Cleaning vintage AR grills.

[pmsummer]

I'm about half-way through a utility restoration of a pair of AR-2ax speakers (refresh the cabinets but no reveneering, clean the pots with Cramolin red and blue, replace the caps with Daytons, velcro tabs for the grills). I'm half-way through due to a power outage yesterday just as I was buttoning up the first speaker.

Here's my question: The grills are discolored behind the openings (nicotine stains, I think), but the fabric is in good shape otherwise, just loose and darker over the openings. I was thinking about misting them with distilled water to draw them up again (an old painting-restoration trick I learned in another lifetime), but then I starting thinking about using Woolite upholstery cleaner (spray on, wipe off).

Any hints on what's worked and what's failed?

Thanks!

[Guest Eunomians]

I have always replaced my grill cloths, but I've got a pair of AR7s with mint original grill cloths with some light discolorations on them. I have heard (somewhere, I forget where) that spraying some hydrogen peroxide mixed with water from a spray bottle could possibly clean them up. Afterall, there is peroxide in the hyrdrogen peroxide. I have not tried this method as of yet, but I would like to.

[Guest Cliff]

Another safe way to clean grill cloth that you want to keep is Oxyclean. I admit, I've never used it but it should work. I do know that if I ever do have to clean something like that, I will try it myself.

Good luck,

Cliff

[pmsummer]

I just tried the hydrogen peroxide treatment on some 37 year old AR-2ax grill cloth. Three treatments of 1:3 peroxide to water, sprayed front and back. Lightened everything, but the dark spots of the cut-outs remain. I even cleaned it with Bissell Upholstery Cleaner first.

Top photo is bleached, bottom is original.

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1597.gif

Right photo is bleached, left is original.

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/dc/user_files/1598.gif

[Guest russwollman]

When I redid some ARs, I used ammonia first. It didn't do enough. Then I used Clorox. I was a little nervous about it. But it worked, though it didn't remove everything. There's only so much cleaning that can be accomplished after so much exposure to the elements. That linen is pretty tough stuff, though.

Sorry to shock you all about the use of Clorox, but I felt it was my duty ;-)