Proper cleaning materials for cartridges

Is there an alternative to deoxit gold that does the same thing? Amazon wants $25 for a tiny bottle with an applicator. I can't stomach that.

 

Yes (but it's still NOT called DeoxIT red... it just happens to have a bit of red on the label. For now). Using contact cleaner first is pointless. It's like saying you scrubbed your oven with soap, then used Mr Muscle oven cleaner.

You use the contact cleaner in conjunction with something that will remove the dirt, like a cotton swab. It'll evaporate quickly so no, there's no need to soak. You want to apply it then wipe the dirt off until all the dirt is gone.

 

Fiberglass scratch pens are good as well, just be careful.

 

For erasers, they work great. There's many kinds out there and you should stay away from all the hard ones.
Use the softest one you can find. The cleaning should happen by very light friction, not from carving in new patterns

 

Ok so I just wanted to report back for anyone following this thread. I tried out some DeOxIt D series on a few games last night and the results were pretty great. It even removed some deep dirt that ISA alone left behind. So it's expensive for sure, but it works pretty damn well, and I didn't have to resort to an eraser.

Also, for what it's worth, rather than using cotton swabs (because I'm concerned about leaving bits of cotton on the games) I switched to some lint-free cloths, the type they use for wiping off glasses and iPhone screens and such, and that's working out pretty well too.

 

My procedure is.
If I use erasers to get rid of the dirt on the carts I use the German kind:


I don't use those pink ones. Erase the pins over some newspaper, and use the same paper to grip the cart, especially for the pointy ends. They get pretty clean with some elbow grease.

Clean with the 70%+ alcohol.
If it doesn't boot, you can try the contact cleaner with the same procedure as the alcohol.

ALWAYS give it time for the alcohol to evaporate.

 

A wet cotton bud should be fine, but there is always that risk with cotton - hence many things require a lint-free cloth for cleaning. You could use expensive head cleaning tools, but it would probably be cheaper to get the DeoxIT wipes if you're worried about such things. That said, a glasses cloth should be fine, and you can always pop it in the wash with your socks when it gets mucky. The downside is that the cleaner will also loosen any dirt in the cloth.

The wipes are $18.99 for 50 (38c each)... so one per cartridge might be kinda expensive (although hardly breaking the bank). Still, it would be interesting to know how many cartridges you could realistically clean with one wipe. Compared to $19 for a can that apparently does 1,200+ applications (so under 2c an application), it's a lot.

BTW, I merged your threads - try to use the edit button rather than double posting

@dc16 - Staedtler are the manufacturer whose chemical engineer told me it's a bad idea to use their products to clean electronics

 

OK FOLKS TIME TO LEARN ABOUT HOW SOLVENT'S WORK

 

Ok, awesome information here. Thank you again. On the topic of lint free cloth, I was actually cleaning multiple games per cloth, I was just careful to use a new section of cloth each time, and yes, I also liked the idea of being able to wash and reuse them. I will look into deoxit wipes, because now I need to know. Thanks for cleaning up my post as well.

 

@retro Well it works. I rely mostly on the alcohol, anyway.

 

At least nobody has suggested this....

For cleaning, or life?

 

D100L Deoxit it is all you need. I recommend getting the bottle with the fingernail style brush, let it sit for a couple minutes and gently wipe off access with a q-tip.

I saw the video the .gif was made from about an hour ago...it's from a Super Tecmo Bowl tournament held annually in Madison, Wi

Looks like a lot of fun for fans of the classic game. Here is a link.

http://www.tecmomadison.com/

D100L Deoxit it is all you need. I recommend getting the bottle with the fingernail style brush, let it sit for a couple minutes and gently wipe off access with a q-tip.

 

There has to be an easier way to clean the dirt off a famicom cart, when it's just caked onto the pins. I don't want to injure myself opening those suckers. I'm almost considering getting that ultra fine sandpaper like 200 grit or above.
I cleaned a Pinball cart during the weekend, but each successive cleaning was marginally better, ie slightly less garbled graphics. Even the contact cleaner didn't help. Even if the NES carts are pretty big, I'm glad Nintendo of America went with the screw opening design from then on.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but I've yet to buy a famicom cartridge. I know they only have a 60 pin connector, but otherwise how are they different to clean?

 

I use a polishing wheel with my Dremel. The wheel is a Dremel 520. This is a felt wheel imbued with silicon carbide. It makes quick work of the oxidation/dirt on the pins. I spend about 2-3 seconds per pin, work my way up and then back down for a second polishing. Flip over the PCB and repeat on the opposite side. I takes about 2 minutes. I let the wheel do the work, I use very little pressure. I then clean/wipe with contact cleaner. Works great.

This wheel can also be reshaped using a dressing stone. Make the diameter of the wheel small enough to use on a Famicom cart.

Edit ** If you try this method - run your rotary tool at it's lowest setting. I run mine at 7,500 RPMs.

 

Wow I hadn't considered a Dremel but I would be terrified to damage the game, even with a polishing wheel. It probably does a hell of a job though!

 

Abrasives such as a fibreglass pencil, sandpaper or a polishing wheel will, of course, work. However, I would personally avoid using them, as they will most likely remove the coating on the contacts. You're removing parts of the metal, which isn't a good thing - especially if fragments remained and shorted pins. Buffing is slightly less damaging, but it's still overkill - you just need to remove the dirt.

The contacts are quite often not shiny for a reason. People have this weird obsession with making them sparkle. Clean is effectively when no dirt comes off with a solvent.

 

Tbh, I mostly use Windex. Spray wipe, spray wipe. I recommend getting a Datavac. Cleaning with compressed air is just a joy. Best investment I ever made.

 

The process I shared is not harmful as it may appear to be … honestly, it would take a significant amount of time and force to wear out the pins with the polishing wheel (Dremel 520) that I use. I can run it along my finger with same amount of pressure and it does not tear into me or hurt. My skin's a lot softer than that metal on the pins.

It’s a mild/quick process that does a good job of cleaning the pins … frankly, it does little to shine the pins, they still look dull – just cleaner. But; I'm not saying you can't polish them to a shine, it would take more effort than what I outlined above and as you explained - that is unnecessary.

 

CRC QD Cleaner electronic cleaner works great when alcohol and a qtip is not enough. It is used for automotive electronic contacts, but works great on cart contacts as it is exactly the same purpose and it is only $5 per can.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/CRC-Electronic-Cleaner-11-Oz./16817418

Oh yeah and if you don't like Walmart, it can be found at pretty much any automotive store.