Topic: DPA 4022 mic cable cleaning with olive oil?

[bluntforcetrauma]

To take some of tape residue, yes gaffer tape residue can you use olive oil to clean the mic cable?

if not what can you use to clean the mic cable from some tape residue?

please advise

[Brian Skalinder]

For my KC5s, I've used a warm and mild soap solution + a Dobie (sponge-type scrubber).  I like the Dobie for cables (and non-stick surfaces) because it's abrasive enough to get the job done, but gentle enough to not damage the cable outer shell or non-stick cooking surfaces.  YMMV.

[mmedley.]

Good thread. Last night, I just pulled the tiny piece of duct tape I had on one of my KC5 cables to distinguish it as the right channel. Needless to say it left a nice little gummy residue (not surprised, just sayin).

I plan to use a dab of Goo Gone to remove it.

[nameloc01]

DPA speca actually call for garlic to be added to the olive oil...and when you can throw the cable at the wall and it "sticks"...you know its done.

[stevetoney]

DPA speca actually call for garlic to be added to the olive oil...and when you can throw the cable at the wall and it "sticks"...you know its done.

Plus the tape residue adds a special flavor to your salad when you recycle the oil.  At $4 a gallon...aw fergit it..  .

[ArchivalAudio]

the oil any vegggy oil will remove sticky stuff...
but all veggy oil will be come gummy and actually attract more dirt
try some rubbing (isoproyl) alcohol like ony 70% , ther eby not also degrading the rubber of the cables...
Rubbing alcohol can be diluted with water hence the different strengths 50% or 70% for serious stuff try 99%

that and a clean soft rag (like an ol concert T-Shirt)

citra solv may also work but can disolve certain plastics

for a mild wash
I like natural cleaner from LifeTree
called (concentrated) Bathroom Cleaner, which is a non petroueum based Tea Tree & Lavender cleaner
just put a few drops to squirts into some water in a spray bottle.. and you have an excelletn cleader
and mild sanitizer... it get off the gunk and grease... really
made from coconut dervived  surfactants and pure Tea Tree and Lavender oils

+ you have some very relaxing (from the lavender) cables then...


relax
-- Ian

[bluntforcetrauma]

the oil any vegggy oil will remove sticky stuff...
but all veggy oil will be come gummy and actually attract more dirt
try some rubbing (isoproyl) alcohol like ony 70% , ther eby not also degrading the rubber of the cables...
Rubbing alcohol can be diluted with water hence the different strengths 50% or 70% for serious stuff try 99%

that and a clean soft rag (like an ol concert T-Shirt)

citra solv may also work but can disolve certain plastics

for a mild wash
I like natural cleaner from LifeTree
called (concentrated) Bathroom Cleaner, which is a non petroueum based Tea Tree & Lavender cleaner
just put a few drops to squirts into some water in a spray bottle.. and you have an excelletn cleader
and mild sanitizer... it get off the gunk and grease... really
made from coconut dervived  surfactants and pure Tea Tree and Lavender oils

+ you have some very relaxing (from the lavender) cables then...


relax
-- Ian

 = Less "stressed" cables!

[shaggy]

A piece of packing tape (the thin clear or the brown stuff) repeatedly applied to the area and quickly pulled off will remove tape residue like duct/gaffers tape without the use of solvents.  I would try that first and then proceed with the heavier stuff.

[boojum]

Silicon spray.

[Chilly Brioschi]

glycerin

any oil has the potential of undoing the vulcanization of the rubber

(but then again, what is the likelihood of a completely logical cleaner to allow the rubber to survive?)
(sorry, Trekkies, I had to do it....)

[sanaka]

In order of least to to most potential for damaging the cable jacket it seems like:

> Shaggy's 'tape to remove the tape goo' method. If that doesn't work, I'd try:

> simple mild soap and water. I keep squirt bottles of various solvents in my workshop, and tend to forget that water is the best solvent for so many things   When it won't dissolve what you've got:

> Oils are indeed effective solvents, especially for gooey stuff like tape residue. However, vegetable oils go rancid. I'd use mineral oil. And actually, Vaseline is good too. I'd probably clean off the oil with some mild solvent like Naphtha or alchohol afterwards though. WD40 will almost certainly remove any gunk on your cables, but likely damage the jacket material as well. "Test on a small inconspicuous area before proceeding with the job" 

> Acetone. This dissolves PVC like right now, but if your cable jacket is some kind of rubber rather than PVC, it might be pretty safe. I use it on my shop extension cords and it gets them brand-new clean lickety split. I even use it on the PVC jacketed ones. Acetone evaporates so fast it doesn't have time to hang around doing a lot of damage to the material. I Don't think I'd do this to mic cables though.

Peace,
Sanaka

[cybergaloot]

Silicon spray.

I just read yesterday that WD-40 works for removing duct tape goo.

[Church-Audio]

the oil any vegggy oil will remove sticky stuff...
but all veggy oil will be come gummy and actually attract more dirt
try some rubbing (isoproyl) alcohol like ony 70% , ther eby not also degrading the rubber of the cables...
Rubbing alcohol can be diluted with water hence the different strengths 50% or 70% for serious stuff try 99%

that and a clean soft rag (like an ol concert T-Shirt)

citra solv may also work but can disolve certain plastics

for a mild wash
I like natural cleaner from LifeTree
called (concentrated) Bathroom Cleaner, which is a non petroueum based Tea Tree & Lavender cleaner
just put a few drops to squirts into some water in a spray bottle.. and you have an excelletn cleader
and mild sanitizer... it get off the gunk and grease... really
made from coconut dervived  surfactants and pure Tea Tree and Lavender oils

+ you have some very relaxing (from the lavender) cables then...


relax
-- Ian

No you dont want to use alcohol because you can dry out the natural oil in the cable.. That's a big no no.. I think glycerin is the best way to go as has been mentioned here already.

Chris