cleaning tolex how to

[dixiedevil1369]

i have a vintage amp that the tolex is very dirty but its just dust that had sat on it for a long time i have tried using windex and a fine bristle brush and that helped i tried pledge and it helped but theres alot still there do i need to just keep cleaning it the way i am doing or is there something else that will take off this dirt and grime and have the tolex looking new again?

[Chuck H]

Try a mild solvent like naphtha. Use a fine bristle brush like you have been doing but let the solvent sit for a minute before scrubbing so it can soften the grime. It'll still be tough to clean such that your not just moving the grime around. Getting it out of the fine crevices and all. Be careful around the seams in case the solvent affects the adhesive too.

A more radical option (if we're talking years of nicotine and soot that's really stuborn) would be to strip the cab completely, soap it down (like a car wash) and pressure wash it. That's sure to get the grime out instead of just moving it around. If its a vintage amp it should be made of some decent wood (don't try this with MDF or any other particle board). If you do it on a sunny day and don't hit any seams against their bias it should be fine.

Chuck