Cleaning dirty chrome

[Austerby]

ahem, first post, so here goes:

I've just bought a IIIa and it's in need of a clean. I've got as much grime off as I can with a dry cotton bud but there's plenty left which will need a bit of help. Before I raid the under-sink cupboard and do some damage I thought I'd check here as to what can be recommended as a suitable cleaner (I'm in the UK so no US brand names please!)

I'll (try to) attach an image from which you might be able to see what I mean. By the way, I'm not seeking to achieve an as-new appearance, just to remove the dirt.

Thanks
Austerby.

 

[back alley]

there is a german cream called autosol that i used on my motorcyles years ago. it works well.
i also use a thing called 'goo gone' and it seems to clean everything from chrome to haze on glass elements.

 

[mikeh]

My plater always suggests Twinkle for chrome, but I'd try it on a corner first and be careful around the etching....

 

[Xmas]

It looks ok to me already groan I have trouble looking away but,

Meths, Zippo, cotton buds, cocktail sticks, will improve - use the cotton buds moist not sopping, float of grime rather then scrubbing, and dont scratch with cocktail sticks, chisel point them for access and not on optics.

Dont clean near optics, you can get fluid ingress. Dont clean optics leitz used soft glass, like hot butter...

Noel

 

[Jamie123]

I'm no expert and maybe this is bad advice but how about plain old alcohol? It evaporates quickly and I can't think of a reason why it would damage the chrome (but maybe I'm wrong).

 

[clintock]

For cleaning in the nooks round the speed dial etc, an old tootbrush works wonders..
A small amount of kitchen spray bottle cleaner on the bristles, just enough to get the grime to stick to the brush.. you don't want anything to flow under the knobs..
When reading labels on the polish under the sink, be sure that the stuff is safe for chrome, nickel, and brass, as all three metals are present in the plating of the leica lid..
I don't know for sure what exactly the knobs are made of; I always figured brass..

 

[john neal]

Definitely NOT Autosol - it's far too abrasive and will take the thin layer of chrome off in no time (it's designed for taking deep cr*p off motorbikes and 1950's car bumpers). To repeat, definitely NO abrasives!!

Advice on cotton buds, toothpicks & toothbrushes is sound, as is alcohol or Ronsonol to remove oil/grease gunk. I would put in a suggestion of a very soft "plastic" eraser used carefully to get out dirty scuffs and Nilglas glass cleaner from Lakeland for general cleaning (it's an alcohol based glass cleaner and works wonders).

Try to float off most dirt and marks without any great pressure - if you have a deep mark, try the eraser carefully.

Works for me 🙂

 

[jesse1dog]

Use of Autosol

Use of Autosol

I've had the same problem as you have and looked at the possibilities of using Autosol - beware!

The suface of the camera isn't just a chrome surface. I think it has gone through an anodising process that results in a satin appearance and feel. People talk and write about chrome having bright spots and this is usually due to wear where the satin surface has rubbed smooth over use and time.
Autosol is a great cleaner and finisher for shiney chrome but not the best of ideas for a satin finish. It will tend to smooth the surface and given a bit of real rubbing produce the bright surface - not what you are after! Sounds as if this is experience writing - it is! I used some Autosol very carefully on my Ic quite deliberately because the chrome surface had pitted resulting in some oxidisation of the brass surface underneath. The oxidation was so bad that it felt bumpy under the fingertips. Autosol certainly removed whatever it was but left a slightly bright surface around the pits. The final result is far better than what I had before and you have to look carefully now to see the pits. The Autosol seems to have sealed off the brass to oxidation, or maybe its my greasy fingers at work!

The advice to use cotton buds, alcohol etc seems sound to me too.
Have you tried dental floss?

j

 

[back alley]

ok, maybe not autosol.
it worked great on a motorcycle and some household appliances...

 

[jesse1dog]

Suggestion made!

Suggestion made!

Hi Back Alley

Wasn't getting at you over the suggestion of Autosol! Just adding my little bit to the discussion.
Funny thing though I think the formulation of Autosol has changed over the years. I can't remember buying any from Germany - mine used to come from France and then was certainly packaged in GB. The last tube I got I thought wasn't as effective as the tubes I seemed to remember using on my motor-bike! Did you have a Puch and/or a Honda Benly?

