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Best practices - cleaning contacts!

Hello audiophiles-

I’ve had my existing equipment for about 3 years and have never cleaned contacts.  Should I do this?  I am wondering what best products and practices are for doing so?  What’s your method?  How often do you do this?  Also do I clean just the input jacks or am I also cleaning banana plugs and jacks on interconnects and metal prongs on power cords?

(And in the immediate, I am just blowing pressurized air, but wondering if something more serious would be a good idea at some point.)

Please advise!  Thanks-
Margot
mcanaday
erik_squires
15,657 posts
 
Really once before you assemble your rig is enough.

A lot use Craig Deoxit
Post removed 
mcanaday OP
168 posts
 
Thanks!  Elizabeth a few follow ups.  Lots of different Deoxit Golds—is this the one I want?

https://caig.com/product/deoxit-gold-g5s-6/

Could I use something like this on banana plugs etc?

https://caig.com/product/deoxit-gold-k-g1w-25/

I’m a bit confused by the difference between 5% and 100% solution.

Also what are you using to wipe off excess?  Q tip?  Would a pipe cleaner also work?

Thanks!

Margot


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bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,412 posts
 

The 7.4mL bottle of Deoxit Gold recommended by Elizabeth ($32.95 on Amazon, $29.95 from Michael Percy) is included in the company’s K-DG100L-2DB kit, available from Markertek for $25.99. In addition to the 7.4mL bottle of Gold, the kit includes a 7.4mL bottle of the Red cleaner, and a number of good cleaning utensils.

I, like Elizabeth, prefer the 100% strength liquid form of Deoxit; no over-spray mess or waste of the diluted strength aerosol version. By the way, the Red contains a higher percentage of the Deoxit cleaning chemical than does the Gold.

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