best way to clean Grado Sonata

I clean the stylus on my Grado Reference using a Signet vibrating brush cleaner that I bought many years ago. I don't know if it's still sold, but it has a small circular pad (about 1/3 inch in diameter) of short, stiff bristles which are vibrated at about 400 Hz by a battery-operated motor. The whole gizmo is about the size of one of those fat Waterman / Mont Blanc pens. To clean the stylus, you turn on the vibrating pad, rest the stylus on the pad, and then slowly draw the pad across the stylus from rear to front. I've used this product with success (no damage to cartridge) since the early 1980's.

The other product that you might want to consider is a new offering called the Zerodust Stylus Cleaner. I'd describe the product as looking like a half-dollar sized, hemispherical blob of gelatinous material, like a soft Sorbothane. To clean the stylus, you lower the cartridge so the stylus comes to rest on the surface of the Zerodust. Apparently the gizmo cleans the stylus by making any dirt/crud adhere to the sticky surface of the Zerodust. The product claims it's good almost forever, and there is no danger to the stylus because there is no scrubbing action or liquids involved. I have no personal experience with this product, although I saw it advertised in a promo flyer from Music Direct (www.amusicdirect.com). The price is $69, which seems a little high, but if it saves even one cantilever on an expensive cartridge from damage, it may be a bargain.

I have one of those Signet gizmos Scott mentions too but I just cue the stylus down onto the pad while the unit rests on the platter and let it sit while the thing does it's stuff, I find you don't have to move it for it to work. I think it is safer that way, less chance of damaging anything. It is almost ultrasonic and does a great job, which I have witnessed under the microscope many times. I always use a drop of fluid on mine though and can't say how well it works without it. I like the idea of the Zerodust blob too, and that is available. It's worth a try.

Fro years, I have been using a Discwasher brand stylus cleaner before playing each record. It is similar to SDCampbell's Signet, but without the vibrating action. The flat, 1/2" round brush has short,very compacted, fine bristles that one draws over the stylus to remove dirt.
The flip side has a 1/2" round mirror to inspect the stylus, but the mirror isn't much good.

I haven't tried any of the solutions that are supposed to clean caked-on crud, but several brands claim to do that. Maybe SDC can weigh in with any experience he has had?

Regards
Jim