 

[back alley]

started with a 400 suzuki, went to a silver wing and then a 900 custom.

i didn't think anyone was getting on my case btw.

 

[Graybeard]

Start with Windex (or the UK equivalent) on a cotton bud or a bit of paper towel.

Next step up is a brass polish ("Brasso" here in the US) on a cotton bud (Q-tip). Brasso is all liquid and doesn't contain abrasives.

Next level up is a chrome polish - Noxon here where I live - first with a cotton bud and then with a toothbrush. Noxon has a mild abrasive in it.

If this sequence hasn't been sucessful for you consider leaving things the way they are. More aggressive cleaning is likely to mar the finish noticeably and irreversibly.

 

[Xmas]

Grey...

Brasso is also the trade name in the UK.

When I was in collegue in the 60s we used sliderules and mechanical calculators.

The cursors on the slide rules were plastic and when they got scratched the technique was to use Brasso to re-polish them, wont bore you with the details but after a long process, you could get them like new, as the Brasso is a very fine abrasive...

Dont try it on a lens the Brasso will remove material but you wont have a lens afterwards.

Tooth paste also has a mild abrasive in it...
Noel

 

[peterm1]

Someone mentioned autosol which I have used in some circumstances but I think it could be a bit harsh if we are only talking a bit of dirt. (Its a heavy creme paste like toothpaste but designed for metal.) I have used a couple of other things.

As a starting ploy I use a clean stiff brush (a cheap paint brush) to clena off any surface dust that has accumulated in crevices.

As to actual cleaning there is a kind of cotton wadding which is impregnated with a fine non abrasive metal polish that works well on mild corrosion. (Smells like Brasso) It comes in around can and can be found in auto parts stores too. When you open the can you find a dark grey wadding that feels almost dry or perhaps a little oily to the touch.

Mostly tho' if I just have an item that is only superficially dirty, including camera bodies, I will take a toothbrush (a fairly new one with good bristles that I keep for the purpose) and wet it very very lightly with one of the spray on all purpose kitchen cleaners, (there are dozens of them) making sure there is not so much that it will run off. A light brush of offending parts will get grime off even in crevices like knurling of a winding knob. Alternatively try the same product with a cotton tip. These products contain strong surfecants designed to remove grime and oils. I find they work well if you are careful - very careful!

Another product I find useful (I live in in Australia but maybe you will have it in other countries too) is an oil based one which uses the oil from skin of oranges which is designed to get gum etc off fabrics. It too works well in some circumstances, especially dirty metal although I am suspicious of using it on plastics as its pretty powerful.


Finally good old surgical spirits will remove many stains markes and so forth. I use it ona cotton wad to clean the surface of a black chrome M4P whenever it gets a bit oily from skin oils.

 

[ernstk]

Hi,

I just acquired an M2 which was also quite grimy. I used a pack of 'Wet Ones' , from Boots, which seem to be mostly alcohol based. I used the wipe to moisten a cotton bud, then cleaned the chrome with the moistened bud. It worked a treat and took a huge amount of ingrained grime off the chrome and also the heavily stained Vulcanite. I would be careful of using too much on the Vulcanite and I immediately wiped it drywith a clean tissue.

Ernst

 

[Ash]

brasso or silvo. silvo worked nicely on some of my chrome camera bits. toothbrushes are great. and zippo fuel.

 

[Ronald M]

Nothing abrasive. Alchcol and Q Tip.

Tuttle Wax Chrome polish if you have to.

 

[Bill58]

I use "Flitz" paste exclusively on ALL tarnished, uncoated/ unpainted metal and bright chrome. The same company makes a metal wax, but it's harder to find. It's the same high quality.

 

[back alley]

curiosity get the better of me this this morning and so i opened the tube of autosol that i have. i cannot dectect any abrasive in it, no feel of grit whatsoever, just a smooth creme. my tube says it's 'made in canada from a german product'.
anyway, i cleaned the bottom and top plate of my nikon s2 without any harmful consequenses.
i used a small amount on a q-tip, then rubbed it off with a kleenix and shined it up with a small, soft (car) detailing brush.
it looks great and all the chrome is still where it was when i started.

joe

 

[Ash]

So how do I get the bright marks off the top of my M2? 😀