Cleaning a Microphone

[illsoulprod]

My fiance wants to know if its ok to spray "Lysol" on my microphone in order to disinfect it. My personal take. Hell no. But in her defence it does say on the bottle that it can be used for all electronic devices. So I ask you my colleagues if it is "ok" to spray?

 

[AMcB]

I always take the grills off my mics to clean them. And rub them with alcohol. But that's just the dynamics. And I'm a clean freak. I've broken 2 sm57s trying to clean the grill thing on them. I think I've got it figured out now though. Haha. But I'd say it's NOT worth a try.

 

[moresound]

Just use plenty of soap and hot water .. After soaking them for about two hours

No just kidding........... if it was me I wouldn't, but maybe with a dynamic like a SM58 unscrew the head take it off then do it to the foam only away from the membrane that's where I'd draw the line.

 

[Wack]

Not even worth the risk

 

[Waltz Mastering]

You really wouldn't want to spray anything directly on a microphone. ime/o

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Take the mic apart and clean the screens, but stay away from the capsules. Most condensers don't even like it to be too humid out.

G.

 

[dintymoore]

I'd get some Scope or Listerine and lightly wet a paper towel with it and tamp (yes that's a word ) it carefully against the grille. I'm talking so little mouthwash that there's zero chance even the slightest amount of liquid will go down inside.

At gigs I've used Wet Ones wipes, it's fine as long as there's no actual liquid going into the mic. I am a Wet Ones fanatic at gigs, those things are great.

 

[OneWerd]

I can't think of the name of the reggae artist...

...but I heard he used to blow weed smoke on mics and bury them in the ground to get a more "earthy" sound. It's all about thinking outside the box, mon!

 

[dobro]

Dipping them in extra virgin olive oil prevents rust usually.

 

[alanarbor]

Spray the lysol on a cloth to slightly dampen it and then rub down the mic with it. Unless you're doing some seriously sick stiff with it that should do to keep from passing germs around.

 

[illsoulprod]

I thank you gentleman for ur replies and so does my fiance lysol on paper towel it is so sayeth the engineers.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

You might also want to consider sticking pop filters in front of your mics to help on the prevention side of the equation. While they are not medically germ filters per se, they can certainly help keep spit and humid breath off your mics, and the pop filters themselves are usually fully immersable and quite cleanable

G.

 

[illsoulprod]

now that i already do

I shudder to think what my mic would look like if i didnt have a pop filter in front of it. Thats just nasty

 

[dobro]

Yeah, I even put a condom on mine sometimes. Non-lubricated, of course.