fridge and freezer. But a bunch of other odoriferous molecules exist.)

So you're spraying a water solution which traps odors but does NOT kill the underlying microrganisms that make the odors.

 

[moinau]

Quite right, I forgot to mention, don't spray but do as "moebuster" says.

Using CLR mould remover is safe on fabric, but a little on a soft sponge will go a long way.

Do a test before on some other items.
Anyway, you should do a test with any product you intend to use before attempting cleaning the paper cone.

According to the MSDS (See www.jelmar.com/msds/2014/CLR_MOLD%20_MILDEW_STAIN_REMOVER_SDS_760213.pdf ) this product is just detergents and surfactants (i.e. soaps and surface-tension reducing agents).

It consists of an ethoxylated alcohol (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethoxylation ) and a detergent (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauryldimethylamine_oxide ). Like soap, these destroy cell walls in bacteria and molds.

Think of it as overpriced dish soap with a degreaser, both in a water carrier.

I wouldn't use it on speakers.

Why don't people just read the MSDS? It's tells you what the secret sauce is for just about everything. The inert ingredients do matter, true, but the stuff that does the heavy lifting must be disclosed.

Thanks for all your research. As I mentioned on my post, "do a test run" before attempting to use this product or any product for that matter.

The OP will appreciate, if you, has a solution to his problem. I'm sure you could research this.
Thanks.

 

[musichal]

How do I clean speakers with light mold?

I don't know, I always use heavy mold to clean mine.

 

[moebuster]

after all he did say "light mold" which will be wiped away with a damp cloth and if they
aren't placed back in damp condition,.never to return.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Why don't people just read the MSDS? It's tells you what the secret sauce is for just about everything. The inert ingredients do matter, true, but the stuff that does the heavy lifting must be disclosed.

This is so true. I look up the MSDS on quite a few things to find out the good info.

Febreze just traps odor molecules, it doesn't actually kill anything.

The speakers I was working on were from a smoking home and needed relief from that smell. I don't know what is alive in the cigarette smoke that I encapsulated.

I did not say to use febreeze in this instance but to try something that kills mold such as lysol, or some other product that is appropriate for this job.

Using the correct product for the job is the homework needed to do some of the restorations we try. Not everything is fixed with solder and a handful of new 'lytics.

For these moldy speakers, I would have disassembled them to the point of access to the parts I needed to clean and wiped them all down with a moistened terry cloth rag that has a mold killer in it. I still would have sprayed the woofers lightly if they needed it as the physical wiping with a damp cloth is more disturbing than a light spray.

The cabinet are plastic coated on the vertical surfaces and painted on the top and bottom. The grilles are metal with cloth on the front, another opportunity to spray, both sides and maybe wipe. But these are not hard speakers to clean.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[drbiggles]

Why don't people just read the MSDS? It's tells you what the secret sauce is for just about everything. The inert ingredients do matter, true, but the stuff that does the heavy lifting must be disclosed.

I'm not speaking for this product specifically, just in general. The MSDS, if written properly, only has to list hazardous ingredients. For water-borne products, there could be a handful of ingredients that aren't listed. This is especially true for a product that has some proprietary magic that the manufacturer doesn't want us to know about. It's a basic guideline, just in case someone needs medical attention, clean-up, inhalation/skin absorption, spills and fire/explosion hazards.

Biggles

 

[markdi]

Mold as a cleaner

I learn something new every day

 

[valvenator]

Mold as a cleaner

I learn something new every day

Good one...wise guy
...well, actually, that's the first thing that popped into my head when I read the byline LOL