Telecom crews deal with a different kind of dirty than power crews. Fiber and coaxial cable is often gel filled or flooded, and that gel has to come off before you can splice, terminate or fan out fibers. After that, the glass end faces have to be spotless or you lose signal. One cleaner rarely does both jobs well, which is why Polywater makes several. This guide covers the communication cleaners Polywater sells, what each one is for, and how to pick.
Match the cleaner to the task. Removing cable gel is one job. Cleaning a connector end face is another.
| Job | Cleaner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Remove gel or flooding compound from fiber, ribbon, loose tube or coax | SqueekyKleen | Lifts gel and powders with no residue, fans fibers in two swipes |
| Clean fiber end faces, ferrules and bulkheads with alcohol | Type FO | 99.8% anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, dries fast |
| Clean end faces and splicing equipment with a water-based product | AquaKleen | Deionized water, noncombustible, no solvent vapors |
| Optical-grade cleaning with towelettes and swabs | FiberKleen | High flash point, tested to Telcordia GR-2923-CORE |
| Prep polyethylene pipe and conduit before fusion | EFW wipe | 99.8% anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, presaturated |
SqueekyKleen is a gel remover for fiber optic, loose tube, ribbon and coaxial cable. It removes cable filling gels, flooding compounds and powders without leaving a residue, so you do not need a second cleaning pass. Polywater says it fans fibers in two swipes.
It also gives off lower vapor concentrations than alcohol, which matters when you are working in a splice trailer or a vault. The wipe is non-linting and durable, and the openings in the towel hold on to the contaminants you pick up.
On compatibility, Polywater lists compatibility with polyacrylate cladding and ribbon fiber, and says it does not stress crack polyethylene (ASTM D1693) or polycarbonate. Residue is below 100 ppm (ASTM D2369) and it is RoHS and WEEE compliant.
| Catalog # | Package | Units per case |
|---|---|---|
| TC-1 | Saturated lint-free wipe in a foil pack | 144 |
| TC-D300 | 300-count dispenser of 5 x 6 in saturated wipes | 6 |
| TC-16LF | 1 pint flip-top bottle | 12 |
| TC-35LF | 1 quart flip-top bottle | 12 |
| TC-35LR | 1 quart spray bottle | 12 |
| TC-96 | 3 quarts in a 1 gallon pail | 4 |
| TC-128 | 1 gallon jug | 4 |
| TC-640 | 5 gallon pail | 1 |
| TC-DRUM | 55 gallon drum | 1 |
The TC-1 foil packs ride well in a tool bag, and the TC-D300 dispenser fits a splice trailer. The flip-top and spray bottles are for crews using their own towels, and the pails, jug and drum suit shops and larger contractors.
For coax, Polywater pairs SqueekyKleen with SpliceMaster dry towels. Wet a towel with the cleaner to take the flooding compound off, then wipe with a clean dry towel. The DT-69 is a box of 200 dry towels at 6 x 9 in, and the DT-1212 is a box of 100 at 12 x 12 in. They are creped, non-linting and free of fiber-binding adhesives, so they do not leave residue behind.
This block of instruction covers the application in the field of SqueekyKleen cable cleaner on fiber optic, coaxial, and copper cables.
Understand why SqueekyKleen by Polywater cleans gel filled fiber optic cables better than alcohol. Short vlog.
Type FO is an alcohol cleaner for glass fiber end faces. It removes oil, dust and other contaminants and leaves no residue. It is made from 99.8% anhydrous isopropyl alcohol with no listed impurities, dries quickly and is compatible with common plastics and rubbers. The wipes are 5 x 8 in, tear resistant and non-linting, so you get more working time per wipe.
| Catalog # | Package | Units per case |
|---|---|---|
| FO-1 | 5 x 8 in wipes in a sealed foil pouch | 50 |
| FO-2LP | 2 fl oz refillable spray bottle | 12 |
| FO-16 | 1 pint bottle | 12 |
| FO-32 | 1 quart bottle | 12 |
| FO-128 | 1 gallon jug | 4 |
AquaKleen is a water-based fiber cleaner for termination, splicing and care of fusion splicing equipment. It is made with pure deionized water, so nothing is left behind when it evaporates. It gives off no irritating solvent vapors, ships without hazardous restrictions by land or air, and is noncombustible, which makes it a fit for places like data centers where alcohol may not be welcome.
