Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dusting xenons with Swiffers?

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Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 03-12-2007, 02:47 AM:

Has anyone tried dusting xenon lamps (bulbs) with Swiffer dusting cloths? They seem like they would be ideal for the task: soft, lintless and electrostatically charged to pick up dust. However, I'd like to know if anyone has found Swiffer cloths safe to use on lamps before trying them myself.

Thanks! [thumbsup]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-13-2007, 02:19 AM:

(take it that you don't want to "guinea pig" your setup with this idea of yours?)

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 03-13-2007, 02:59 AM:

Don't they have some chemical impregnated in them....a dust catcher? If it is oil based, that would be a BAD thing on the quartz. I wouldn't risk it. Or maybe try it with a buld that you are going to retire anyway because it's past it's useful life.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 03-13-2007, 11:52 AM:

Find a piece of clean plate glass and clean it with a Swiffer. Then hold it up to a bright light and see if there is any residue. Reflect the light off the glass as well as looking through the glass. If there is any hint of residue, don't use it to clean a xenon lamp.

Posted by Chad M Calpito (Member # 3736) on 03-13-2007, 01:56 PM:

I would agree with the above posts as well. Plus, I wouldn't risk doing it myself.

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 03-19-2007, 10:08 PM:

Long time no respond...I'm slowly recovering from another film festival just ended. [sleep]

From what I can tell, the cloths are not treated in any way; the (patented) design of the cloth scoops up the dirt.

One day I will try Randy's suggestion before entrusting a Swiffer to clean a lamp.

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 03-19-2007, 10:57 PM:

See claim #1:

quote:
...cleaning sheet comprises an additive applied at a low effective level to provide improved adhesion of soil to the sheet.

See claim #24:

quote:
The cleaning sheet of claim 1 wherein the additive is a mixture of mineral oil and a wax.

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 03-20-2007, 07:10 PM:

It helps if I read the patent before posting. [Embarrassed]

Occasionally, not all items and features claimed in a patent may make it into the final product, so it's hard to say whether the information provided in a patent is totally accurate with respect to the product in question.

Anyway, I performed a plate glass test. The (carbon arc) projector in my home setup shines through a sliding glass door, making a perfect test bed. I cleaned the glass with alcohol, then gave the area a wipe with a Swiffer cloth.

The cloths left a nice smear. Definitely not good for xenons. Oh, well. Thanks for the comments, all!

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 03-20-2007, 10:10 PM:

That and the fact that patents are often written with intentionally confusing or ambiguous language so as to create a "scattergun effect" if/when it ever comes down to defending a patent in court.

Posted by Jannette McQueen (Member # 1885) on 03-24-2007, 02:12 AM:

I once tried to use a swiffer cloth to clean the portglass (thinking it would be so much easier to just use a swiffer wand to take off the dust rather than dragging a ladder around to each auditorium to give them a good proper clean), it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. I still felt that it left a fair bit of dust behind.

Personally, I wouldn't use it on anything particularly sensitive (like inside the lamphouse).