Heavy Duty Descent Cleaning Question

[Dan Prorok]

I did some searching and while there are lots of posts about how to clean the panels of our ESLs, I didn't see too much on the cabinets.

I finally sprung and purchased a Descent this past weekend. I got it locally via an Audiogon auction and, without a lot of heavy tweaking, was able to get it to work fairly seamlessly with my SL-3's. It doesn't really draw attention to itself; it's more like I "bolted on" the bottom octave to the SL-3's...very nice. There is, of course, more tweaking to be done, but first pass results are quite pleasing.

More than performance, I am currently interested in improving the aesthetics. This Descent's former owner was a heavy smoker and didn't baby his speakers the way I would, so there's some refurbishing in order here. The grills are going - they have some cracks in the frame, but more important than that, they reek badly of cigarette smoke. Several applications of Fabreze isn't helping, so I plan on ordering a new set from Martin Logan this week.

I have wiped down the cabinet several times with a rag damp with water and removed several layers of yellowish-brown tar. The rags are starting to come off clean, so I think this will be okay as well as I continue to clean it daily.

The one thing I have not been able to solve is that there are some small white paint splatters on the cabinet that the previous owner said came from a painting of the ceiling in his stereo room. It's minor, but I'd really like to get those off. I assume it's just latex ceiling paint, but I really have no way of being sure. What would be the preferred method or removing the splatters / specks? They don't wipe off with water and I can't scratch them off with my fingernail. I have considered using soft plastic razor blades, like the kind car detailers use to get sap off of a car's paint, but am unsure how effective that will be since the cabinet is textured and not as smooth as glass like car paint is. I am really hesitant to use any kind of cleaner or solvent for fear of disturbing the Descent's finish.

Any suggestions of what would be a good thing to try that, if used gingerly, might remove the latex paint splatters without harming the Descent cabinet's finish?

I plan on quizzing Jim Power, too, when I order the grills this week, but I thought someone here might have some good ideas as well.

Thanks!

 

[Brad225]

Congratulation on your new acquisition. Sorry to hear your Descent is a smoker.
For the paint, most hardware have citrus or other non lethal based paint removers for specks and drips. I would think one of these would work.
Be sure to try it in an inconspicuous place on the Descent first just in case it reacts with the finish, but I think it will work fine.
You might also want to slap a Nicorette patch on the Descent for a couple of weeks until it makes the transition to a non smoking environment.

 

[Dan Prorok]

I do have some Goo Gone citrus cleaner handy I could try. We used to use that stuff 15 years ago when I worked in a public library to get the sticky residue left from those "Your book is due by" stickers we'd put on the backs of the books. It also worked great for cleaning they "I don't want to know what that is" left on some childrens' books that were returned. It's absolutely amazing for getting sticky residues off left by label stickers. It also lasts forever. I bought a small bottle many years ago and it just lasts and lasts.

As for kicking the smoking habit, I'm happy the sub appears to be sealed, so it's pretty easy to get the stinky residue off the exterior and I don't have to worry much about the innards. Once I took the grills off and put them in the garage, the smell has quickly dissipated in my living room. A few more rounds with the damp rag and I think it will have completed rehab. At least there are now ESL elements to the descent so I don't have any panels to worry about replacing.

 

[Jeff Zaret]

Dan,
Congrats on the sub and I am sorry about its formal habitual habits. Kids will be kids. LOL
I have the Depth and I know the panels are the same design only smaller. I wonder when you talk with Jim P at ML if he has any ideas of the cloth they used and I am sure he does. You may be able to get it locally and save some money by doing it yourself. Just a thought

Jeff

 

[Dan Prorok]

It's good to hear from you again, Jeff...it's been a long time.

Thanks for the suggestion re: grill cloth. The grills have some hard plastic perforation that give it structural integrity. Some of this "skelaton" is cracked as well on each panel, so it's more than stinky cloth. I think it's time for new. I seem to remember in another thread new grills are around $65 each, which isn't terrible and, when added to my rediculously low initial purchase price, still makes for a good deal overall.

As for the Goo Gone; I gave that a quick try this morning and, while it didn't seem to affect the cabinet finish, it didn't do anything to the paint splatters, either. I'm not brave enough to leave it applied and let it soak in.