Author Topic: What can I use to clean a PCB?  (Read 4176 times)

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Offline ELS122Topic starter

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What can I use to clean a PCB?
« on: January 12, 2020, 11:11:02 pm »
I have a pcb that has some soda or something on it, it’s not flux.
I used naphtha to clean it and it worked really well but I ran out of it, it evaporated really fast.
So what can I use, I thought about using diesel, acetone (I think it will damage it) or gas, but gas works no better than diesel for cleaning and is super flammable so I won’t use that.
 

Offline I wanted a rude username

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2020, 11:26:59 pm »
The usual suggestion is isopropyl alcohol, but ethyl alcohol works fine too. Wipe it with a brush (e.g. an old toothbrush).

However, if the dirt is actually some sugary residue like from soda pop, I would wash it in water first (preferably distilled water if your tap water has a high pH), then alcohol. Sugar is not really alcohol-soluble.
 
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Offline ELS122Topic starter

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2020, 11:35:20 pm »
Well I would use isopropyl alcohol but either it has some really weird name or nobody just sells it where I live.

My water supply comes from underground (from a borehole? I think it’s called that..) anyway, it has a LOT of lime tho, is that bad for pcbs?

 

Offline I wanted a rude username

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2020, 11:45:33 pm »
Maybe you can mail order it. The prices seem OK.

I would avoid using that water unless there was no other option. Your nearest supermarket probably sells distilled water. Sometimes it is in the clothes washing section, because people use for their clothes irons.
 

Offline ELS122Topic starter

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2020, 11:56:23 pm »
Maybe you can mail order it. The prices seem OK.

I would avoid using that water unless there was no other option. Your nearest supermarket probably sells distilled water. Sometimes it is in the clothes washing section, because people use for their clothes irons.
Yeah I know that there’s distilled water on my store, but the thing I can’t find is isopropyl alcohol.

Anyway it’s 2am so no stores are open, I wanted to clean this fast, it’s just a board with audio jacks and no other  parts so I did the bad thing and just used warm water, hand soap, a toothbrush and then dryed it off with a towel the best I could, at least it’s conpletly clean of any soda now
 

Offline muawiya

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #5 on: January 13, 2020, 05:26:47 am »
Outside of IPA I'd recommend getting lint free wipes like the ones from Kimtech
 

Offline deskpro256

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #6 on: January 13, 2020, 07:36:47 am »
Hey, if you're based in Riga, you can try Lemona. I accidentally came across this:
https://www.lemona.lv/?page=item&i_id=217493
 

Offline agehall

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2020, 08:15:18 am »
Maybe you can mail order it. The prices seem OK.

I would avoid using that water unless there was no other option. Your nearest supermarket probably sells distilled water. Sometimes it is in the clothes washing section, because people use for their clothes irons.
Yeah I know that there’s distilled water on my store, but the thing I can’t find is isopropyl alcohol.

Anyway it’s 2am so no stores are open, I wanted to clean this fast, it’s just a board with audio jacks and no other  parts so I did the bad thing and just used warm water, hand soap, a toothbrush and then dryed it off with a towel the best I could, at least it’s conpletly clean of any soda now

I would dry it in the oven or using a hair dryer just to make sure that there is no water left anywhere. Otherwise you can bet there will be corrosion there later...
 

Offline ELS122Topic starter

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2020, 01:57:19 pm »
well I have checked lemona, and I think pretty much any electronic parts in latvia are overprices, but it's expensive to shit them so I guess it's fair.

also I don't believe what people say about corosion, I mean I don't believe it's so easy to corode contacts. I have done some seriusly stupid shit with water + electronics and never seen any corosion.
I might just be lucky or it might just be that most people are being safer than they need to be. anyway, thank's for the suggestions, I got it cleaned, no problems, just my opinion on corosion.
 

