Best way to clean glossy finish on speakers?

A 2nd on the recommendation of Novus by wolf_garcia. I've been using it on vintage drums---both natural wood and plastic-wrapped finishes---for a quarter century. 

@lanx0003 

I guess when you go away for extended periods while in Europe or you're Mountain lodge or when you're at your  Beach house, this would be a good idea.

I think the fabric covering it up may rub against it unless you design a special enclosure to avoid contact.

Practically speaking I'm not sure this works for me.

+1 @yyzsantabarbara 

Cover-up is probably the best way to keep dust and moisture out.  If you maintain a good habbit covering the speakers up you will find the huge difference after a few years' use.

OMG! Alcohol is for drinking!!!!

Certainly, cleaning glossy speaker cabinets requires a delicate touch to prevent scratching or damaging the finish. Here's a recommended method:

Materials Needed:

• Microfiber cloth (soft and clean)
• Distilled water
• Isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher concentration)
• Mild dish soap (optional)
• Soft-bristle brush (such as a clean makeup brush)
• Soft cotton or microfiber gloves (optional)

Steps:

1. Dust Removal: Before applying any liquids, use a soft-bristle brush or a clean makeup brush to gently remove any dust and loose particles from the speaker cabinets. This helps prevent scratching while wiping.

2. Preparation of Cleaning Solution: Mix a cleaning solution by combining equal parts of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol. If you feel the need for a bit more cleaning power, you can add a drop of mild dish soap to the mixture. Be sure not to use too much soap, as it can leave streaks or residue on the glossy finish.

3. Testing: Before applying the cleaning solution to the entire surface, it's a good idea to test it on a small, inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn't damage the finish. Wait a few minutes to observe any adverse reactions.

4. Dampen the Cloth: Moisten a clean, soft microfiber cloth with the prepared cleaning solution. It should be damp but not soaking wet. Excess moisture can seep into seams or joints and potentially damage the speaker.

5. Gentle Wiping: Gently wipe the glossy surface using the damp microfiber cloth. Use light pressure and avoid scrubbing or aggressive motions. Follow the natural grain of the finish if there is one. This will help lift dirt and fingerprints without scratching the surface.

6. Drying: Once you've wiped the surface, allow the speaker cabinets to air dry for a few minutes. If you notice any streaks, you can use a dry, clean portion of the microfiber cloth to lightly buff the surface.

7. Final Touches: If necessary, repeat the process on any areas that still appear dirty. Ensure there's no excess moisture left on the surface.

8. Fingerprints and Smudges: For particularly stubborn fingerprints or smudges, you can apply a small amount of the cleaning solution directly to the microfiber cloth and gently rub the affected area.

9. Frequency: Regular gentle cleaning is better than infrequent heavy cleaning. Dust the cabinets regularly to prevent buildup.

10. Protection: To further protect the glossy finish, you might consider using soft cotton or microfiber gloves while handling the speaker cabinets to minimize direct contact with oils from your skin.

Remember, the key is to be gentle and cautious while cleaning to avoid any scratching or damage to the glossy finish. Always test any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area first, and if you're unsure, it might be a good idea to consult the speaker manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning and maintenance.

Novus #1. Been using this amazing stuff for years since it was recommended to me by Pat DiBurro, the amazing "right coast" luthier and brilliant guitar repairman, and he got the idea from the late Bill Collings of Collings Guitars when he was hanging out at their shop years ago. I use it mostly on my acoustic guitars and my motorcycle helmet face shield. Higher quality guitar finishes are often nitrocellulose (my faves are anyway) which is a pretty finicky and often a very thin finish so this stuff will work well on glossy speakers regardless of what the finish is. If there’s something better out there I haven’t heard of it. For scratches Novus makes grittier stuff you can use in stages with #1 being the final gloss polish. Don’t use car stuff...ever...sandpaper...really?

Lot’s of good and also silly suggestions here...a few suggestions and corrections if you will...