It meets Telcordia GR-2923-CORE for fiber optic connector cleaning products, with residue below 100 ppm. Its wetting ability gets into small parts and lifts dust, buffer gel, lint, fingerprints and oils, and it dissipates static so surfaces are less likely to pick dirt back up. Crews also use it on heat strippers, V-grooves and camera lenses on splicers.
| Catalog # | Package | Units per case |
|---|---|---|
| AQ-2LP | 2 fl oz finger sprayer | 12 |
| AQ-2DR | 2 fl oz squeeze bottle with dropper tip | 12 |
| AQ-35LF | 1 quart bottle with flip top | 12 |
Polywater also offers AquaKleen kits, the AQ-KIT2 and AQ-KIT3. Contact Powertech Associates for current kit contents.
Vlog on how AquaKleen, a water-based cleaner, is safer to use than alcohol to clean fiber optic cable, end faces, etc.
FiberKleen is Polywater's optical-grade cleaning line for high-speed fiber and specialty optics. It handles dry and ionic soils, wet and non-ionic soils, and combinations of both. It removes dust, oils, buffer gel, lint and fingerprints, and it dissipates static. Residue is below 100 ppm, it is tested to Telcordia GR-2923-CORE, and it has a high flash point above 140 degrees F, so it is safer to store and ship than a flammable alcohol.
The FiberKleen line includes non-linting nonwoven towelettes and foam and cotton swabs for adaptors, ferrules and scopes:
| Catalog # | Item |
|---|---|
| DT-D50 | FiberKleen towelettes |
| DT-D175 | 175 towelettes in a sealed dispenser with a cleaning pad |
| DT-D175R | Towelette refill |
| SWB-125F10 | 1.25 mm foam swabs, 10 pack |
| SWB-250F100 | 2.5 mm foam swabs, 100 pack |
| SWB-C100 | Cotton swabs, 100 pack |
Other swab styles, including the SWB-V100 and SWB-M100, are also in the store.
Lint-free cleaning wipes in a rigid work box for on-the-go construction and maintenance.
Polywater's FiberKleen data sheet recommends a combination wet and dry method with non-linting towels:
Always follow your connector maker's cleaning instructions and your company procedure.
Communication crews working in HDPE conduit run into a similar problem: mud, dirt and directional drilling fluid on the pipe weaken a fusion joint. The Polywater Type EFW wipe is a presaturated, single-use wipe for cleaning PE pipe, conduit and fittings before electrofusion or butt fusion. It is made with 99.8% anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, which Polywater says is the highest alcohol content in the pipeline industry. It is non-linting and water free, with no fiber-bonding adhesives that could leave residue.
| Catalog # | Size | Units per case |
|---|---|---|
| EFW-1 | 5 x 8 in, saturated | 50 |
How to prep your polyethylene (PE) pipe prior to electrofusion or butt fusion process. What residues on PE pipe should be cleaned prior to cutting or scraping PE pipe.
SqueekyKleen takes gel and flooding compound off cable. Type FO is an alcohol cleaner for end faces, ferrules and bulkheads. Most crews use the gel remover first and the end face cleaner last.
Polywater's field instruction video covers SqueekyKleen on fiber optic, coaxial and copper cables.
It is noncombustible, gives off no solvent vapors and ships without hazardous restrictions. It also meets Telcordia GR-2923-CORE and leaves no residue.
Polywater recommends non-linting towels made for the job. Lint and adhesives from ordinary rags can end up on a splice or an end face.
SpliceMaster DT dry towels. They are non-linting and contain no fiber-binding adhesives.
No. Use Polywater's cleaners within your connector and cable manufacturer's instructions.
Utility Power Supply Company and Powertech Associates represent Polywater across New England and New York State. To order or confirm sizes and availability, contact Powertech Associates at info@powertech-upsc.com or (860) 678-8772.
