1 of 1- RemingtonJim
- New Member
Offline - Registered: 24-6-2019
- Posts: 23
Ultrasonic cleaner for typewriter
Anyone ever tried using an ultrasonic cleaner on a typewriter? I have a pretty large one at work I can use. I would think for some small/ medium size portables you could put them right in (obviously taking care of any decals and delegate areas). Thank you.
- skywatcher
- Moderator
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- From: The Prairies of Alberta
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 712
Re: Ultrasonic cleaner for typewriter
Hi Jim
I see no reason why this wouldn't get the mechanism of a typewriter really cleaned out. Units with injection molded keys could be completely submerged, but one would want to be very careful with glass topped keys not to get any water into the keys and stain the cardboard inserts.
Thoroughly drying the entire mechanism after cleaning would be an absolute must to prevent rusting. Removal of platen and feed rollers would also be strongly advised, especially the platens with wooden cores. I would imagine that any bare ferrous metal parts would require some form of rust protection after having been cleaned and dried.
Just my thoughts,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 892
Re: Ultrasonic cleaner for typewriter
Ultrasonic cleaners weren't around when the typewriter trade was at its peak and there were one or more typewriter shops in every town. However, we did have steam cleaning machines which I would imagine did a similar job to an ultrasonic cleaner. When using a steam cleaner, we would remove the platen and feedrolls plus the typewriter's outer casing, then blow any dust out with compressed air. You kept the hot steam away from plastic keytops (and of course keycards on an older machine) and removed the plastic linescales. Sky is correct. The steam cleaning process (and I guess ultrasonic cleaning) would dry the machine right out, andafterwards you would have to spray it with a thin film of typewriter oil (read sewing machine oil nowadays) to prevent rusting.
