LTO tape drive cleaning schedule

[PrimaryTech]

Hi all,

If any of you out there are still using tape drives (we are, but in conjuction with online and NAS backup storage too) how often do you use a cleaning tape on them?

Currently our LTO drive gets the cleaning tape every Monday morning and the drive does 5 backups a week plus a Saturday monthly. Do I need to be cleaning it every week? I only ask as I've got to order a new cleaning tape and I don't want to order / use more than I really have to.

[Gibbo]

Apparently you're only supposed to put the cleaning tape in when the "clean" light comes on.