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Old 05-27-2018, 01:10 PM
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Think I have done something stupid

What's that on those Zenith radio knobs? I let them soak for hours in a glass with dishwasher detergent and they came out with this yellow goo. Should I scratch this out?
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Old 05-27-2018, 04:26 PM
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Is it actually gooey or is it more like a dry haze? Either way, the soap may have leeched something out of the pores of the material... bakelite?
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Old 05-27-2018, 04:41 PM
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I think it is regular plastic, not bakelite. Anyway, as the hours pass it is looking like it is getting back to normal.
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Old 05-27-2018, 04:56 PM
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abby-normal...
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:06 PM
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I've had certain materials get hazed over with simple cleaning techniques, but I never ruined them completely. They usually can be returned back with a good buffing.
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Old 05-29-2018, 10:06 AM
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Curiously, I have never had problems with dishwashing detergent . But never put some bakelite or plastic buttons from TV or radio in a dishwasher because it's too hot . I let them soak in a big bowl of hot water and dishwashing detergent only when I'm in no hurry. Otherwise I clean each button in warm water and dish detergent and an old toothbrush or denture brush simply. Yes of course I let it soak for a few minutes.
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Old 05-29-2018, 10:35 AM
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I have found that a dishwasher will remove the gloss from plastic or bakelite buttons and knobs, it's too harsh.

I haven't met a knob I couldn't clean up with warm soapy water, an old toothbrush, and a few wooden toothpicks to clean out the grooves. I like to let them soak a while, and then begin to scrub them. I suppose the same as most others here.
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Old 05-29-2018, 10:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maxhifi View Post
I have found that a dishwasher will remove the gloss from plastic or bakelite buttons and knobs, it's too harsh.

I haven't met a knob I couldn't clean up with warm soapy water, an old toothbrush, and a few wooden toothpicks to clean out the grooves. I like to let them soak a while, and then begin to scrub them. I suppose the same as most others here.
It's also what I always use. toothbrush, toothpick and dish soap. With these things I have never had any discoloration problems with my TV buttons or radios. I even clean the plastic radio cabinets, and anything that is plastic, I clean that with dish detergent... Of course, I do not let it soak for hours, but only a few minutes. A half-hour in general is enough
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Old 05-29-2018, 04:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco-nix View Post
It's also what I always use. toothbrush, toothpick and dish soap. With these things I have never had any discoloration problems with my TV buttons or radios. I even clean the plastic radio cabinets, and anything that is plastic, I clean that with dish detergent... Of course, I do not let it soak for hours, but only a few minutes. A half-hour in general is enough
Another good cleaning product to use to clean the knurl/notches on knobs is Novus 1 with a firm small brush. I would recommend the Novus 3 step kit to anyone. It last a long time and does a great job on plastics.
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Old 05-29-2018, 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by decojoe67 View Post
Another good cleaning product to use to clean the knurl/notches on knobs is Novus 1 with a firm small brush. I would recommend the Novus 3 step kit to anyone. It last a long time and does a great job on plastics.

yeah but more expensive than my method....
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Old 05-30-2018, 08:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco-nix View Post
yeah but more expensive than my method....
I agree and thought same thing for years. I had finally given in several years ago and got the 3-step kit. After do many, many radios since then I'm still using that same kit. It seems to last forever. The results you get is so worth the expense if your an avid collector.
I'll reveal a "secret" excellent plastic polish: Maguire's "Plast-X"
It bites into bakelite and with a little elbow grease makes it smooth as glass. I actually us it after Novus #3 and #2, and then a buff with #1 with cheesecloth.
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Old 06-25-2018, 03:50 PM
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Really gunky knobs I clean with a toothbrush and either Goop hand cleaner, or a liquid cleanser like Soft Scrub - basically a finer abrasive than Comet and in a liquid form so less abrasive.
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