Solution to use to clean inside of arcade machine

Minelayer

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Hello KLOV,

I want to thoroughly clean the inside of my arcade machine and was wondering what kind of solution I should use (for the wooden areas)?
 
I've cleaned plenty of plywood cabs by spraying with your favorite cleaner (Formula 409, Greased Lightning, Simple Green, etc), then wiping down with a damp facecloth or terry rag. Repeat a few times if necessary. (Also, vacuum out the cab thoroughly first, to get most of the big junk out.) I've done all of my Atari cabs this way, and they've come out clean enough to eat off of, as long as they're not soaked with rat piss, etc.

You want to be careful if it's particleboard, as getting that wet with pretty much anything can cause it to start to swell and crumble. But for plywood bottoms of cabs, etc (or if it's laminated or painted), you can get it damp briefly fairly safely. Not soaked though. I'll use a fan to dry it out quickly also, as you don't want to let it sit soaking wet for a long time, if you can avoid it.
 
if you're dealing with mold, then you're dealing with a completely different situation altogether

i'd gut the cab (keep the guts of course) and begin a multi-day, quarantined treatment of the cabinet to remediate the mold issues

Depends on if there's mold involved. You don't want to go blowing that stuff around before spraying it down with something with anti-microbial properties first.
 
Just show the cab who's boss.

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I clean everyone of mine with Simple Green. Have to do it around 3-4 times but they come out clean, and they smell much better.
 
Thanks for all the replies and that great pic showing how to thoroughly clean a machine.

I already tried a vacuum but the dust is so thick and caked on I wanted something I can use to try scrubbing it off. I'm going to try a little but of Simple Green and hope that does the trick.

Thanks all.
 
I have hosed down complete cabinets plenty of times. Plywood are the easiest, but particleboard cabs can be done as well. I wouldn't recommend hosing down MDF, which is different than particleboard, but most people don't seem to get that. Spray simple green in the cab first, scrub it a little bit and than hose the entire thing out. Then make sure to dump out all the standing water in the bottom of the cabinet and let the cabinet lay on its back for a while so that it can continue to drain out. Once sufficiently drained, I stand it up with the back opening Toward the sun. I always do it on a hot sunny days when there's a decent breeze. If the cabinet is particleboard and not sealed with poly on the inside, I'll also towel off the water on the inside and then let it dry in the wind. I have done this to Nintendo cabinets, Universal cabinets, Williams cabinets, and Midway cabinets.
 
I too have hosed out particle board cabinets but only on blazing hot days. You have to drain the water immediately and soak up whatever's left with an old towel. Leave the back open to the sun with coin door open to promote air flow. Only hose down as last resort.
 
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