What's the best way to clean the inside of an acrylic dome?

[Scubabear 0]

I learned a lesson on my last trip to the Caymans. NEVER assemble you housing when you just wake up and your not fully awake!!!

I use a Ikelite for my D7000 and after swapping out lenses and changing my dome body I forgot the o-ring!!!

The housing was sent back to get the electronics replaced

 

My question is what is the best way to clean the interior of my dome in order to avoid scratches from any salt residue or leave any water marks?

Its a 5" acrylic dome

 

any thoughts?

 

thanks

 

Terry D.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Scubabear

[Deep6 7]

I carefully use a microfiber cloth.

Bob

[Udo van Dongen 5]

If it's only salt residue you want to remove i'd first use a wet microfiberclothso salts dissolve. And afterwards i'd clean it with a microfiber cloth.

 

Udo

[Balrog 5]

After a trip, I dunk my domes in a sink full of water with a small amount of detergent on the basis that it will flush out any grit etc that may have found its way in there. Rinse, then dry the dome, as suggested with a microfibre and leave it dome up for any residual water (on the inside of the flange) to evaporate rather than run back onto the glass.

[rtrski 20]

My preferred method is a little dish soap (or other liquid soap, even baby shampoo) and running water, nothing physically touching the dome interior but the water spray. Fill partway, and agitate and invert and rinse out until sure that both salt crystals and any sand or grit are gone. Then follow with a hot clean water rinse (hot is important) and add a good sized splash of isopropyl alcohol to cut the surface tension, same theory as using it to help dry out your ears between dives, invert and shake it all out and you should have almost no droplets inside. Let dry on a thick folded towel so air can kind of get in and it doesn't 'fog up' much (inside, low humidity, e.g. air conditioned room).

 

I don't think the alcohol should be able to harm any of the adhesives used in the dome to port attachment, but to be safe I never let that 'sit' inside very long, more just a swish around of about 1 part isopropyl (70% or so from the typical drug store bottle) to 3 parts hot water, then drain.

 

Any minor residual droplet marks can be gently polished off with a (CLEAN and dry) microfiber cloth, preferably one recently laundered (no fabric softener) if it was ever used during the trip to pick up grit, minor smears of o-ring lube, etc. Goes without saying you wash and thoroughly dry your hands too before sticking one inside the port ring with the microfiber.

Edited May 5, 2013 by rtrski