How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Pete_kaye · 7th Jan 2009, 4:27 pm

My ivory 746 model has a very dirty curly cord to the handset .Is there a way of cleaning it?I ahe used tothbrush and upholstery cleaner which has partly worked but some still remains in those awkward bits.It is 20 years of dirty fingers,I guess.

Darren-UK · 7th Jan 2009, 4:34 pm

I usually lay the cord out straight, on a cloth, then drench it with foam cleaner (Servisol, Maplins etc). After a couple of minutes I then run the/a cloth down the cord. You need to stretch the cord out but it'll regain its coiled shape once released again.

Bear in mind, however, apart from general muck these things do suffer discolouration and the grommets each end of the cord seem very prone to this.

GeorgSc · 7th Jan 2009, 5:18 pm

Ahhh,
handset cords is a rather special case of "blood, sweat and tears" .
Some finger nail laquer or lipstick may be inccluded as well. :=(
One of the best cleaning solutions for such dirt is shampoo.
Use a strong mixture in water. For a cable I soak a sponge
with that mixture and wrapping the sponge around the cable I
draw that cable through the sponge. The Key-caps from keyboards
I soak for an hour in the warm shampoo solution.
Shampoos are designed to clean hair, where a mixture of
peptides, salts (sweat) and fatty substances play a roll.
The tensides used are very good and more on the expensive
side compared to other household detergents.
Regards
Georg

Nickthedentist · 7th Jan 2009, 5:30 pm

I remoe the cord entiely, and submerse it in a solution of warm water and washing powder or Flash. After a couple of minutes, find a helper to hold one end of the cord and stretch it out, then wipe it clean with a non-stick pan scourer (rough but not too rough). Rinse in clean water, dry thoroughly then replace.

Nick.

davidw · 8th Jan 2009, 9:14 am

I've had some success soaking these in a warm solution of biological washing powder: depending on the amount of grime I have had to leave for a couple of hours.
This also worked on the stained buttons of my juke box.

Chipmunk · 19th Jan 2009, 12:22 am

Another vote here for the biological washing powder, one word of warning though (not immediately obvious!). I've had some issues with getting the 'tags' wet. What seems to happen, is the warm water expands the air inside the pvc insulation, then, as it cools, it sucks water back into the actual cores, which later corrodes them. Just tying the ends up to something like a stick across the bowl will work to prevent this. Also, (to be used with caution), boiling water poured straight out of a kettle onto the cords in a steel sink or on the draining board will help the cords to 'relax' back to their original coiliness (is that a word?), the same caveat about the tag ends applies.

Tim · 19th Jan 2009, 10:18 pm

Wipes such as Duzzitt or Grimex are very effective.

7th Jan 2009, 4:27 pm	#1
Pete_kaye Octode Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,227	How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? My ivory 746 model has a very dirty curly cord to the handset .Is there a way of cleaning it?I ahe used tothbrush and upholstery cleaner which has partly worked but some still remains in those awkward bits.It is 20 years of dirty fingers,I guess.

7th Jan 2009, 4:34 pm	#2
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? I usually lay the cord out straight, on a cloth, then drench it with foam cleaner (Servisol, Maplins etc). After a couple of minutes I then run the/a cloth down the cord. You need to stretch the cord out but it'll regain its coiled shape once released again. Bear in mind, however, apart from general muck these things do suffer discolouration and the grommets each end of the cord seem very prone to this.

7th Jan 2009, 5:18 pm	#3
GeorgSc Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Germany Palatinate Posts: 87	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? Ahhh, handset cords is a rather special case of "blood, sweat and tears" . Some finger nail laquer or lipstick may be inccluded as well. :=( One of the best cleaning solutions for such dirt is shampoo. Use a strong mixture in water. For a cable I soak a sponge with that mixture and wrapping the sponge around the cable I draw that cable through the sponge. The Key-caps from keyboards I soak for an hour in the warm shampoo solution. Shampoos are designed to clean hair, where a mixture of peptides, salts (sweat) and fatty substances play a roll. The tensides used are very good and more on the expensive side compared to other household detergents. Regards Georg

7th Jan 2009, 5:30 pm	#4
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,861	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? I remoe the cord entiely, and submerse it in a solution of warm water and washing powder or Flash. After a couple of minutes, find a helper to hold one end of the cord and stretch it out, then wipe it clean with a non-stick pan scourer (rough but not too rough). Rinse in clean water, dry thoroughly then replace. Nick.

8th Jan 2009, 9:14 am	#5
davidw Heptode Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 643	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? I've had some success soaking these in a warm solution of biological washing powder: depending on the amount of grime I have had to leave for a couple of hours. This also worked on the stained buttons of my juke box. __________________ Dave G1AGK. My perception is my reality!

19th Jan 2009, 12:22 am	#6
Chipmunk Triode Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 30	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? Another vote here for the biological washing powder, one word of warning though (not immediately obvious!). I've had some issues with getting the 'tags' wet. What seems to happen, is the warm water expands the air inside the pvc insulation, then, as it cools, it sucks water back into the actual cores, which later corrodes them. Just tying the ends up to something like a stick across the bowl will work to prevent this. Also, (to be used with caution), boiling water poured straight out of a kettle onto the cords in a steel sink or on the draining board will help the cords to 'relax' back to their original coiliness (is that a word?), the same caveat about the tag ends applies.

19th Jan 2009, 10:18 pm	#7
Tim Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 3,310	Re: How to clean the cord on 1984 phone? Wipes such as Duzzitt or Grimex are very effective. __________________ "Nothing is as dangerous as being too modern;one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly."