External cleaning of old SLR

[Rainman]

I just recently stumbled on this site. Looks like a great source of advice and information. This is my first post here, and I did do a few searches before I posted.

My old Minolta SRT bodies have accumulations if dust and a bit of grime up in corners, etc., where wiping won't get it. Is there a cleaning material that is safe for loosening it up? One shop recommended denatured alcohol, but it was more of a "You might try...". Ditto ammonia. Granted, there are many things I "might" try, but I was looking for something a little more definitive. I thought sure there would be some kind of gentle cleanser one could spray on a brush or bit of rag to "floss" in those difficult to reach areas. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Raymond

 

[Big Mike]

I would try to stay away from spraying anything onto the camera. Put whatever cleaning agent you chose onto a cloth or Q-tip. You might be able to use a knife or sharp object to gently scrape out/off any gunk that is being stubborn.

I know what it's like when you want to have a really clean old camera but you have to make sure you don't get over zealous and do any damage to the camera. It's not worth wrecking the camera over the exterior cosmetics.

 

[Mitica100]

I thought sure there would be some kind of gentle cleanser one could spray on a brush or bit of rag to "floss" in those difficult to reach areas. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Raymond

Hey Raymond, when it comes to cleaning the outside of a camera I use denaturated alcohol on the tip of a q-tip wrapped in a little piece of soft facial tissue. For the hard to access places I use the tip of a toothpick which I also wrap in a bit of cotton and dip lightly in alcohol. For the leatherette/leather parts I use common leather cleaner, also a little dab on a piece of soft facial tissue. One trick that I learned from someone else is to use a soft pipe cleaner disposable brush (you can get those at any tobacco store) also dipped in a bit of alcohol. Also, a stiff and small painting brush, trimmed short (so the bristles are somewhat hard) would work well. When it comes to using alcohol the key word here is "a bit", squeeze the excess out with your fingers. Do not clean the lens with alcohol and remember to never clean the mirror.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rainman]

Thanks for the tips! That is exactly the info I needed and basically what I had in mind. Don't worry, I know better than to spray anything on cameras, instruments, etc., but thanks for the reminder for future readers.
Regards,
Raymond

 

[Mitica100]

Thanks for the tips! That is exactly the info I needed and basically what I had in mind. Don't worry, I know better than to spray anything on cameras, instruments, etc., but thanks for the reminder for future readers.
Regards,
Raymond

You're very welcome!