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[Eregyrn]

This is an odd question that didn't seem to fit in any other topic... well, maybe it's not so odd.

Does anyone out there have advice for cleaning a scanner bed?  The glass, I mean.

Over the last several years, my scanner's glass has picked up marks.  I'm assuming that it was wet ink (some black and some colored) that got on the glass when I put a piece on it that wasn't dry enough.  Now, whenever I scan something, I have all this schmutz on the scan, which I have to clean up one way or another.

I've tried cleaning the glass in conventional ways, with, you know, glass cleaner.  But clearly I need something more powerful.

Any suggestions?

[AngelsEmbrace]

I use Windex & its clone products.  For persistent markings, let it soak a few minutes and then try but don't use anything abrasive because that might make the problem worse.  If that doesn't help and the scans are too obnoxious to remove in software it might be time to replace the scanner.

[Jeb]

I would probably try isopropyl alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol). That would probably work on most inks, and I use it when cleaning electronics because it also evaporates fairly quickly with little residue.

If that doesn't work, maybe try some acetone/nail polish remover on the dirty spots, then clean with window cleaner and a low-lint cloth. If the scanner bed is truly glass, and not plastic, it shouldn't harm anything. If you suspect it's plastic, DO NOT try this, as it may lead to clouding of the surface. (Not sure if there are scanners with plastic beds, but you never know.)

For cleaning my scanner I usually use one of those microfiber cloths (dry, and the fuzzy ones, not the smooth ones for cleaning reading glasses). With a little elbow grease they work pretty well at cleaning schmutz off most things.

[Multimedea]

Basically, what Jeb said is what I'd do. Alcohol and Q-tips should clean most inks up to permanent Sharpie-type markers. On those, I'd use the 'orange' cleaners, some time, and a little elbow grease. Acetone would be my last resort unless I knew the platen was glass. If there are embedded scratches, I'd try the fillers they use on reading glasses and dvds that are scratched.

[Jeb]

I thought about those orange cleaners, also, but they're very oily, so I didn't know if they would come off the glass easily. I was also worried that they may leave a residue behind that could damage the next paper you scanned.

[Multimedea]

A decent one will clean off like a charm, not oily at all. The only residue is a scent. You can get rid of that easily enough with window cleaner or alcohol. (Not Goo Gone, tho. Nasty residue and scent. Not really effective, either.)

[Jeb]

The more I think about this, the more I agree with Multimedea that acetone should only be used as a last resort. Even if the plate is glass, I'm not confident that they don't have some kind of coating that the acetone would cause to haze.

If you do get to the point where you're considering getting a new scanner because it won't come off, maybe try the acetone with a Q-tip at the very corner of the scanner bed first.

[Afke]

This may not be the case, but:
I once had spots that I couldn't get off either. Turned out they were on the inside from the light thing sliding there all the time. I had it cleaned at a local computer store. Wasn't that expensive either.