What’s a Cassette Tape Head?
A tape head is used in cassette player/recorders to convert electrical signals to varying magnetism. Usually, there are two tape heads in a cassette recorder: a rotating tape head and a erase tape head. The tape head is a transducer and it is one of the keys with which your cassette recorder can store and read back the content on the tapes.
Why Should You Clean the Cassette Tape Head?
The cassette tapes have a thin layer of oxide and oxide severs as magnetic recording support so that we can use our recorder to record cassette tapes. However, the oxide falling from the tapes can affect the cassette tape heads accidentally.
If the cassette tape heads are not cleaned enough, it may degrade your recording and playing audio quality. If you haven’t clean the tape heads for years, the cassette tape heads could be covered with dirt, which can cause more serious problems such as eaten tapes and mechanical damage.
How to Clean Cassette Tape Heads in 3 Steps
What Do You Need:
- Cotton Swaps
- Isopropyl/Rubbing alcohol (92% above)
- Double-Sided Tape
Step 1. Clean The Tapes with Cotton Swabs & Double Sided Tape
First, tape the tip of a cotton swab with the double-sided tape and eject the cassette player.
I’ve seen some tutorials saying you can directly clean the tapes with Isopropyl alcohol, but my personal experience is that it only works for cassette recorders that are not that filthy. If the interior also has dirt clumps or lint, you will just move the dirt to somewhere else with a normal Q-tip.
With double-sided tape, you can make those residues stay on the cotton swabs and remove them by repeating touch the tape heads and every slot in the cassette player/recorder.
Step 2. Press the Play Button to Extend the Tape Heads
For some cassette recording decks, you can press the play button and the tape heads will extend, which is easier for you to get the oxide and dirt out and have a thorough cleaning process.
Step 3. Clean The Tapes with Alcohol-Dipped Swabs
Dip a swab into isopropyl alcohol and use the tip to rub the tape heads from different angles until the tapes heads are clean enough. And you may need to use a few swabs, when a swab comes off and is still white, you know the tape heads are clean.
We do recommend you use 92% isopropyl alcohol at least since it contains less water and it will not harm the recorder.
Step 4. You May Want to Demagtise the Tape Heads
Besides dirty tape heads, the accumulated magnetic field will also have a bad impact on the fidelity in recording and playback. After the tape heads are dry, using a cassette demagnetizer to demagnetize the tape heads is going to help. And here is how to remove the magnetic field on the tape heads.
