A tape head cleaner is a substance or device used for cleaning the record and playback heads of a magnetic tape drive found in

video Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...

audio Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to: Sound *Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound *Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum *Digital audio, representation of sound ...

tape machines such as

cassette player A cassette deck is a type of tape machine for playing and recording audio cassettes that does not have a built-in power amplifier or speakers, and serves primarily as a Transport (recording), transport. It can be a part of an automotive entertai ...

s and VCRs. These machines require regular maintenance to perform properly. Particles that come off

magnetic tape Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic storage made of a thin, magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film. It was developed in Germany in 1928, based on the earlier magnetic wire recording from Denmark. Devices that use magnetic ...

can build up on the record and playback heads, reducing the signal quality. Head cleaning may be done with a special cloth, long swabs, or a cleaning tape or cassette.

Cleaning fluids

Fluids used for cleaning video heads include (but are not limited to) the following

solvents A solvent (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for p ...

: *

Dichlorodifluoromethane Dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12) is a colorless gas popularly known by the genericized brand name Freon (as Freon-12). It is a chlorofluorocarbon halomethane (CFC) used as a refrigerant and aerosol spray propellant. In compliance with the Montreal ...

(discontinued in 1995 due to damage to the

ozone layer The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. It contains a high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the a ...

). *

Alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

(usually

isopropyl alcohol Isopropyl alcohol (IUPAC name propan-2-ol and also called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable, organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor. Isopropyl alcohol, an organic polar molecule, is miscible in water, ethanol, an ...

rubbing alcohol Rubbing alcohol, known as surgical spirit in the British Pharmacopoeia, refers to a group of denatured alcohol solutions commonly used as topical disinfectant. In addition to its medical applications, rubbing alcohol is employed in various indust ...

), effective for cleaning heads and guide rollers. *

Acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone) is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly Volatile organic compound, volatile, and flammable liquid with a charact ...

, an effective

solvent A solvent (from the Latin language, Latin ''wikt:solvo#Latin, solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a Solution (chemistry), solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas ...

although it may damage

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...

s. * Amyl nitrite and other nitrites marketed as video head cleaners. * Xylene, an effective solvent although it may damage

Dry cleaners

Dry methods of cleaning include: *

Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette, also commonly called a cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens and his team at the Dutch company ...

-shaped devices that can be inserted into tape decks and played for a short time to polish the recording heads to remove smudges and dirt. This may shorten the life of the unit and should not be overused. *Compact Cassette-shaped devices that have a cloth tape that can have liquid cleaning fluids added to it before being inserted into a tape deck and played for a short time. Similar cassettes exist for VHS.

Other uses

In some countries, to evade anti-drug laws, poppers like amyl nitrite are labelled or packaged as tape head cleaner.

References

* DIY Guide to Cleaning Your Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) - January, 1998 by Ralph Calabri

* Notes on the Troubleshooting and Repair of Video Cassette Recorders by Samuel M. Goldwasser

* Betamax PALsite Guides - Head Cleanin

* Fixer Corp

* How NOT to clean your video heads or a very expensive lesson. by Samuel M. Goldwasse

{{Video storage formats Tape recording Videotape Sound production technology Sound recording

Cleaning fluids

Dry cleaners

Other uses

See also

References