I just cleaned the heads on my VCR (cotton swab and 90% alcohol).
Picture has improved noticeably.

However, while cleaning I noticed a part that contacts the video head.
It appears to be a self cleaning part, but dirty and full of black
particles. At this point, it is getting the newly cleaned head dirty.

The part is a lever. There is some sort of wiper that lightly contacts
the head. In fact, it seems to be zero pressure so maybe it only
contacts a small percentage of the time. The contact area looks like a
tiny toilet paper roll, 1/2 inch high. On closer examination, it is
actually a cylinder made of up many paper (?) disks. It is hopelessly
dirty, and can't be cleaned.

Before I search for this part, I need to know what it is called... is
there an industry name for this?

VCR is a Goldstar GVR-E-465 Hi-fi VHS vcr