The secret here is to repeat cleaning on each section until your filter doesn't show any more dirt.

Saturate the coffee filter or swab and squeeze it out until it can't drip. Use a clean section until it doesn't appear to get dirty anymore. Keep away from any grease below.

First, clean the guide arms and guide pins. Grasping them gently, twist while pulling up.

Next clean the tension rollers with the filter wrapped around the tip of your finger. Use an up and down motion while turning the roller until it has all been wiped clean.

Using a clean portion of filter, you can now clean the A/C head (audio head) and the erase head. Clean these gently using a side to side motion (horizontal movement, the same way a played tape going by would move), and keep wiping with a new section until the filter comes out clean.

If there is any sticky black residue on your capstan shaft, it needs to be removed. Usually you can just use your fingernail.

Now clean the capstan with another clean part of the filter. If the capstan is in a position that doesn't allow you to get your finger in there, use a swab. Clean all around the shaft. If you can't get to all sides, try to rotate the capstan shaft so you can clean all around.

The majority of VCRs will allow you to rotate the capstan shaft by hand. If yours is a belt-drive model, you may need to remove the bottom of the VCR and rotate the shaft from below. As a last resort, you can plug in the VCR, put in a tape and push play. Push stop immediately, eject the tape, unplug the VCR and clean the exposed portion of the capstan. Repeat this as many times as you need to. Just be sure to unplug the VCR again EACH TIME you are ready to clean.

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Clean Tape Path - Next - Video Head Cleaning