What to use to clean bellows?

[Colin D]

The folds in the bellows have collected some dust that won't come out with a duster, I'd like to clean it, just wondering if there is a solution that is safe and not going to damage it? I thought Metho but it leaves a sticky feeling and seems potent enough to perhaps eat into the leather or whatever the bellows is made of.

[lenser]

Colin, several of my cameras with varying types of bellows material have benefited from working with just a heavy going over with a very stiff type of paintbrush. The bristles do a great job of getting down into the crevices. Follow that up with a few blasts from a can of compressed air with the tube nozzle attached to get the now loose dust particles out.

[ruilourosa]

plus a spray of graisse "la Phoque" or some aerossol grease for leather

[toolbox]

The folds in the bellows have collected some dust that won't come out with a duster, I'd like to clean it, just wondering if there is a solution that is safe and not going to damage it? I thought Metho but it leaves a sticky feeling and seems potent enough to perhaps eat into the leather or whatever the bellows is made of.

Lexol and an old toothbrush will usually get the crud all out. Wipe the excess off with a soft cotton rag. Done many (many) bellows this way, and they come out looking great. There are other much more aggressive ways to clean really filthy ones, but I wouldn't recommend that if it's only lightly soiled.