What are you looking for?

Ask an expert: Tips on keeping electronics clean

Fishing and hunting guide, tournament angler, and outdoor writer Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson gives some tips for keeping electronics clean.

Q: I constantly get water marks on my sonar screens and have a hard time cleaning them. Any tips on how to best clean them?

A: Fishing and hunting guide, tournament angler, and outdoor writer Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson responds: I’m constantly fighting to keep my electronicsʼ screens clear because I rely heavily on them.

Electronics cleaner

A screen cleaner designed for marine electronics will prevent dust, fingerprints, and general grime from building up. I always keep a bottle in the boat and clean my screens at the start of every day. Doing it at the end of a day is a great habit. I have a tough time keeping up with this because I usually fish until I have to go in, and then it’s a rush to get to the boat ramp.

If you go a few days without giving your screens a good cleaning, water marks can be tough to remove. When I asked one of my friends who works for Humminbird how to do it, he told me to use a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar. I tried it and it made my screens crystal clear, even removing tough water marks.

I like the made-for-screens sprays for day-to-day use because they seem to leave a protective coating on the surface. Avoid using any kind of cleaner that uses detergents, alcohol, or ammonia-based solutions that can damage the protective surface or even scratch your screens. And use a good quality microfibre towel.

Send your questions by clicking here


Originally published in the August 2024 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS

Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson, from Kenora, grew up on the shores of Lake of the Woods and is a fishing and hunting guide, tournament angler, and outdoor writer. He competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series in the US, the highest level in professional bass fishing.

For more fishing, click here

Click here for more outdoors news

Watch on-demand videos anytime on OFAH Stream

Related Stories

The Toronto Sportsmen’s Show (TSS) returns for a 78th year to the International Centre in Mississauga from March 19 to 22.
Minnitaki Lake, Lake Temegami, Clearwater West Lake, and White Otter Lake for wallhanging winter lake trout.
Brook trout provide steady action right through to ice-out. Dial in your winter tactics, and you just might catch your best squaretail ever.
With some adjustments to techniques, water and weather, you can confidently write steelheading on your January calendar.
This heavy-fly technique leaves plenty of room for steelheaders to experiment drifting big, buggy jigs through favoured, late-winter holes.
What's the better heater for your ice shelter this winter — diesel or propane? Tom Armstrong runs the pros and cons in this gear review.