Offline rdl

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2020, 02:21:56 pm »
A little water isn't going to hurt anything or cause corrosion as long as you dry it off. I've cleaned many old boards by running them through the dishwasher. I always give them a final rinse with distilled water and let them dry thoroughly (sometimes in the oven at low temperature).

https://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/tektronix_washing_your_instrument.html
 

Offline Veteran68

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2020, 02:30:39 pm »
Corrosion from liquid exposure that's not dried off is a very real thing with tightly enclosed electronics with minimal internal airflow. If it's a mostly open PCB then it will probably evaporate before causing much corrosion, but inside an enclosure corrosion from liquid is very common and nasty.

Just watch Louis Rossman or Jessa Jones on YouTube repairing MacBooks and iDevices that have been exposed to liquids. The corrosion can be horrible and destroys components and connections. Devices can "survive" the initial exposure and seem fine for awhile, until corrosion sets in and causes component failure.

I would think that Isopropyl Alcohol would be readily available in any country. For electronics/lab work look for the 99% concentration if you can find it. Lab & cleaning supply places should carry it, as does Amazon. Our local WalMarts here carries 91% if that's the best you can get. The typical medical grade 70% IPA has added water and sometimes additives to prolong evaporation and reduce drying the skin so it's generally discouraged.

I have "rescued" liquid-exposed electronics (phones, remote controls, etc.) by submerging in IPA for several hours or overnight. The IPA gets into all the tight spaces and displaces the water, then evaporates quickly when exposed to air.
 

Offline ELS122Topic starter

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2020, 02:45:35 pm »
Corrosion from liquid exposure that's not dried off is a very real thing with tightly enclosed electronics with minimal internal airflow. If it's a mostly open PCB then it will probably evaporate before causing much corrosion, but inside an enclosure corrosion from liquid is very common and nasty.

Just watch Louis Rossman or Jessa Jones on YouTube repairing MacBooks and iDevices that have been exposed to liquids. The corrosion can be horrible and destroys components and connections. Devices can "survive" the initial exposure and seem fine for awhile, until corrosion sets in and causes component failure.

I would think that Isopropyl Alcohol would be readily available in any country. For electronics/lab work look for the 99% concentration if you can find it. Lab & cleaning supply places should carry it, as does Amazon. Our local WalMarts here carries 91% if that's the best you can get. The typical medical grade 70% IPA has added water and sometimes additives to prolong evaporation and reduce drying the skin so it's generally discouraged.

I have "rescued" liquid-exposed electronics (phones, remote controls, etc.) by submerging in IPA for several hours or overnight. The IPA gets into all the tight spaces and displaces the water, then evaporates quickly when exposed to air.
Well I’m not saying that corrosion is rare or anything, I’m saying that I have been really lucky with it for me. Also I’ve left steel screws soaked in soapy water for a week on accident and they didn’t rust at all. They were not coated in anything.
 

Offline Ian.M

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2020, 02:50:38 pm »
In an emergency,  if you've got nothing better to clean a spill from a valuable PCB, even a 40% ethanol solution is better than just water, so use Vodka, Grappa or other unflavoured, unsweetened white potable spirits!  You still need to dry it thoroughly in a warm place with good airflow, due to the high water content.
 

Offline Nominal Animal

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Re: What can I use to clean a PCB?
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2020, 03:42:18 pm »
In electronics and computer stores, look for PRF IPA Kontakt or AG Termopasty Kontakt cleaner; it's pure isopropyl alcohol.  At least liveshop.lv in Rīga sells it in a liter canister, which should last you years.  There are several web shops who have it in spray form.

I use acetone, as it's cheap and easily available here.  Use the pure stuff, as nail polish removers often have some kind of soap and scents.  Check auto parts and paint stores.  Got a half-liter bottle almost ten years ago, used for both electronics and removing heat sink compound from processors and heat sinks, and I've still got half of it left.

Acetone does not damage PCBs or the components, and is commonly used as a PCB cleaner.  Just ventilate well, the fumes are not healthy.

(When I started using flux, and acetone with an old toothbrush to clean my "soldering" work, it made a huge difference in the results; looks half decent!  Borrowing a saying from welders, "flux and cleaning makes me the solderer I ain't".)
« Last Edit: January 13, 2020, 03:45:44 pm by Nominal Animal »
 
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