• don’t use alcohol on your speakers, eye glasses or TV
• yes, treat like automotive paint
• yes, spray your clean dust cloth lightly with distilled water
• don’t press hard, or at all, even a clean cloth can put swirls in the paint
• don’t dust or polish in circles - that is where the swirls come from - use straight lines - you can still put fine scratches in the paint if you use too much pressure but they will be less obvious
• if you want to use car "wax", don’t use actual carnauba wax unless you know what your are doing
• consumer ceramic automotive paint products generally have a low silica content and are not the same as the pro stuff - you can get your car done with a ceramic coating done "professionally" for anywhere from $200 to $5,000 - there is a reason for the massive range in cost, most of which is the preparation of the paint’s surface prior to application
• far easier and effective to use a high quality synthetic paint sealant - I use Wolf and Adams - do one or two coats, after that your are done for a long time (unless your speaker is in the sun)
• after that a detail spray works wonders, after you have lightly dusted - but spray the cloth not the speaker
• If you have scuffs and a few light "surface scratches", Maguier’s cleaner wax works really well - but it will not buff out or fill in actual scratches that have pierced the clear coat
• DO NOT attempt paint correction (the removal of swirls and scratches) as suggested above unless you know what you are doing AND you have the required power tools and pads - automotive compounds, glazes and polishes require machine application and removal to be effective

Most importantly, learn to ignore the imperfections. 

@ghdprentice Where do you think it got the answer?

I will stick to Maguire's detailing products.

I like to start with 40 grit. But I am impatient. Get to 220 as soon as possible. Then jewelers rouge.

I use 80 grit, dry, changes them from hard to clean gloss to satin finish pretty quickly. Much less maintenance going forward ;)

@jeffrey125

I would agree with you… but ChatGPT basically said the same thing as Steinway.

Great quoting ChatGP.

Go talk to a Steinway Piano Store not ChatGP.  What a joke. 

OP,

Great question. Here is what ChatGPT says:

To clean the glossy finish on speakers, use a soft microfiber cloth to gently wipe away dust and fingerprints. You can dampen the cloth slightly with water if needed, but avoid using harsh chemicals that could damage the finish. If there are stubborn smudges, try using a small amount of mild soap diluted in water. Remember to dry the surface thoroughly afterward.

Use a high quality car wax. For light swirls and scratches, use the same methodology as for car detailing.

FWIW, I also use car wax on all my guitars to protect them from skin oils and acids. It works on tools, on my Weber grills, especially in Hawaii, where corrosion will rot anything not protected. 

If you do end up with fine small scratches on the piano gloss black finish, try PS 21 paint cleaner with a high quality applicator  It works for me every time

Also great to use on you toy car paint

I wonder what chatgpt would say. 
Maybe this website will be replaced

If only there was a wizard

I use a feather duster.

I like the car detailing spray idea. Also a swiffer duster is really good to have. What an incredible invention this was and how stupidly simple it is.

No one mentions use of distilled water, which is a lot better to use versus tap water.

Amazing answers herein.

A Clean microfiber cloth is probably a good idea. Glossy finishes on speakers can be pretty damn incredible.

I think polishing glossy surfaces is probably not a good idea. Cars you need it because it protects against all the Dust and air flow. 

I use a micro fiber cloth and car detailing spray.

On my piano black speakers, I use a spray bottle to put a fine mist of diironized water on the speakers and wipe with a microfiber cloth, one direction only.  I have been doing this the past 6 years with no scratches, lines or swirls.  

The best way to clean the glossy finish on speakers is to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for cleani8ng.

Since most "glossy" speakers use a high quality automotive finishes, the same rules would apply.

As one poster suggested, a "quick detailer" and microfiber cloth should do the trick for general maintenance. Just be careful of overspray. Your raw drivers won’t appreciate being sprayed with contaminants.

If your speakers have a little age on them (3+ years) the finish might have gotten a little lazy or neglected and may need some attention. My general rule on this is to take a clean microfiber cloth and move it about the surface. If it doesn’t move effortlessly, then the material made need a little motiviation to deliver its orignal shine. IF the surface is nearly perfect. a good automotive wax is a good starting point. If you see some swirl marks, or light scratches, then you may need to take it to the next level(s)

Mequiar’s "Ultimate Compound" is slightly more aggressive than wax, cleans better and will "remove" some slight scratches and/or swirl marks. I use the term "remove" in parenthesis because you are not actually removing those scratches. The compound comes in contact with the indented surfaces and "polishes" them to a degree that they don’t draw as much attention to themselves. I also use this material on turntable dustcovers. Works great for me.

