Clean Grundig 88 radio
 

I recently purchased a Grundig 88 radio and I'd like to clean the outside plastic. What is/are the best product(s)?
thanks,
bob k.

I would think if the case is not too bad mild soap and water on a damp cloth would be a good place to start. Being careful of course not to let any water run. I have used 3M finesse It on bakelite that needed a little rejuvenation with good results but always best to test in a discrete spot before going crazy on any case with a cleaner.

Whatever you do, don't use anything with ammonia in it. It will remove the nice smooth finish if its a Bakelite cabinet. A mild dish soap and water solution will do the job though.

Thanks everyone. And I assume when you say a 'mild' dish soap, you mean a standard product like Palmolive, etc...

bob k.

The three golden rules about cleaning something you haven't cleaned before:

Start with weak cleaners, not strong ones. If it does the job, no need to go further.

Start small, not big. Do a little corner, not the whole thing all at once. See how it works.

Make that a little corner in the back, not the front.

And the "Oh, by the way" part: With dial glass lettering, don't start with anything containing more moisture than your breath, and don't start with anything more aggressive than a delicate touch with a tissue. Too many of us have cleaned the dial of an antique radio and ended up with a perfectly clean piece of naked glass.

What Clay said...'SPECIALLY on the Dial Glass business...

Thank you everyone. Very, very good advice.

bob k.

This plastic is not really cleaning up at all. I've tried the soap and water with little to show for it. The radio is not so much dirty as scruffed up. I can take the shell off with no problem, without the glass coming with it. Is there any type of cleaner to take away the scruf marks?

bob k.

You should be able to get excellent results by using any series of plastic polishes, similar to Novus, etc..

Do not do anything aggressive like starting with something abrasive. Many plastics have a thin surface finish over a different core layer, and if you go through the surface...you won't be happy.

The Novus works great. Thank you for the recommendation.

bob k.

Anytime!