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If the deck is just eating your tape and you can't rewind or fast forward, cleaning the deck as follows may help the tape start playing smoothly again.
Steps
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Remove the tape from the deck. -
Open up the tape compartment.Advertisement -
Gather Isopropyl alcohol (70-80%)Q-tips and a lens cleaning cloth. -
Soak the Q-tip in the alcohol. -
Clean the heads. Press fast forward and rewind so that the heads move. This will allow you to clean the heads more evenly. -
Clean the pinch roller. Press play so the roller is moving when you clean it. This part tends to be very grimy. -
Clean the capstan. This will also move when you press play. The capstan is the thin metal roller to the left of the pinch roller. -
Using the lens cloth, wipe out any other areas that appear dusty or dirty. -
Insert your tape. -
Rewind the tape to the start, then fast forward to the end. This will smooth out the tape and any wrinkles that occurred when the tape came out should go away. Rewind and fast forward until the tape plays smoothly. -
Enjoy your music!
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat is a suitable cleaning alcohol?Community AnswerYou can use rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol, which can be found at your local drugstore.
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QuestionWhat's wrong when I put a cassette in the deck and it won't close?Logan AdamsCommunity AnswerIt may be in the wrong way. Check if there is something to hold the cassette.
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QuestionI have a tape deck in my car that spits the tape back out. If cleaning doesn't work, does anyone have any other suggestions?Community AnswerYou might have to check the condition of the injector/ejector mechanism, or the control servo may have become damaged or misaligned. If you can't fix it yourself, it might be just as cheap to find another tape player from eBay, or a local junkyard.
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Tips
- Check the actual tape first. If it is torn, stretched, or broken, you will need to repair that.Thanks
- Manually rewind the tape several times. This will work out any kinks.Thanks
- If nothing else works, you may need to invest in a demagnetizer. This will help the cassette to play smoothly.Thanks
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Warnings
- Never put magnets near your tape. This can erase it.Thanks
- NEVER FORCE ANYTHING! This can damage both deck and tape.Thanks
- Don't be too rough with the tape. This can permanently damage it.Thanks
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About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 167,212 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I recently bought a boom box at Salvation Army, and I needed some reminders on how to clean the cassette player. I still haven't gotten it to play properly, but I noticed some improvement in the operation. At least I know I cleaned it properly." ..." more
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"I recently bought a boom box at Salvation Army, and I needed some reminders on how to clean the cassette player. I still haven't gotten it to play properly, but I noticed some improvement in the operation. At least I know I cleaned it properly."
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more
"Of course, we need to clean the cassette deck/cassette player more regularly to make it sound clean, clear, and crisp like a CD!"
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"I'd never heard the trick to fast-forward/rewind the whole tape to even it out. Good tip!"
"I needed to know what kind of fluid to use to clean the heads. "
"Very simple and useful graphical tips. "
