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Thread: cleaning cartridge contacts

  1. #21
    Reticulating Splines BetaWolf47's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldskool View Post
    As crazy as it may sound, I use the security bit, take the cartridge apart. Then use toothpaste and a toothbrush on the contacts. First I use straight toothpaste by rubbing it in with my fingers until the toothpaste turns dark. Then I wet the toothbrush and start brushing away at it. After I feel it has been cleaned off well I rinse the contacts off and brush until the suds go away. Finally I polish it off with a cotton towel. You'd be amazed how clean it gets. And toothpaste is always around and cheap.
    I remember you mentioning that. If it works that well, no wonder it's used for our teeth The more surprising thing is how well the aforementioned cooktop cleaner works. It has never failed me thus far.
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    Cherry (Level 1) channelmaniac's Avatar
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    Pink pencil eraser is the tool of choice here.

    Q-tips and alcohol are uses to clean the contacts if I can't disassemble the cart. I use 100% isopropyl alcohol that is available at Fry's.

    Formula 409 is my cleaner of choice for gunk on a cart or on the edge connectors. Rinse well with clean water or alcohol.

    For permanent marker I use the pure 100% isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush or rag. If that doesn't work then I use a fresh marker to go over the old THEN use the alcohol to remove both.


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    Insert Coin (Level 0) jordandavid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by channelmaniac View Post
    If that doesn't work then I use a fresh marker to go over the old THEN use the alcohol to remove both.
    I've heard that and tried that and it does work pretty well.
    Just my two coins.

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    Alex (Level 15) InsaneDavid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rimsky82 View Post
    To clarify, I've been using the Windex Multi-Surface with vinegar. It is clear. Is ammonia or vinegar bad for the contacts?
    The thing with isopropyl alcohol is that it will evaporate where using something like windex will leave a residue.

    Quote Originally Posted by rimsky82 View Post
    The last time I used rubbing alcohol on a circuit board it left a residue that appeared greasy.
    What was the amount per volume of the isopropyl alcohol you were using? Remember that 50% alcohol is going to be 50% water, which is what you don't want. Try to keep in the 90% range for contact cleaning, the cheaper stuff for general usage.

    General cleaning I've had best results with Simple Green for grime and Windex for general plastics cleaning.
    Last edited by InsaneDavid; 05-26-2010 at 09:20 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by diskoboy View Post
    For carts, I use Deoxit contact cleaner.

    The stuff works wonders on dirty cartridge contacts.
    Have to agree here. I have used it many years back, on an nes cart, which then went into intermittent nes system. The plus, worked perfect. Another plus, after a few carts had deoxit applied, the system would just work totally fine, without even needing to push the cart down. Connection was that good.

    I keep a can of deoxit on hand, all the time, for that reason.

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    Pear (Level 6) Oldskool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by caitsith2 View Post
    Have to agree here. I have used it many years back, on an nes cart, which then went into intermittent nes system. The plus, worked perfect. Another plus, after a few carts had deoxit applied, the system would just work totally fine, without even needing to push the cart down. Connection was that good.

    I keep a can of deoxit on hand, all the time, for that reason.
    That's interesting, it's almost like the clean cartridges cleaned the NES itself. Does this NES have a new 72 pin connector installed? I've only heard of them playing games in the "up" position with NES's that have a new 72 pin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldskool View Post
    That's interesting, it's almost like the clean cartridges cleaned the NES itself. Does this NES have a new 72 pin connector installed? I've only heard of them playing games in the "up" position with NES's that have a new 72 pin.
    It was quite a while, like 8 years back, but no, that was the systems original 72 pin connector. I never specifically tried to clean it, but what I think happened, is that indeed, the cartridges transferred some of the deoxit to the 72 pin connector, where the repeated insertions and removals allowed the deoxit to do its thing.

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    Pear (Level 6) Oldskool's Avatar
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    I was at Radio Shack today with a buddy and noticed some of that Deoxit stuff on the shelf - no way I'm spending 20 bucks on a bottle of that. I guess I'll stick with the tooth paste.

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    Reticulating Splines BetaWolf47's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by caitsith2 View Post
    It was quite a while, like 8 years back, but no, that was the systems original 72 pin connector. I never specifically tried to clean it, but what I think happened, is that indeed, the cartridges transferred some of the deoxit to the 72 pin connector, where the repeated insertions and removals allowed the deoxit to do its thing.
    Yeah, that tends to happen. I exclusively clean my consoles using that method, although I use the previously mentioned cooktop cleaner for that. My formerly finicky N64 works like new now!

    And Radioshack has Deoxit at $20? Yeesh.
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    Yeah and it's a very small bottle at that. Maybe it lasts long, I dunno. Sounds like it's the best though.

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    hey guys...it's been a looong time coming, but I really need to clean all my nes and snes cartridges.

    Question: I don't have windex, will Mr. Clean work equally as well?

