How do I clean the speaker cloth on a 1914 floor model phonograph?
I would love to clean the grill cloth on my 1914 Symphonola phonograph. It has a beautifully carved mahogany case in mint condition. The grill cloth is soiled and stained. The slight stains look like old water stains. The vintage fabric is almost imposible to find and I would love to preserve the original. Any suggestions?
I would recommend bringing the fabric to a textile curator at your local historical museum….they may have some ideas of what might work. This stuff is so fragile that water and/or dry cleaning could damage the fibers, which is why an expert should clean it (if even possible) for you.
I have my Great Grandpas radio with that golden yellow cloth on the whole front of it and every once in a while I will take the vacuum and use the square brush to clean it from dust. As far as a stain, I would call a professional because any time I used a spot remover on anything it changed the color dramatically. Those old fabrics are not the same as today's fabrics. They are so old and delicate it may fall apart just looking at a solution!