how to clean the SNES' cartridge slot

how to clean a SuperNES cartridge slot

I would like to clean the cartridge slot of a Super NES, especially the cartridge connector on the mainboard. I know there are some professional cleaning kits available, but does anyone know a cheaper method?


btw, I'm not sure if this is the correct place for my question. If I am wrong here, please put my topic into the correct forum.

 

Your best bet is to clean your cartridges. Use contact cleaner with cotton buds.

The cart slot should be fine, but if you suspected it of having a little dirt, you could spray a copious amount of contact cleaner on the edge connector of a cart, then insert and remove the cart several times. Other than that, it's tarnish on the connector which would be harder to clean (e.g. use a very fine tool carefully).

 

Credit card and wet cloth trick. Works every time for me

 

That sounds pretty much like what I do :icon_bigg

I use an old phone top-up card and a fine lens cleaning microfiber cloth ('spudz' or similar - must be thin and a little stretchy) Very lightly dampen the cloth and then fold it over the end of the top-up card. Then hold the cloth tightly in place whilst pushing it in and out of the cartridge slot (dont wiggle it, or slide it along - just straight in and out like a cartridge) Then use some compressed air to blow out any dirt/hair left beneath the pins - works well for me :dance:

Oh, and its much easier to do this with the top half of the console casing removed :nod:

 

that's a great hint, thanks:nod:

btw, I usually clean the cartridge connector. However a friend visited me some days ago and we played a bit Super NES. Unfortunately a lot of his carts are very dirty and we had lots of problems to get it work. Well that's the reason why I would like to clean the slot.

 

Thanks, will try this :thumbsup:

 

An old trade secret!

 

And I thought I invented the credit card method.

 

Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q-Tip

 

This thread is fucking brilliant.
Gonna try all of these techniques

 

wet cloth + card = good, But wet the cloth with pure alcohol, not water!

Ive also heard that Deoxit cleaner works well, never tried though.

Edit: btw, do not try the card + cloth trick in a ZIF NES slot. The cloth will get stuck and you might ruin the connector!!

 

For NES Zif slots I use cardboard from a Kleenex box, fold it over and soak it in alcohol. Snes sockets are usually detachable (some late units are soldered in) often corrode at the contact points so disassembly is recommended,

 

That means you have to open the game carts and clean the contacts, I use a pencil eraser, works every time.

 

I second an eraser, takes a minute or 2 and gives top results.

 

For particularly stubborn carts (i.e they've got tarnishing) I've found a magic eraser soaked in isopropyl alcohol does the trick. I've resurrected a new NES games that refused to work even after a clean with an iso-soaked cotton bud.

What's your opinion on PRODUCTS LIKE THIS guys? They seem like they're built for this purpose.

 

I'm really surprised at you. Horrible amateur method that leaves crappy deposits all over your contacts. Do the job right with the tools that electronics suppliers sell.

This, however, isn't one of them. A good way to waste your money. Get a spray can of contact cleaner - it'll outlast dozens of these pens. And it's cheaper than one. It'll probably work for a time, but those nibs will just get dirty. Much like a pencil eraser picks up and retains graphite, then smudges it all over your page if you don't clean it.

 

A spray can of contact cleaner was the other thing I was looking at What's the ingredients of these? They've got to be more than just alcohol right?

 

Isopropyl alcohol. The ones that say they're switch cleaners have some kind of lubricant in them, too... but it's basically just IPA.

 

eraser is likely something everyone already has. Anything left by the eraser is easily removed with IPA anyway

 

Serioisly? I already have isopropyl alcohol, I was hoping for something a little more powerful to get them all shiny and polished up.