Re: How to Clean Audio Cassette Heads

[Sofa Slug]

Farmer Bill wrote:
> I bought a used AM/FM/Cassette deck for my car.  Unfortunately, the
> heads, capstans, and pinch rollers were filthy.  A cleaning tape barely
> made a dent in the grime, so I cleaned everything gently with Q-tips and
> rubbing alcohol.  But there is still visible corrosion on the tape head,
> causing playback to sound muffled (in one direction only; in the other
> direction, the music sounds fine; it's a reversible deck).  I have run
> the (wet) cleaning tape through the machine about 15 times, to no
> avail.
>
> Does anyone know of a safe method to remove corrosion from audio
> cassette tape heads?  Not sure if I'm savvy enough to try to remove the
> tape head from my old player and put it in the new player.  Maybe I just
> need to buy another used deck from a more reputable seller.
>
> Many thanks.


You might try Brasso polish - it contains a fine abrasive and may safely 
remove the corrosion if it's not too severe. Follow the directions on 
the can and apply with a Q-Tip. Allow it to dry thoroughly, then polish 
it off with a clean Q-tip. Keep repeating the process until the 
corrosion is gone. Remove any remaining Brasso residue with 91% or 
better Isopropyl Alcohol.

If that doesn't work and you are feeling brave, you could try something 
more abrasive like CD scratch remover liquid or maybe even automotive 
polishing compound. Just work slowly and carefully and be sure to remove 
any residue afterwards with the alcohol.