How to Clean Old VHS Tapes With a VHS Cleaner or Manually

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Learn how to restore your old family videos or favorite movie
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Mold, dirt, and debris can build up over time in VHS tapes. If your old VHS tapes need cleaning, it's best to use a mechanical tape cleaner. It can be somewhat tricky to find VHS tape cleaner, but you can try looking online or in secondhand stores in your area. In the event you cannot find a tape cleaner, you can gradually remove the film from the tape to clean it manually, or you can use a newer, 3D-printed VHS cleaner. After cleaning your tapes, store them in a safe place and minimize handling to keep them clean over time.

Ways to Clean VHS Tapes

Use an electronic tape cleaner to clean your VHS tapes. If you can't find one, clean it manually by pulling the tape out of the VHS, cleaning it with a lint-free cloth or piece of printer paper, and feeding it back into the tape. You can also purchase a new VHS cleaner that wipes down your VHS tapes to remove mold.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using an Electronic Tape Cleaner

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  1. You should begin the cleaning process with your tape fast-forwarded all the way to the end. Press the button to open your cleaner. You should be able to easily slide the VHS tape in. Close the cleaner and press the clean button. Allow the cleaner to fully rewind the tape, cleaning the film as it goes.
    • The precise directions for tape cleaners vary, so refer to your instruction manual to make sure you're using your cleaner correctly.
  2. Close the cleaner and press the clean button. Allow the cleaner to fully rewind the tape, cleaning the film as it goes. Most cleaners will have a button you press to run a cycle. If you're unsure how yours works, refer to the instruction manual.
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  3. Once the tape has run one cleaning cycle, remove the tape from the machine. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws from the casing that houses the film. After removing all the screws, separate the casings so you can reach the reels and film found inside.
    • Sometimes, tapes will have a sticker or seal on the side to keep the casing together. If your tape is sealed, use a small knife to gently slice open the seal to open the tape.
    • The majority of tapes can be opened with a Phillips head screwdriver. However, if a Phillips screwdriver does not work, use a flathead screwdriver instead.
    • Store the screws in a safe place as you'll need them later to reassemble your tape.
  4. 4
    Remove mold and dirt from the casings with alcohol. Get a piece of lint-free cloth or a scrap of plain printer paper. Dampen it with isopropyl alcohol, then swab the sides of the casing and around the empty reel to remove mold, dirt, and debris.
    • Avoid cleaning near the reel that the film is currently wrapped around. Only use your tape cleaner to remove mold from the film itself.
    • You can purchase isopropyl alcohol at most drug stores. Get the highest concentration as you can (90% or above is preferred).
    • Do not use cotton or any cloth that leaves lint (such as a facial tissue or paper towel). Cotton fibers or lint can damage the inside of your VCR.
  5. After running the tape through the cleaner again, you will clean the other reel. Therefore, do not screw the tape back together yet. Simply place the casings together again so they're loosely secured.
  6. Place your tape in the cleaner as you did before. This time, allow the tape to fast forward completely to remove any mold remaining on the film. Place the tape in the cleaner and then press the cleaning button.
  7. 7
    Clean up any lingering mold manually. Once the tape runs through the cleaner again, remove it and open it up. Again, dip the lint-free cloth or paper in isopropyl alcohol. Use this to clean the empty real and around the interior of the casings. Remove any lingering mold, dirt, or debris.
    • Remember not to clean near the reel that contains the film.
  8. Place the casings back together. Place the screws back in place. Use your screwdriver to securely screw the tape back together.
    • If your tape had a sticker in place as a seal, it is not necessary to reseal your tape after cleaning it.
  9. You should always end the cleaning process with a rewound tape. Pop the tape back in the cleaner one last time. Rewind it to the beginning. When you're done, your VHS tape should be clean and ready to watch. [1]
    • Keep in mind that no method is ever 100% successful. Very dirty or damaged tapes may not come completely clean. You may need to consult a professional if your tape remains dirty or will not play after using a tape cleaner.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Using a 3D-Printed VHS Cleaner

