If you start with taking the head-cover off it's easier to reach the headstack both for cleaning and demag.
Using a cotton swab dipped in headcleaner fluid, rub the entire area of the head surface,being.
Repeat the process on each head until all tape oxide and dirt are removed, then use a clean cottonswab to dry all the heads off.
Then clean all the metalguides where the tape passes, such as capstan shaft, tape guides, tape lifters, tensionrollers etc.
Tensionrollers can be hard to clean in the grooves, I usally wipe them down first with headcleaner fluid, and carfully take a toothpick to clean the innergrooves that are hard to reach.
Be patient , the crud will come off.
Second Important thing: Don't use Headcleaner on the rubber pinchroller even if it's tempting to do, it will destroy the pinchroller, so invest in a bottle of Rubber Cleaner(cost around $6-10.00) much lower compare to find a replacement..
Demag:
CAUTION
You can destroy the heads if this is done wrong so be careful.
First turn the deck off.
If you try with the unit on, the current pulses produced by the demagnetizer will look like audio signals to the head.
These pulses are around 10.000 gauss, and will seriously damage the electronics and/or meters.
Be sure that the demagnetizer has either plastic cover or plastic tape covering the tip. Make sure that no metal ever touches the tape heads as it will scar them and destroy them.
Be sure to concentrate while you are doing this. If it's turn on and off by accident when close to the head, you can put a permanent magnetic charge on them that no amount of demagnetizing will remove.
You will have to replace the heads instead..
Make sure you are awake and alert for this job.Also cleaning the heads first is a good idea.
Attach the the plastic protection on the pole tips of the demagnetizer if it's not ready installed.
Plug the demagnetizer in to the AC.outlet.
Have all your tapes at least 5-6 feet away (2 meters) when demagnetizing to prevent the magnetic field from erasing them.
Depress the button and slowly bring the tip close to the head, move it up and down 4-5 times.
Slowly draw it away from the head at least 5-6 feet, and release the button.
The same procedure is done on each head, capstanshaft, and the guide post, but be sure not to touch the demagnetizer unprotected metal to any of the heads.
I hope this helps.
