Cleaning jacks on receivers / TV's

[ThA tRiXtA]

<font color='#000000'>Hey all

you know when your receiver or TV is sitting for a while and there are certain jacks you don't use...?

Then one day you come along with this fancy new sub or cable with good intentions to hook it up?

I did this the other day and I found the jacks where the components plug into very dusty and such.

I cleaned then with a q tip and rubbing alcohol.

Was this the right thing to do, or does it matter if a bit of dust is inbtween the connector and jack?

I would assume that if you have these specialty cables that you would want as secure of a connection between the two as possible.

One more thing, is rubbing alcohol bad for this application, or is there something better?

Thanks,

Rob</font>

 

[zumbo]

<font color='#000000'>You did exactly what I was going to suggest!

</font>

 

[Rob Babcock]

<font color='#8D38C9'>Of course, the problem is that rubbing alcohol is way too inexpensive- no audiophool cred whatsoever. &nbsp;You simply must find some snake oil, er, &quot;high end&quot; contact cleaner. &nbsp;I suggest a you look for those products who's base is a distillation of Unicorn's tears.</font>

 

[zumbo]

<font color='#000000'>

</font>

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

<font color='#000000'>OK I'll looka round for that and get back to you! &nbsp;

So seriously though, that won't harm the cables or the connections?</font>

 

[Rob Babcock]

<font color='#8D38C9'>Naw, alcohol is fine. &nbsp;As long as you use the clear stuff, not the green kinds.

There are some contact cleaners that work well, especially if you have corrosion. &nbsp;Flitz is really good. &nbsp;Alcohol won't do a lot on corrosion, but then hopefully that won't be a prob with gear in most parts of the world.

With alcohol, or any other liquid, just be careful to keep the bottle away from your gear! &nbsp;Use a little on a Q-tip.

Dunno what it's effects may be over the long term on the jackets of cables. &nbsp;Probably no effect, but it's hard to say.</font>