Keeping two-way radios clean and sanitizing your walkie-talkies are not the same thing! Removing oil, dirt, and grime from your walkie-talkies or two-way radios will not necessarily remove all of the germs and bacteria from your radios. In this article, we will explore some techniques for keeping your two-way radios clean. We will discuss not only how to clean a two-way radio, but how to disinfect walkie-talkies as well.
No matter how well you care for your two-way radio and accessories, it’s a foregone conclusion that oils and dirt are going to collect on your device over time. Eventually, these oils and dirt are going to begin to impede your radios operating capabilities. For this reason special care should be exercised in keeping two-way radios clean.
Read on and discover the proper methods for not only cleaning up your two-way radio, but sanitizing your walkie-talkies as well.
How Do You Clean a Two-Way Radio?
First, we want to get that dirt and grime off your two-way. But how do you clean a two-way radio? If your walkie-talkies or two-way radios are IP-67 rated (dustproof/waterproof) or even IP-65,66 (dustproof/water resistant), this process will be much easier than if your radios are susceptible to water ingress. However, if you follow these steps carefully, even your non-IP67 radios should be safe.
- TURN OFF YOUR RADIO AND UNPLUG THE POWER. We want NO electrical current running through your device.
- Thoroughly seal any ingress points such as accessory ports, charging ports, battery covers, antenna ports, etc.
- Mix a 0.5% detergent to water solution. Dishwater detergent works great for this.
- Dip a soft cloth into the solution and apply it to your device.
- Use a stiff, non-metallic brush to remove dirt and oils from the device.
- Use a soft, absorbent, lint-free cloth to remove the excess solution.
- Take extra care not to leave any moisture in any cracks or near any egress points that might leak into your two-way radio.
If possible, leave your walkie-talkie or two-way radio to completely dry in front of a fan or air blower before you power it up again.
How Do You Disinfect Walkie-Talkies
With the way we use our two-way radios and accessories, it’s a good practice to keep your device clean and sanitized. The proximity of our communication devices to our mouths and hands make it a necessity to keep our walkie-talkie radios and accessories bacteria and virus free!
Below are some reliable steps for sanitizing your walkie-talkies.
- Again, TURN OFF YOUR RADIO AND UNPLUG THE POWER.
- Thoroughly seal any ingress points such as accessory ports, charging ports, battery covers, antenna ports, etc.
- Use any over-the-counter isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol with at least 70% alcohol concentration and apply it to a soft lint-free cloth and rub it over the entire surface of the device.
- Do NOT pour the alcohol solution directly on the device and avoid getting the alcohol on the clear plastic window if your radio has a screen. Instead, use a water-dampened cloth on the screen.
- Give special attention to the buttons, nobs, and switches, as that is where the majority of the bacteria and germs are found.
- Avoid using off-the-shelf spray cleaning solutions to clean your radios and accessories. They might contain bleach or other solvents that could damage the plastic housing on your two-way radio.
- Finally, be sure to clean holsters and other carry accessories before you put your radio back down into them.
WIPE OUT Those Pesky “BUGS”!
Leave Your Radios Looking and Operating Like New
Not only will your fleet be looking brand new after a good “scrubbing”, they will also be operating at peak levels.
If they are not operating at peak levels after a good scrubbing, bring them to your friends at RCS Communications. The experts at RCS Communications will determine the issues with your two-way radios, make the necessary repairs and return them to you looking and operating like they just left the shelf.
Call RCS Communications today.