Whats the best way to clean speaker grills

Hifirob2

Hifirob2

NEC and Klipsch rock!
Hi everyone - I just bought some Kenwood LS-X1S surround speakers at GW for $20. They work perfect and the cabinets are in great shape. The problem is the grills on the front and sides they are white (as are the cabinets), and are kind of dirty from handling (the stuff at GW usually needs a good cleaning). Is there a safe way to clean these grills - like soaking them in the sink with water and a little detergent? Would spraying them with Shout first help - or ruin the fabric?

If they can't (or shouldn't) be cleaned, could I dye them black - may be using Rit Dye for clothes?

I've never tried to clean grill material before, so any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob
 
Register to hide this ad
If the frame is plastic, I will fill a tub a few inches and pour in some woolite and rub the cloth with a sponge, then rinse with water. Problems arise when frame is pressed wood or when the wood is black and might bleed into the cloth. In those cases, might be best to just replace the cloth.
 
Thanks lukiedog - the frame is plastic, and woolite in a tub is kinda what I was also thinking.......

THANKS!

Rob
 
Those have 3 grills per speaker huh. And white too? What a pain. I always wash mine outside with the hose. They look small enough to go into the tub with some bleach but if not you can try spraying with a water/bleach solution first. If they're that bad I would probably just go to the fabric store and start recovering them.
 
FredC said:
Those have 3 grills per speaker huh. And white too? What a pain. I always wash mine outside with the hose. They look small enough to go into the tub with some bleach but if not you can try spraying with a water/bleach solution first. If they're that bad I would probably just go to the fabric store and start recovering them.
Click to expand...

I believe that speakers require acoustically transparent fabric and not all fabric is. I think it would be safe to use Tide or some other laundry detergent to clean them.
 
NYListens said:
I believe that speakers require acoustically transparent fabric and not all fabric is.
Click to expand...
LOL Ya that's what they want you to believe. It all depends on the weave (typically basket) and/or how its stretched. Half the stuff out there sold as grill cloth is just leftovers from disco pants manufacturers in Hong Kong. (Dad was in textiles)
 
So they've replaced the Peking Duck on the menu with a little slice of Disco Duck. Tasty.

Now it all makes sense. ;)
 
07disco.jpg


LOL man its easy to get off topic.. Back to the grill cloth cleaning.. burn little of it.. a hanging thread or something. If it melts then its a polyester or other oil derivative which means you should stay away from harsh chemicals but could use something like a 409 or Spic-n-Span solution. If you have one of those home steamers.. even better. Polyester doesn't shrink so not many worries there. If the cloth is organic, you'll need to be more careful. Bleach is OK but use only cold water and dry with a hairdryer set on cool or place in front of a fan or use the exhaust-end of a vacuum cleaner.
 
If the grills are plastic....

I like a trick I learned from HomerJSimpson. Take 'em outside, and spray 'em down good with Simple Green. let them sit for a couple of minutes, and then hose 'em off with a garden hose. Repeat if necessary. great for dirt, nicotine, all sorts of crud. Easy too. Then just prop 'em up against something and let them air dry......:thmbsp:
 
Just be careful to test a spot first. I've seen Simple Green stain lighter colored nylon carpet and the lady that did it was none too pleased with the results.
 
KlipschFan61 said:
Just be careful to test a spot first. I've seen Simple Green stain lighter colored nylon carpet and the lady that did it was none too pleased with the results.
Click to expand...

Have to admit I've only done dark colored fabrics with this method. Light colored stuff seems to be generally older, and come with wood/pressboard grills....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom