NES games cleaning method

[Moose]

Glass cleaner, q-tips, compressed air

I second the glass cleaner (Windex). I find it does a better job at breaking down the older, built-up crud.

Anyone a chemist and know the difference between cleaning with alcohol or with glass cleaner (ammonia based)?

What tricks does everyone use to clean the contacts in the system itself? I just try to keep all my games clean which helps keep the system clean.

[allyourbase]

Set the cart on fire, then extinguish the flames with a mixture of salt water. If after (and only after) this does not work, use the 'search' feature for the forums and see if there aren't any threads that exist already on the topic

[MASTERWEEDO]

Usually the salt water trick works, you just gotta stick it in the toaster, not the toaster nes, a real toaster, to dry it.

[ihavethatpma]

Usually I'll just use some 90%-91% isopropyl alcohol or windex, but if I want the contacts to really shine I'll use Weiman Glass Cook Top cleaner. It works wonders, I'm telling you.

[Arkhan]

i use rubbing alcohol on a piece of felt rubberbanded to a tongue dispenser.

[jb143]

Anyone a chemist and know the difference between cleaning with alcohol or with glass cleaner (ammonia based)?

I'm no chemist but I did look this up when it came up on here before. The conclusion that I came to is that I personally wouldn't trust it. Glass cleaners have dyes and perfumes added that I wouldn't want to be left behind and build up over time, while isopropyl(rubbing) alcohol is an industry standard for cleaning electronics. It might be fine to use glass cleaner but why take chances when the industry standard is so cheap and readily available?

I've had good results using only a q-tip and alcohol to clean about 95% of my games. And I only use the 70% stuff. The rest I used an eraser and then q-tip/alcohol. Only 1 game did I need to resort to using very fine sandpaper to sand away the corrosion.