Will alcohol safely remove oxidation then?
Not as such, however with switch/pot exercise and IPA (alcohol) you can improve things.
Deoxit seems to be the favoured product on the forum.
they have good products for flushing and for coating.
other companies also offer good (and often cheaper) cleaners as well. you're usually aiming for some kind of alkane blend for flushing. then, potentially a product with a lubricant of some sort for long term application.
The DeoxIT in spray cans is basically 5% D100 and 95% Isopropanol Alcohol, plus aerosol; this used to be called DeoxIT D5.
I don't buy that anymore, instead I get the glass bottles of D100 (which is 100% DeoxIT) with the brush applicator (like a fingernail polish bottle) and make my own D5. Here's how:
I use 20ml glass bottles with the droppers built into the cap. I add 1ml D100 and 19ml of 91% Iso Alcohol. Shake throughly! This ends up being a 5:95 mix, just like the spray cans.
I also make up bottles of DeoxIT Gold and Shield the same way.
I use a 1ml syringe to inject the D/Iso mix into ganged push button switches from behind (inject some, operate switch, repeat) using about 0.2ml per switch. After this, let it dry for about an hour, then operate the switches for a few minutes each; this will break up any remaining oxidation. Flush with 91% Iso, blow the switches out from behind with canned air and finally, give each switch a 0.1ml shot of the D5 mix; operate each switch once or twice after injection to make sure both sides of both contacts are coated (if it's >=DPDT switch). Now, let it dry. The alcohol will evaporate and leave some DeoxIT as a coating.
For rotary switches, I use the D5 mix with the eye dropper. Basically you just coat each wafer with it and keep turning the switch. After about 10 minutes, spray it off with 91% Iso, turn the switch some more, spray again and let it dry. Then apply D100 to a foam swab applicator (Swab-It brand works well for me; *do not* use cotton applicators like Q-tips, they'll leave lint everywhere) and use it to gently scrub the metal discs on each wafer. The applicator will turn brown as it removes oxidation. Then apply a tiny drop of D100 to *each* contact on the wafer (the contacts are U shaped; the edge of the metal disc slides between them as it rotates) and work the switch for a few minutes. Wipe off excess with a clean foam swab.
You should also lubricate the ball bearings of the rotary switch. White Lithium Grease works well, but if you use it, do *not* use the canned aerosol type. It gets *everywhere* and you don't want it on the switch contacts or discs! The same applies for Silicone based spray lubricants. If you use White Lithium Grease, get a tub of it and apply it sparingly with a toothpick.
What I use is
Hoppe's Number 9 with a Precision Needle-Tip Applicator. It's a mineral based lubricant that doesn't gum up or dry out. If it's good enough to keep the slide of my H&K USP working perfectly after putting 200 rounds down range, it's good enough for the bearings of a rotary switch! (It's seriously good lube. I use it everywhere; locks, hinges, reels, etc.)