Do you remember the days of the cassette tape when there was a cassette tape cleaner? Or even in the days of the CD player, there was a method of cleaning the cd player with a special disc. And even though we no longer use cassettes and rarely use CDs, it’s still important to keep our audio systems clean. That’s right. Even in today’s world of online streaming and Bluetooth, there’s still cleaning to be done to ensure your system doesn’t get compromised by accumulating dust and grime.
A car’s stereo system is particularly susceptible to dust accumulation, and even more so if you don’t store your rig in a garage. So be on the lookout for accumulating dust, dirt, and grime, especially on the control console.
Whether it’s dust from nearby fields or grime from your oily hands, there’s plenty of nastiness to clean from your audio console on a regular basis.
A good rule of thumb
Here’s a good rule-of-thumb. Every time you wash your car, take a moment to wipe down the audio console. This is also a good time to wipe down other surfaces like the steering wheel and gear shifter. If you’re really gung ho, then you’d perform this exercise every time you fill the car with gas.
For me, I keep a packet of cleaning wipes made by Melaleuca. They’re called “Tough and Tender” wipes. They work perfectly and are very friendly to the sensitive electronic components that make-up my car’s audio system.
Some people are more motivated than me and instead of having simple wipes will instead have a spray bottle of Armor All and a roll of paper towels on hand. To me, this is a little much and takes up entirely too much space. But hey. To each his/her own!
Conclusion
Basically, my point is that we still need to take care of our electronics even if they don’t have insertable discs or tapes. They can still be compromised by dirt and grime. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.