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  1. 1
    Purchase the VHS is Life mold cleaner. Recently, a company called VHS is Life released a 3D-printed device that cleans mold off of your VHS tapes. You can purchase it and the desktop vacuum from VHS is Life's website for around $150. [2]
    • At the time of writing this article, there is a waitlist to purchase the mold cleaner, and you must submit a form via VHS is Life's contact page to be added to the waitlist.
    • The vacuum and mold cleaner are separate. You can use your own vacuum instead of the desktop vacuum, but VHS is Life recommends their vacuum, as it's designed to work best with the cleaner and to not damage your tapes. [3]
  2. 2
    Connect the vacuum tube to the mold cleaner. The vacuum will attach to the side of the mold cleaner near the cleaning pegs.
  3. 3
    Plug the mold cleaner and desktop vacuum into power. If you're using your own vacuum, ensure it's connected to power as well.
  4. 4
    Add a cleaning pad to each of the cleaning columns. VHS is Life recommends Pec Pads , a lint-free cleaning pad that's made for cleaning camera equipment.
    • Stretch the Pec Pad slightly.
    • Fold the Pec Pad in half, then in half again.
    • Wrap the Pec Pad around the cleaning column. The ends of the Pec Pad should be facing the peg with a notch.
    • Feed the ends of the Pec Pad through the notch to secure it onto the cleaning column.
    • Ensure the pad is slid all the way to the bottom of the cleaning column.
    • Repeat the above steps for the second cleaning column.
  5. 5
    Remove the tape from your VHS tape. The tape should be rewound or fast-forwarded entirely, so you have one empty spool. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the screws from the casing that houses the film. After removing all the screws, separate the casings so you can reach the reels and film found inside. Carefully remove the spools from the inside of the casing.
  6. 6
    Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the top and bottom of the empty spool. Using a microfiber cloth (or another Pec Pad), clean the top and bottom of the empty spool with 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol.
  7. 7
    Wet one of your cleaning columns with isopropyl alcohol. While the VHS is Life mold cleaner is set up to clean both sides of the tape at once, VHS is Life recommends only cleaning one side at a time until you see what condition the tape is in. If the tape is in bad condition, cleaning both sides at once can cause the tape to snap.
    • To easily wet your cleaning column, put some isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle and spritz it on the Pec Pad.
  8. 8
    Place the spools on the spindles. It doesn't matter which direction the tape is facing or which spool goes on which spindle. When placing the spool on the spindle, loop the tape over the cleaning column that you just got wet.
    • Make sure the tape is aligned on the cleaning column so it's not crooked.
  9. 9
    Turn on the vacuum. If you're using the desktop vacuum, press the button on the front of the vacuum to turn it on.
  10. 10
    Ensure the switch on the front is in the "right" position. If it's not, simply flick the switch so that it's facing right.
  11. 11
    Turn the knob on the mold cleaner to start spooling the tape. Only turn the knob slightly at first, so the mold cleaner will spool slowly. This is to ensure that the tape won't snap when it's being moved from one spool to the other.
    • If you are sensitive to mold, you may want to put on a face mask or respirator mask once you start spooling the tape. The vacuum will suck up most of the mold, but a face mask will add a layer of extra protection.
    • After running the mold cleaner for a bit, you can turn the speed up. However keep an eye on the spooling process, and slow the spindles down if it looks like your VHS tape is being strained.
  12. 12
    Slow the spooler down once the tape is almost fully on the other spool. Once you see the clear leader tape, turn the spooler off and turn off the vacuum.
  13. 13
    Repeat the process for the other side of the tape. To do this:
    • Clean the top and bottom of the newly empty spool with isopropyl alcohol.
    • Spritz the cleaning column you didn't use yet with isopropyl alcohol.
    • Place the spool back on the spindles, looping the tape over the cleaning column you just got wet. If the full spool was closer to you the first time, put the empty spool on the spindle closer to you this time.
    • Move the switch to the "left" position.
    • Turn on the vacuum.
    • Turn the knob to begin the spooling process. Once the spooling process is done, turn the knob so the spindles stop.
  14. 14
    Clean the inside of the VHS casing before putting the tape back in. Using a lint-free cloth (such as another PecPad), clean the mold out of the VHS casing.
  15. 15
    Place the spools back in the casing and close it back up. You can now test to see if the VHS works properly.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Cleaning VHS Film Manually

