How do you clean videotapes that have mold or mildew on the tape?
The best way is to very carefully clean the tape with a soft cloth (e.g., a lens cloth) and a solution of mild soapy water (a couple of drops of dish detergent in a litre of water), followed by a water rinse. Do not scrub too hard, as you may damage the magnetic layer on the tape. If this layer is rubbed off, the content is also rubbed off. This is a very finicky operation, because you will either have to draw the tape out of the housing foot by foot or disassemble the cartridge, remove the tape, and then reassemble the cartridge. It is difficult to unroll and then neatly roll up the tape afterwards. If you decide to clean the tape in the cartridge, you will need to remove the sprung flap or to tape it up out of the way. The tape is locked when the cartridge is removed from the VCR, but can be unlocked by pressing a recessed button near the centre of the cartridge underside. You may be forced to disassemble the cartridge to clean the interior, as it is also quite possible that some int
