Help Required: Cleaning Dusty Hi-Fi Amp

Good people,

got a harmon kardon amplifier, which has been sitting gathering dust for the last couple of years, when I use it (which isn't that often) I get a load of crackle and static, through the music when I turn up the volume, which continues for as long as I use it.
Any hints and tips on how to clean it, remove dust, make it sound like its brand new, friend wants to use it for a housewarming, and I'd like to get it back into tip top shape for them.

Many thanks in advance...

Citrus degreaser.

you probably need to replace the potentiometers... although this video might be of some help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKw1T3nQr_o

Don't do what my mate did to a lovely old 70s Sansui amp... He vacuumed the innards then sprayed everything liberally with WD40... It then went bang and smoked his living room out... I had told him to use switch cleaner but unfortunately the cloth-eared twat wasn't listening... FAIL!

yeah can do it with a bit of WD40...

take the knob off... and a little spray on the metal arm and twist it for a 30secs or so it works into it. Should work.

Start with a not too powerful vacuum cleaner to suck the worst of the dust, hair etc out before you start cleaning. It'll make it a lot easier.

you can buy switch cleaner/contact cleaner in a spray can from maplins -this may sort it out, if it's not too bad. squirt the stuff down inside the knobs etc. often works wonders.

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Your brain gone fuzzy?
Thats because you are going to be a dad.

Canned air.

Don't touch a damn thing.

i wouldn't go near it if i were you Corny.

Your brain gone fuzzy?
Thats because you are going to be a dad.

First scan next week...... i'm scared......

expensive but it would do the trick methinks
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/18740/art/pixmania/air-spray-400g-series-2.html?srcid=867

Canned air.

Don't touch a damn thing.

Good call, switch cleaner on the pots is good for gettin' rid of the crackles tho'... Brought many an old fuzz box back from the dead this way...

Switch cleaner is what you want for this. A good spray in the volume pots and give them a wiggle, should clear it out.

Compressed air will do fuck all, wd40 will make it smell horrible (and most likely damage it). Switch cleaner is designed for this shit, it lives for stopping crackly pots.

thanks for all the advice people, I'll more than likely have to open the thing up to get to the pots, so will buy some switch cleaner on saturday and give it a go that afternoon/evening.

30 degree wash, gentle spin, easy on the fabric conditioner…

could do the same as i do with keyboards.
dishwasher no soap. top rack.

you can clean dusty old electronics including PC's with regular hot soap & water.

Make sure to rinse the soap out, then leave in the sun for a few days to become bone dry.

If you have any doubt that it isnt dry yet, wait longer.

-edit-

Just read your question properly, about the crackling and all.

Daf is correct on that one. I know from crackly guitars & guitar amps, that the pots usually need replacing.

fanny is quite right. it makes no difference about water aslong as it gets dried properly afterwards. it's salt or sugar that kills electricals.