# What to use to clean?



## photographyfanatic (Apr 30, 2010)

I have picked up quite a few vintage/antique cameras over the past year at yard sales, goodwill, ect.. Most need some TLC to bring them back to life. Does anyone know what I should use to clean the outsides of these cameras? Will warm soap and water do?

Thanks


----------



## KmH (May 2, 2010)

I would use a little distilled water with just a couple of drops of liquid car washing soap. (the grease cutters in most other liquid soaps is pretty harsh.)

Dampen a soft cloth and gently wipe them clean.


----------



## Mitica100 (May 2, 2010)

I use Windex successfully. I know it sounds radical but it does work. I have cleaned hundreds of cameras with or without bellows. I usually take a bit of fabric (Terry towel) and apply some Windex to it. Clean slow without putting too much pressure as you go. Repeat and change the cleaning spot on the fabric often, otherwise you'll re-embed the picked up dirt somewhere else. Let dry and buff with a very soft piece of textile like fleece or flannel.

I picked up this tip from other fellow collectors, it's a tried method.


----------



## photographyfanatic (May 3, 2010)

Thank u!


----------



## Brent Link (May 3, 2010)

Depending on the material used on the bodies, just about any cleaner should do the trick. Avoid bleaches on plastic/fiberglass housings and never use anything on your lens other than lens cleaner (this is if you intend to take pictures with them). Lens cleaner should be the only thing you ever use on your lens, the old breath and shirt sleeve or glass cleaner will only leave smudges and smears that the film/sensor will pick-up. At least that has been my experience with those methods. This is most certainly true with any large sized macro lens, cleaners like Windex are too harsh and will damage the macro on the lens.


----------



## Brent Link (May 3, 2010)

Oh yes, one other tidbit about lens cleaning. You can purchase lens cleaning paper at just about any store that sells cameras. A cleaned bleached, non-detergent, washed white t-shirt will work.


----------

