ZeroDust still the best?

Given the "tacky" character of the ZD surface, particles are much more likely to be captured there than in any brush.

Bet on that.

Zerodust RIP

I went out and bought the ME and have been using it with the ZD. How long does it take to "clean up" before you hear a difference?

For some reason I do hear more detail coming out of my system. Is it the ME working already? I am dipping (50) at the moment.

Glory, if you're brave, very gentle and very careful, Dougdeacon described a "deep cleaning" process with the Magic Eraser that has worked well for me. I've used this process on cartridges that have build up on the stylus: Slice a very thin tapering length of ME that will be very flexible at the tip. Use this strip of ME to very gently wipe the surface of the diamond and cantilever, as opposed to simply dipping the stylus into the ME material. Work very carefully and gently. The piece I cut that has worked well for me is about 2" long and tapers from about 3/16ths of an inch (where I hold it) down to about 1/32nd of an inch at the working tip. use a magnifying loupe to watch as you work. Just be very careful, slow and gentle as you work if you try this.
.

Glory,

Try what Rushton said ^^^ Stick the ME sliver on a toothpick for a handle, and hold that between thumb and one finger only, delicately.

If the stylus still doesn't look crystal clear under magnification, step up to the super-fine sandpaper technique Stringreen and I discussed just above. That and a brush will clean anything I've ever seen on a stylus.

With either tool, be slow, gentle, patient, undistracted and chemically un-altered. No caffeine or other fun juice. It's also a big help to have something sturdy as a wrist rest while you clean.

If a stylus is gunked up and you make it notably cleaner, the improvement will be instantly audible.