How to Apply Deoxit

Deoxit is a product manufactured by CAIG Laboratories for cleaning and lubricating electrical contacts. It comes in spray form and is sold in aerosol cans. Deoxit can be used to clean visible oxidation (rust) and corrosion from contacts, requires no wiping, and will air-dry while leaving a film of protective lubricant on the components. Because the product is flammable and often requires manipulation of delicate electrical parts, the user should carefully learn how to apply Deoxit before attempting a cleaning. The guide below will describe the proper use of Deoxit in perhaps its classic application: cleaning the potentiometers of a vintage stereo receiver.

Steps

1. Purchase the right type of Deoxit for your application. DeoxIT is manufactured in over a dozen varieties, so you should read carefully about the uses of each type before your purchase. For cleaning and lubricating potentiometers ("pots") or contacts, the standard "D5" spray should be used. Other formulations are available for more specialized applications, though, such as cleaning gold or conductive plastics.

2. Remove the case from your receiver or amplifier. To access the pots, you will have to remove the case. This can usually be done by removing a few screws on the underside of the unit. Remove these screws carefully and set them aside. Slide the case away from the chassis of the receiver. To access the pots, you only need about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of room behind the faceplate.

3. Locate the potentiometers. Just behind the knobs on the faceplate (the ones that control volume, tone, balance, et cetera) you will find the pots. The pots are small cylinders that are controlled through the knobs. Each pot should have a small rectangular hole that allows access to the internal components.

4. Spray the Deoxit into the first pot. Attach the long, straw-shaped nozzle to the can of Deoxit and place the tip of this nozzle into the hole in the pot. Spray a small amount of the cleaner into the hole and remove the nozzle.

5. Rotate the knob attached to the pot repeatedly. After spraying the cleaner into the first pot, turn the control back and forth repeatedly from its minimum position to its maximum position. This will spread the cleaner across the inside of the pot and help work loose any corrosion or dirt. Do this for about 2 minutes continuously. Repeat this process with each pot in sequence.

6. Allow the Deoxit to dry. After cleaning each pot, reattach the receiver's case. Allow the unit to sit for an hour so that the Deoxit dries sufficiently. Plug the unit in and test it. The knobs should now rotate smoothly and no distortion should be audible when rotating each control.