I am seeking some advice about any tricks to cleaning the inside of an ikelite dome . I have an Ikelite 8" acrylic dome and have a heck of a time keeping the inside clean. More specifically, streak free. I have been using a lens cloth and will spray a small amount of lens cleaner inside. I can never seem to get it looking great. It always ends up having streaks. Am I the only one that has this problem?

Any tricks or advice would be appreciated.

Lens cloth? I use a micro fiber cloth to clean eye glasses, lenses, and domes. Ensure that the cloth is very clean with absolutely no grit. Be careful not to get any o-ring grease inside of the port. I do not use lens cleaning fluid on the dome and only on lenses if they are especially dirty.
Bob

Agree very much about the silicon lube, do not get it on to any optical surface. It will smear and if on the outside help bubble formation, as well as attracting dust. One should be as obsessive about hand washing between stages of preping a camera and housing as entering an Intensive Care Unit.
Tim Digger

Yes, its difficult to clean inside. The easiest way I have found is not to get it dusty in the first place. Cut a sheet of thin plastic to the size of the shade and make sure you always put it over the hole, retaining it with the dome cover.

I don't clean the inside that often.

I just give it a blast with the blower from time to time, but I never keep the housing open that long, just long enough to change battery and card, then I shut it.

Every month I give the whole housing a service, and this will include cleaning the inside.

I don't use any sprays, just blow it first, then a wipe with a fresh, clean cloth and a square sponge.


Clean your cloths with a small amount of washing liquid, rinse thoroughly and leave to dry, just to get rid of the grease prints.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I don't have the problem with silicone grease. I think the streaks are typical streaks you get when you clean clean your car windows for example. A transparent white streak, that is faint, but still there. maybe I am just being anal about it.

You need to polish that streak off. As long as you are confident there is no dust or grit, just buff it with a clean dry soft cloth.

The lens cleaner you're using may not be intended for acrylic?

Ie it might be slightly reacting with it.

Otara