Canon 5D Sensor Cleaning Question

This PNW forum probably has the most 5D and better DSLR users, hence my post here. I bought my 5D in November, and we all know it's a nifty little dust magnet. I did my first "cleaning" today simply with a blower bulb in our Class 10000 clean room at work. Worked just fine, except for two stubborn specs stuck on the sensor (did the trick where I shoot a blank wall out of focus to see dust).

SO, I figured an easy sweep with one of those VisibleDust brushes would get the remaining specs, so I went online to look at purchasing one. WOW, is there a mountain of blogs talking about oil smearing and cheap quality from VD and methanol and sticky pads and LensKlear pens and lions and tigers and bears oh my...

What do you guys/gals do for your 5Ds and other upper end sensors? For now, I'm resolving to the blower bulb and then Photoshop to remove the 2 or 3 remaining specs of dust. Interesting, I didn't think this was such a huge topic!

Any advice is most appreciated.

clean room wipes and a drop of isopropyl alcohol.

I mainly use Dust-Aid when I am out and about (Marc and Zack suggested this and it's the best I have found yet). In house I still sometimes use my drops and swab kit if the dust blower does not do the trick.

Adrian, I went to the Dust-Aid site. Which version do you use? They have a Classic sticky pad, a Canon version for the Classic, and a new Platinum that supposedly works for all makes.

I see the wet version too, but I'm not that brave yet.

Side note: I'm probably wrong, but the Dust-Aid website has an image on the top right of the page that looks like one of Marc's (waterfall over mossy rocks).

Jim: cleanroom wipes and ISA?? Are you razzing me or do you really use that? YAAAAW, that's too aggressive for me!

Thanks guys!

Paul, I just use the Classic version and it works fine. You will get the special Canon strips when you order the Classic pack. I think you have to note on your order it's Canon you are using to get them included but I honestly can't remember other than I use the classic item.

Well that's interesting. We have two Visible Dust Arctic Butterflies - one for our Canon 5D and the other for our Canon 1D Mark II and maybe the Mark III if it ever needs it since it has the dust removal feature.

We have had nothing but wonderful results from both brushes. I even cleaned the sensor of a friend's Canon 5D that got gunked up by a mistake on his part. Between the included pec pads (I bought a whole cleaning kit with the Arctic Butterflies) and some careful use of the Arctic Butterfly it came out nice and clean. I'll leave said friend nameless since he was rather embarrassed and distressed over the whole thing.

FYI - You can get brushes of the same quality as the Visible Dust ones at any arts and crafts store for about $3 a piece. I got a pair a while back (1/2" and 1/4"), rinsed them liberally in hand soap then tested them on an old filter to make sure they were clean. Probably used them to clean both my Rebel and former 30D two dozen times or more. Worked perfectly every time. Haven't had the need since I got the 40D.

Lots of great info, thanks everyone!

(ps: I did order Dust-Aid from B&H, but I'm not ruling out Bryan's brush idea)