Looking for some grill cleaning advice

[DaveHo]

The RTA-12C's I picked up a few weeks back were absolutely filthy. The guy I bought them from was using them for music in a house he was renovating. The top hat grills were caked with drywall dust, etc. I've already vac'd them & blown them with compressed air, but they still look horrible. The material itself is in fine shape, & due to the complexity of wrapping them I'd rather clean them than try replacing the fabric. Does anyone have some suggestions? I've thought about using a mild detergent & just hosing them off, but I'm worrried about what would happen to the particle boad that makes up parts of the frame. Anyone think I can get away with it if I'm careful & dry it quickly? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

-Dave

[danger boy]

oh I thought this thread was about cleaning your bbq grill :p

[DaveHo]

Oddly enough I usually use the shop vac for that too. At least as a first step to get the chunks. :D

[gdb]

If your shop vac has wet capabilities.......quickly wet an area of grille cloth with some Rug Doctor upholstery cleaner solution and immediately extract it with your wet vac. Works great, and doesn't make things too wet for too long. Point a fan at the grille afterwards for complete drying. Good as new !!;)

[skrol]

Try one of those sticky paper roller thingies for removing lint and animal hair from clothing. They get mine looking like new.

[Zeros]

Try one of those sticky paper roller thingies for removing lint and animal hair from clothing. They get mine looking like new.

AKA a lint brush

[skrol]

That's it. I really shouldn't try to think after I've taken Imitrex.

[jimmydep]

If you don't have a lint brush, duct tape works just as well.

[DaveHo]

I forgot to mention it, but I did use the lint roller as well. No dice. It's really caked in there. I'll give the shop vac extraction method a try. We also have a carpet shampoo'er with a hand attachment. I'll have to see if I can maybe use that also.

Thanks.

[F1nut]

Resolve Fabric Cleaner.

[HB27]

I use Woolite foam upholstery cleaner on my grills with the fibreboard frames. ($1 a can at the local dollar store))
It doesn't get the fibreboard damp enough to warp or disentegrate the frames and does a great job on the cloth. It's never faded or changed the cloth in any way.
I spray it on, sponge it around lightly, let dry, and vacuum with a shop vac.
For pet stains use the Woolite. I used to have a dog in the house
My plastic frame grills I just make up a mixture of laundry detergent, windex, and water in a spray windex bottle. I wet them down thoroughly and use the shower massage to rinse with luke warm water.
I've used hot water before and actually released the glue from the frames.
Harry

[dl090465]

2 inch masking tape works well, not ad much adhesive as duct tape so it wont stick to your grills, but gets the job done....

[zarrdoss]

with plastic frame grills its easy, just throw them in the shower. these wood frame grills can be tricky. usually a good steam cleaner will do the trick. but sometimes you just have to replace the material as it will not come clean.

[Zeros]

How about a picture to see how bad they really are? You know we all love looking at pictures.

[smcgov34]

there's some cleaner, can't remember the name but it's in the automotive section at Wal Mart and it's a foam with a brush on top of the can and it's red. i would try that, it's not going to soak your stuff, but get it damp enough for the foam to work with some light scrubbing.

[DaveHo]

Yes, they really do look that white. It's not the flash..
http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv41/DaveHo/Polk%20RTA-12C/IMG_3915.jpg

[tx_polkhead]

Wow those are a mess! I think you are going to need more than tape and lint brush to get them clean. I just looked at my top hats and that's a whole lot of mostly uncoated particle board, so I understand the worry about getting it wet. How about getting two sponges damp with the cleaning products mentioned here and pressing the sponges from top and bottom to soak the fabric? When I purchased mine a few years ago the house I picked them up from was less than tidy, but the stereo gear inside was all tip top, so the polks were in good condition, but when the door opened up and I saw the state of the house I was a bit concerned, how about another comma, as I ramble on... Good Luck!

[zarrdoss]

steam cleaner or gently take them off and wash them let dry and re-glue on. those are gross!

[BrettT1]

Thinking new grille cloth.