If you really want to get after it, "glaze" takes it another level, with a slightly more aggressive material than the compound mentioned above. You can get "hand" or "machine" glaze depending on how big a surface you’re working with. This will remove small surfaces scratches and swirl marks, but be prepared to devote a little work to get there.

Actual "scratches" are a different critter. In this case material is missing (gouged out). Minor scratches (with solid color throuout the scratch) can be helped with the compound or glaze mentioned above, concentrating on the scratch itself. You won’t remove the scratch. It will just be less noticable. Deep scratches will require that the damage be repaired. A good technique is similar to taking "rock bites" out of cars. Find the matching paint. Fill in the scratch with the paint with brush or q-tip not paying much attention to how it looks at this point. The idea is to build up the material in the void so that it will be higher than the other surfaces. Then sand it down even with the other surfaces. and polish. It may take several layers of paint to to this. Don’t try to fill in deep scratches with one coat. Solid colors are easy. Metallcs, no so much.

Shine on (you crazy diamonds)

Wizards Mist -N- Shine is a miracle detail spray. No smears, streaks and never a residue. I have piano gloss speakers and have used this for years. Highly recommended. ✌️

Wizards Mist-N-Shine Professional Detailer - Glass Cleaner & Auto Scratch Remover Spray https://a.co/d/eM2bjBP

Pledge. For god sakes don’t use alcohol! 

What is the best way or products to remove surface scratches?  Is a buffer needed or hand wiped? Just got a pair of Sabrina's in Obsidian Black and they have many surface scratches that were not divulged to me by the seller. 

All of the Automotive Quick Detailers work.  What I have done on my Vienna Acoustics piano black finish was wipe them with a NEW Microfiber cloth that has been damped.  Then applied automotive glaze wax in them and polished them.  There were swirls when I got them so I actually did a little paint correction on them with a Dual action polisher first (very carefully) and they turned out really really nice.  

I use Griots ceramic 3-1 and their ceramic detailer on my Veritas 2.8.

The shine is incredible and unlike wax, it doesn’t attract dust.

I use Cory Piano Cleaner and Polish. Been many years now, finish is still immaculate.

Regards,

Dan

I have found that car care products work great. I actually put a coat of wax on my gloss speakers at first and to remove dust I use a quick detail spray and microfiber cloth. 

Pledge.

Works great for CDs also.

I like the screen mom screen cleaner designed to not F up delicate things. Only mom can fix it when your grubby lil hands do the dirty...

http://Screen Mom Screen Cleaner Kit for LED & LCD TV, Computer Monitor, Phone, Laptop, and iPad Screens – Includes 8oz Spray Bottle and Large Premium Microfiber Cloth https://a.co/d/2A52sjx

I use a swifter on my black Rockport Cygnus (lots of surface area) to remove all dust, spray on McGuires high gloss Quick Detailer, then use a new microfiber cloth very lightly. Micro fiber towels are now pretty cheap, so I only use them once on my speakers. Had a memeber buy my Wilson Sasha 2s that were also black and he was shocked that I had no mirco scratches. This process has worked great for me, and it's all available at Wallmart. 

I always vacuum the dust off gloss speakers then use car wax to make them shine. 

I use a Maguire’s  Black Spray Wax and Detailer. 

I would think caring for a Steinway piano would be the same for your speakers. 😊

https://www.steinway.com/news/features/utilty/cleaning-your-piano

Use a swifter and never touch it. Almost any cloth will have dust embedded in it and will cause micro scratches… dulling the finish. If you had accidentally touched it, then use a brand new / perfectly clean fluffy micro fiber closet with a small mist of water on the cloth.

Once clean, don’t touch and dust with a swifter.

It most beautiful finished items I owned are my Sonus Faber Amati in red violin… they are simple mesmerizing to look at. I want to do nothing to take away from the finish.

I use a spray intended for cleaning Apple Mac screens. Otherwise, just dry dust, using mop type duster or Swiffer. 

Dont use alcohol!!

If you find anything stuck, Goo Gone works well.

Dust lightly with a clean swiffer

I do not know the answer to your question but I have some very glossy black speakers from Yamaha (same finish as their pianos). I am looking for best way to clean them my self. 

One thing I did for both a dust and safety issue was to get a cover for them.

YAMAHA NS-5000 Dust Cover (digitaldeckcovers.com)