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  1. Never attempt to alter a dirty VHS tape when it's wet. Handling wet film can cause damage. If you find an old VHS tape that's been damaged by water, place it in a clean, dry space. Allow it to dry completely before attempting to clean it manually.
  2. Never handle film with your bare hands. This is an easy way to damage a VHS tape. Put on a pair of clean nitrile gloves before attempting to manually clean VHS film.
    • Make sure the gloves are clean. Dirt and debris on your gloves can easily rub off onto your film.
    • Do not use cotton gloves. Cotton fibers or lint can damage the inside of your VCR.
  3. Lift open the side of the tape where you can see the film running from one reel to another. Very carefully pull out about a foot of film. Do not pull out more than a foot of film at a time, as this is likely to cause tangling.
    • It can help to place one hand in the holes of the casing near the reels. Manually twisting one reel while pulling at the film will help the film come out slowly and gently, preventing damage.
  4. To manually clean the film, wipe down both sides with a lint-free cloth or piece of plain printer paper. Be very gentle when cleaning film and avoid using chemical cleaners. Try to remove dirt and debris without the use of liquid-based cleaners.
    • Remember, this method is best used as a last resort. An electronic tape cleaner works best to clean VHS tape film.
    • Do not use cotton or any type of cloth that leaves lint (such as a facial tissue or paper towel).
  5. Once one foot of tape is clean, twist the reels to pull the clean tape back in place. Then, gently pull out another foot of tape. Again, clean both sides of the tape, wiping off any obvious dirt and dust.
  6. Once you've finished cleaning the last foot of tape, gently twist one reel. This should pull the tape back in place. Keep twisting until the film is secured snuggly in the casing. [4]
    • Which reel you twist depends on whether the film is fast-forwarded or rewound. You should be able to figure out which reel to twist based on which reel pulls the film inward.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Maintaining Your Tapes

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  1. In general, the less you handle VHS tapes, the better preserved they'll be. VHS tapes can become damaged from being dropped or handled roughly. Be very careful when moving your VHS tapes and only handle them when completely necessary. [5]
  2. VHS tapes should be stored in a cool, dry place. This helps prevent the build-up of mold. Keep them away from direct sunlight and do not store them near windows. A comfortable room temperature is usually safe for VHS tapes. [6]
    • Magnets and speakers can erase VHS tapes. Keep your tapes away from these devices when storing them.
  3. Leaving a tape paused in the middle can stretch out the film. Make sure to completely rewind VHS tapes after each use. This will preserve your VHS tapes over the years. [7]
  4. 4
    Understand that VHS tapes don't last forever. VHS tapes will degrade over a period of 10 to 25 years and will continue degrading after that point. If your VHS tapes were kept in optimal conditions and were high-quality, their degradation would be reduced, but most people likely didn't keep their tapes in a climate-controlled setting. If you have sentimental VHS tapes, it's best to get them digitized so you can keep them for a longer period.
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      • Libraries, especially those that contain film, may have tape cleaners. See if you can rent one or schedule time to use one to clean your old VHS tapes.
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      • It's always best to use a tape cleaner. Only attempt to clean your tape manually if you cannot secure a tape cleaner or find professional cleaning services.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHm8FJ2kqCM
      2. ↑ https://vhsislife.com/got-mold-lets-fix-it/
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snlMxvBPqkQ
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUNMjeESM9g
      5. ↑ https://filmschoolrejects.com/how-to-keep-your-vhs-tapes-alive-forever-93f3ceffb541
      6. ↑ https://filmschoolrejects.com/how-to-keep-your-vhs-tapes-alive-forever-93f3ceffb541
      7. ↑ https://filmschoolrejects.com/how-to-keep-your-vhs-tapes-alive-forever-93f3ceffb541

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To clean a VHS tape, start by making sure the tape is dry, since cleaning it when it's wet can damage the film. Then, put on cotton gloves so you don't contaminate the tape, and pull out a foot of film. Next, gently rub each side of the film with a tissue. Once you've finished, twist the reels to put the film back in place before pulling out another foot of film and repeating the process. For tips on how to use an electric tape cleaner, keep reading!

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