A speaker cabinet is generally a rectangular-shaped box in which a loudspeaker is enclosed.
It also contains the speaker drivers, power amplifiers, crossover circuits. A cabinet is not always a rectangular box, and sometimes the shape may vary.
Some computer-designed speaker cabinets are complex, incorporating composites, horns, internal baffles, acoustic insulation, etc.
If you already have a speaker and want the best sound out of it, protect it from any damage; you want to know how to clean speaker cabinets.
A speaker cabinet gives the frame or body to a speaker. It prevents coming out of sound waves from the rear-facing surface of the speaker diaphragm.
If this comes out, the sound will be distorted while it is in contact with the forward-facing sounds. It protects the speaker from any external damage.
So, you need to know the speaker cabinet cleaning process to give your precious speakers longevity.
How Does A Speaker Cabinet Work?
There are many advantages of a speaker cabinet. In this, the speaker drivers are fixed in a position to produce a better sound. Speaker cabinets are made from natural wood or synthesized wood which can absorb the speaker driver’s vibration.
If you directly put a speaker driver on a table, the table will generate a lot of noise, and the actual sound will be distorted. As almost all the components of a speaker are placed in a single box or cabinet, the set-up will be easy.
The speaker cabinet makes the sound perfect by delivering this in a particular way. The diaphragm of the speaker driver compresses the air that enters the cabinet.
The driver’s diaphragm filters the air while it moves out from the cabinet. During the vibration of the speaker diaphragm, there is a sound wave generation that reaches the back of the speaker cone.
How Does A Speaker Cabinet Produce A Better Sound?
Completely sealed speaker cabinets or also known as acoustic suspension enclosures, are very popular in the market. The complete sealing never allows the backward sound to leave the cabinet.
A fixed amount of air gets trapped into the speaker cabinet, and the air pressure constantly changes due to the driver’s movement. Air pressure increases if the driver moves in, and the pressure decreases if the speaker driver moves out.
To control the air pressure, the amplifier must need to increase the electric signal. This is one of the reasons behind the sealed cabinets not being very efficient like the other designs.
On the other hand, the driver remains in the exact place where it needs to be due to the force produced by the air pressure. The driver remains in a fixed position and produces a more precise and tighter sound.
How To Clean:
Leave the Buffing Tools in the Shed
If you want to clean the speaker cabinets,
- Firstly, take the buffing tools out of the shed. To clean them, use a wet cloth and smoothly rub the compound.
- After that, be sure to work in sections and avoid getting any polish on the magnets that hold the door panels in place. Wipe the panels clean and dry before reattaching them.
Firstly use a cleaner machine. If you want to clean the speaker cabinets, remove the buffing tools from the shed.
In order to clean them, use a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool attachment. Be sure to work in sections and avoid getting any polish on the magnets that hold the door panels in place.
Wipe each panel carefully, plug in your vacuum cleaner and turn it on low speed. Steam will help loosen dirt and debris, so be prepared to move around quickly.
After using the vacuum cleaner, unplug it and use a cloth to clean all the dirt and dust off your panels. Reattach them if necessary, then give them a final polish with some polishing compound.
When Should You Clean Your Speaker Cabinet?
People do not use a speaker like the other electronic appliances. Generally, people keep it in a specific place and do not move it from there.
Being in the same place for a more extended period, the speaker cabinet accumulates dust and other particles.
So, you need to clean a speaker cabinet when it is dirty because if you do not clean the external surface of the cabinet, the dust will eventually become sticky to the surface.
This sticky dirt will be tough to remove. If you wipe the dust every week, you will be able to avoid any cleaning troubles.
If your house accumulates dust quickly, always inspect your speakers regularly to see if it needs a cleaning.
How To Clean Speaker Cabinets?
There are two types of cleaning you can apply to your speaker cabinet. You can just wipe the dust, or you can give it a complete cleaning.
Materials Needed To Clean Your Speaker Cabinet-
Before you start cleaning, you must know about the material that is used to make your speaker cabinet. Speaker cabinets are mainly made from two types of wood. These are-
- Natural wood- This usually derives from Pine, Maple, Oak, Birch, Walnut, Cherry, etc.
- Synthetic wood-Engineered wood is synthetic woods another name. These are plywood, densified wood, Chemically densified wood, particleboard, laminated timber, etc.
It is essential to know the wood type of the cabinet before cleaning. You will be able to choose the cleaning solution easily if you know the wood type.
Some engineered woods do not react well with the cleaning solutions. Do not choose anything harsh for your speaker cabinet.
These might strip off the manufacturer’s existing wax or finish, making the cabinet aesthetically unsatisfactory. Never use a cleaner that is meant for natural wood on engineered wood.
Always avoid using kitchen, bath, or glass cleaners to clean your speaker box. You can use Murphy’s oil soap, Howard Orange Oil Wood polish to clean your speaker cabinet if it is derived from natural wood.
Speaker Cabinet Cleaning Steps-
Here are the steps you can follow so you can easily clean your speaker cabinet.
- Take a clean 100% cotton cloth piece or a microfiber towel to clean the speaker cabinet. Wet the cotton cloth or the microfiber towel in a mixture of mild detergent in warm water. Then wring the cloth piece well to remove excess water.
- Now gently wipe the external cabinet surface with the cloth piece. Do not use a stitched or a folded cloth piece.
- If there is a speck of sticky dirt or stain, add a small amount of baking soda to the detergent mixture.
- Soak the cloth again in the mixture and wipe the dirty area. Baking soda will remove the sticky stain or dirt.
- Never use a paper towel to clean your speaker cabinet. These towels leave tiny fibers on the speaker cabinet surface. Always use a microfiber towel or a 100% cotton cloth piece.
- Finish the cabinet surface using a varnish or finishing oil.
- If the cabinet is from natural wood, finishing oil will be perfect, and if the cabinet is from engineered wood, you need to use varnish.
- Clean the inaccessible areas of your speaker cabinet using a Q-Tip cotton swab.
- Wipe all the cleaned surface using a dry cotton cloth or microfiber towel to dry the surface.
Conclusion
The speaker cabinet is the protective barrier for a speaker. It prevents dust and dirt from entering into the drivers and other parts. Absorbs the backward vibrations to produce a clear sound.
It would be best if you clean your speaker cabinet regularly to keep it in good condition and give the speaker a long life.
Follow the instructions, clean it gently, and do not use anything harsh. I hope now know how to clean speaker cabinets without having any difficulties.
FAQs
Let us know the answers to some frequently asked questions related to speaker cabinet cleaning-
1.How Do You Clean Wood Speaker Cabinets?
Ans: Gently clean the exterior of the cabinet with a soft clean cotton cloth or microfiber towel. Then use Howard orange oil wood polish or, Murphy’s Oil Soap, or a mild detergent in clean, warm water to clean your wood speaker cabinets.
2.Do Speakers Need Maintenance?
Ans: Yes, speakers need maintenance to perform at their best. Their performance will gradually decrease if there is a lack of proper maintenance.
3.Why Is My Speaker Crackling?
Ans: Your speaker may crackle due to the interruption of electrical current, audio signals, or if there is a loose or dirty connection. Find out the issue and then replace or change the cable if necessary.
4.How Do I Make My Speakers Last Longer?
Ans: You can make your speakers last longer by using them in a standard volume range. Do not max out the speaker volume. If you always use your speakers at a maximum volume, you might end up blowing them.