Cleaning your puzzle

[demma]

I cleaned the rubik and the vcube with etilic and isopropilic alcohol and it worked well. Thanks to everyone.

 

[Sn0w]

Dayan Guhong Cleaning

So I bought a Dayan quite a while ago. Its really good, however it has started to get quite slow and uneven. I did mess up the tension a bit, and the only lube I used was maru lube. So, whats a good video I should follow when I am cleaning, and whats a vid for setting tensions?

 

[cyoubx]

Memyselfandpi has a good vid on cleaning I think, and Pestvic for tensions.

 

[splinteh]

This is how I clean:
1. Disassemble the cube
2. Wash in sink with soap
3. Use a tissue and wipe down the "black" stuff and dust
4. Reassemble the cube at a med-tight tension.

And then sometimes I re-sticker if I find the stickers are fading/peeling off badly.

 

[AvidCuber]

I clean it by disassembling, hot water w/ soap, and then you get a toothbrush and scrub all the pieces. If there are pieces with holes in them that you can't get to (e.g. Rubik's brand), use a Q-tip. And then hand dry (though I doubt it makes much of a difference) and reassemble.

 

[clemon79]

Cleaning off lube?

This is a dumb n00b question, I know.

I have my GuHong, which had some kind of silicone (I hope) based lube on it out of the box.

I want to give the 50K wt. diff oil I got a shot. I put some on my POS ancient cube and I like what it did, so I want to try it with something properly constructed.

What's the best way to clean off the lube that's there? Is it as easy as "wipe it off with a paper towel" or are there better cleaning techniques?

Thanks much!

-- Chris

 

[avgdi]

I usually either use a paper towel, or I clean all the pieces off with warm water and little bit of soap. Depends on how clean I want the cube.

For future reference questions like this can go in the One Answer Question Thread.

Also, yay for another WA cuber! If your on facebook you can join our group. Seattle Cubing Society. We're planning on having a meet up next month. And there's a competition next month in Canada. More info about it here.

 

[clemon79]

Thanks much! I joined up, though I'm not nearly fast enough to be considered anything approaching a "cuber"...I'm still pleased if I can do it under ninety seconds! But I'm having fun and it's fascinating to read and talk about it.

(And apologies to everyone else for the breach of protocol: I'll put something like this in the OAQT next time.)

 

[Edward]

Can you use bleach to clean cubes?

Specifically white cubes
I'm thinking about doing it, but I'm not sure how it'll affect the cube (I read somewhere bleach can yellow white plastic). Also I'm afraid of what it might do to the stickers. Has anyone ever tried this? Can someone in chemistry give me some kind of theory?

inb4OAQT
I was about to, but then I decided I need more than one opinion/answer on this.
I also found no related threads sooo...

Please no guesses.

 

[gundamslicer]

We usually just soak the pieces with water and soap. Did you spill something on it?

 

[Edward]

We usually just soak the pieces with water and soap. Did you spill something on it?

I actually just ran out of the soaps I usually use (dish soap and Pine-Sol) so I'm looking for an alternative since y'know, I wanna clean my cube today.

Also bleach seems to be good at cleaning friggin' everything.

 

[gundamslicer]

Well i dot think you should because bleach is very acidic. I read that it can cause plastic to yellow faster

Hmm. I usually just use water.

 

[tx789]

I wouldn't do it

 

[Forte]

Well i dot think you should because bleach is very acidic. I read that it can cause plastic to yellow faster

I thought bleaches were alkaline ):

 

[irontwig]

I thought bleaches were alkaline ):

Pretty sure they are.

 

[MoRpHiiNe]

The only thing it should do is make your plastic turn yellow faster, cause it'll turn yellow over a long time anyway naturally but bleach will catalyze this reaction of the plastic in air. I'm not 100% sure on the intimidate effects or how much this will speed up the 'yellowing' but I wouldn't advise it.

 

[Jostle]

Well i dot think you should because bleach is very acidic. I read that it can cause plastic to yellow faster

Hmm. I usually just use water.

 

[vcuber13]

Well i dot think you should because bleach is very acidic. I read that it can cause plastic to yellow faster

Hmm. I usually just use water.

where the op?

 

[Bapao]

Bleach will potentially turn the cube yellow. Tried it on some white Lego bricks a while back...
Just grab some washing machine detergent if you're out of soap

 

[nascarjon]

I've always used isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs.