May you help me clean my VHS Tape?

[Anonymous]

Guys, I used to clean my VHS Tapes all the time, but, am not sure if I remember how to now. Not sure if I put it in a machine with that cleaner. .. I recently put the tape in tonight, and I can hear a whistling sound on and off like the sound you do when you blow through a straw now am seeing like sidways wavy lines..
I don't even know if I have a machine for VHS tapes. I do remember how to put my finger in the white round part twisting it around to fix the film inside if there's any crinkles and such. It's just been so long since I have done this.

Updates

+1 y

Alright, I sprayed air on the sides and on the film today.. like Celticwolf78 said. That really did a great job. I been thinking ever since on other ways.. and found in my entertainment center.. that I actually have a VHS head cleaner for the VHS player. 2of em. a Blockbuster and a Philips. I'm set. Thanks guys. I will read your replies now.

[WindAtMyBack]

You can use a tape cleaner if you want to spend the money. You can sort of clean it manually but it's a lot of work an may end up damaging the tape.

To clean it manually, don't use any chemicals or liquids of any kind. All you can do is pull the tape out a little at a time and wipe it with a very clean soft cloth. Don't use pressure. Wear clean cotton gloves when you clean it. You don't want oil from your fingers getting on the tape.

Wavy lines might be because the tape is stretched. One way this can happen is leaving the tape in the machine while it's stopped in the middle. Always rewind the tape after using it so it. Leaving it in the middle keeps tension on the tape which can stretch it.

You can clean the heads inside the player with alcohol and cotton swabs. Keeping the head clean will help keep the tapes clean.

If you really want to keep those movies, transfer them to digital. Although it would be easier to just buy now ones on DVD.

[Asker]

Yes what you said about cleaning the tape and player I agree with.. It all came back to me way earlier. I thank you for this reply.

I'd rather have the vhs tapes, and also some of these... I can't find on a dvd, anywhere.

[Celticwolf78]

Try using a can of air

[Asker]

I do have a can of that, will try it

[Asker]

Oh, My Gosh! thank you!! it worked! I had to come online, just to tell you that. No whistling sounds, no wavy lines, and the color... wowzi.. the movie colors look good... I have been watching this with some kind of orange and blue tenting. ... anyways. Thanks Again! ;)

[Asker]

oh yes... even the sound.. sounds better

[FunkyMonkee]

Clean a VHS tape? I don't know that you can. You can easily clean that outside of it with a slightly damp cloth or even a dry one. How did the tape get dirty if it's inside the casing?
To wind the tape back onto the reels, you flip it over so those two white "gears" are facing you, get a toothpick or something like it and stick into that little round hole near where the label is, then you can rotate those reels by just sticking your finger into them and turning the finger.
About the only way to clean the heads is with a head cleaning tape.
The squealing is either coming from the tape casing itself or the tape deck. Some of the parts are thin rubber belts and they might lose their elasticity after a number of years and will need to be replaced. If there's something inside the tape, that COULD be causing the squeal. If you try a different tape and it still makes that sound, it's the machine and not any of the tapes. Wavy picture COULD be the same issue or it could just be a matter of tracking. Some machines track automatically, some require you to make the adjustments either with a small knob behind the panel that has all the buttons or via the remote control.

[Asker]

I watched the movie so many times, the last time was a few days ago. I had to take the tap out until I fix it because watching the wavys were making my eyes trip out--- i have vertigo, etc. I put in another vhs tape and it was totally fine

[FunkyMonkee]

Must be that tape, then. Maybe there's something inside the mechanism that shouldn't be there or the tape, itself, is damaged.

[Asker]

I know it needs to be cleaned, i have cleaned those before..

[Asker]

the film

[exitseven]

Are you trying to clean the tape cartridge itself or are you trying to clean the VHS player?
There are cleaning cartridges available that will clean the player. You just put the cleaning cartridge in the player and hit "Play" and let it run for a little while.
I do not think there is a way to clean the tape itself.

[exitseven]

Glad it all worked out.

[Asker]

the tape... and i do remember how to clean the tape and now with air can---may have already knew about the air and just forgot, dont know it works!

[exitseven]

I still have a VHS machine and it is still hooked up to my TV but it has not been used for 20 years maybe.,

[Asker]

do you have vhs tapes?

[exitseven]

I have a few but I gave away a whole pile of them.

[Asker]

Well.. i remember there is another way... to take off the case unscrew.. i know how to do all of that. for me... if i forget one thing about something then ask... or remember one thing.. i start to remembering everything elwe about it, it comes to surface.

[Asker]

oh... and the vhs cleaner machine.. cleans the tape while it rewinds it in the machine. I remember all these things since i was a little kid

[Asker]

just meant.. its a rewinding machine plus it cleans your tape

[exitseven]

yes. I had one of those too.

[Asker]

am not sure if i have the rewinding machine, if not, need to get one

[exitseven]

@SandandWaves do you watch VHS a lot?

[Asker]

more of dvds because I have more dvds. This 'movie' on vhs tape.. i have watched a lot more lalely

[exitseven]

I just have a few VHS tapes. I have quite a few DVDs.

[Asker]

very cool

[Likes2drive]

I could only clean the player with the tape head cleaner cassette but never cleaned a tape, I still have a player that works

[Zolly99999]

Rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls

[userxvi]

I didn't even know you could clean them

[enocheli]

dave chappelle