    Question: Is it true I can use toothpaste on the contacts? Will my ultrabright Advanced Whitening Toothpaste work? How does this compare to using Brasso?

    thanks...I'll be going to the store in an hour...so I eagerly await whatever help you guys can give me.

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    bump. Can anyone help?

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    Cherry (Level 1) raylydiard's Avatar
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    i was fixeing other sega cdx today had green all over the cart solt
    i used a very fine sand paper and very carfully done that and then used contact cleaner afterwards and works a charm

    Quote Originally Posted by psx95 View Post
    I have been using rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean the contacts on my game cartridges for a while now. I just wanted to make sure that this method is safe and will not harm the cartridges over time?

    The way that I clean a disc is to wipe it with a microfiber cloth slightly dampened with water. Is this a good/safe way to clean discs? I used to use one of those rotary cleaners where you spray a solution on the disc and then turn the crank on the rotary unit which rubs the disc with a pad. Is that a safe method?

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    Quote Originally Posted by BacteriaInfection View Post
    hey guys...it's been a looong time coming, but I really need to clean all my nes and snes cartridges.

    Question: I don't have windex, will Mr. Clean work equally as well?

    Question: Is it true I can use toothpaste on the contacts? Will my ultrabright Advanced Whitening Toothpaste work? How does this compare to using Brasso?

    thanks...I'll be going to the store in an hour...so I eagerly await whatever help you guys can give me.
    Yes you can use toothpaste on the cart contacts. But it's best to take the cart apart, otherwise you'll get toothpaste inside the cart.

    "First I use straight toothpaste by rubbing it in with my fingers until the toothpaste turns dark. Then I wet the toothbrush and start brushing away at it. After I feel it has been cleaned off well I rinse the contacts off and brush until the suds go away. Finally I polish it off with a cotton towel. You'd be amazed how clean it gets. And toothpaste is always around and cheap."

    Just make sure everything is nice and dry when you are done, I use a hair dryer sometimes if I accidently got some of the chips wet.

    I guess one of these days I'll post a video of a before cleaning - during cleaning - and after cleaning - problem is: All of my carts have been cleaned already!

    I don't know how it compares to Brasso personally. I have not use Brasso not even once in my entire life, but I know it's THE best tarnish remover. I just don't know - are the contacts Brass?

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    Cherry (Level 1) raylydiard's Avatar
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    I have used deoxit on cart solt but its dear stuff it good stuff
    used the whole can in about a week on console reapairs alone.
    toothpaste i will give that a go cheers buddy.


    Quote Originally Posted by Oldskool View Post
    Yes you can use toothpaste on the cart contacts. But it's best to take the cart apart, otherwise you'll get toothpaste inside the cart.

    "First I use straight toothpaste by rubbing it in with my fingers until the toothpaste turns dark. Then I wet the toothbrush and start brushing away at it. After I feel it has been cleaned off well I rinse the contacts off and brush until the suds go away. Finally I polish it off with a cotton towel. You'd be amazed how clean it gets. And toothpaste is always around and cheap."

    Just make sure everything is nice and dry when you are done, I use a hair dryer sometimes if I accidently got some of the chips wet.

    I guess one of these days I'll post a video of a before cleaning - during cleaning - and after cleaning - problem is: All of my carts have been cleaned already!

    I don't know how it compares to Brasso personally. I have not use Brasso not even once in my entire life, but I know it's THE best tarnish remover. I just don't know - are the contacts Brass?

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    Pear (Level 6) Oldskool's Avatar
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    Let me know what you think when you try it. I am the only person I know other than myself that has done it this way. Maybe I can start a trend hehe.

    Now toothpaste on a CD is a different story. Some people think that it's supposed to be some magic trick or something, put it on, rinse it off and you're disk will look like new.. But really, for CD's toothpaste is for more like doing localized scratch repair. And you have to rub the hell out of it. I have fixed many CD's that way, just use the toothpaste where the scratch is ONLY and basically dull the finish. For some reason people are covering the entire disc, letting it dry for 5 minutes (WTF?), then simply rinsing it off. I guess over the years the whole toothpaste process has been changed/altered and now people say it doesn't work, when it does - just because people are going about it wrong.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rimsky82 View Post
    Now, I have a couple of carts with sharpie on them, and wonder if anybody has tried and true techniques for getting it off? Most notably, I have a nes zelda cart (gold) and I'd like to get sharpie off of it without ruining the cart. I hear that scrubbing with an alcohol/comet solution works best, but am a little weary of trying it just yet.
    Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works wonders on sharpie ink and is generally safe to use* on glossy NES and SNES labels. I recently picked up a bubble bobble cart that someone had drawn all over, a minute or two of gentle scrubbing and it looks as good as new. With the Zelda cart you might want to do a test on somewhere inconspicuous, as the gold coating isn't particularly durable.

    *Magic Eraser / Melamine Foam is an abrasive, so there is a risk of damaging your stuff. I've had good luck, but your mileage may vary. I've heard horror stories about magic eraser wrecking N64 labels so be careful!

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