Poll of the Day > Can I clean an N64 cartridge with 70% isopropyl cleaning alcohol?

(+) Yeah! (+)

My Diddy Kong Racing cartridge isn't working, I know I can clean the contacts with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab, but I'm not sure if I need a higher concentration or not.

I use 91% for my cartridges, but I imagine 70% is fine. Try rubbing a small amount on a non-sensitive surface and see how long it takes to evaporate. If it is pretty quick, it is safe. If it takes a while, then avoid it.

Oh actually the bottom of the bottle says it expired in 2017 :X probably shouldn't use it anyway.

It would be fine

70% is fine, although that's the lowest you should go. Expired should be fine as long as its not evaporated, it just won't be quite as effective at killing germs, which isn't what you're going for anyway.

papercup posted...

Oh actually the bottom of the bottle says it expired in 2017 :X probably shouldn't use it anyway.

As long as you aren't using it to clean cuts, that will be fine. I have had my bottle for almost 10 years, I just use it exclusively for cleaning cartridges.

The main reason you use alcohol over water is because it evaporates quicker, therefore reducing the chance of corroding the contacts and damaging your system. That is literally it. It doesn't really clean "better" then water. It is just safer to use on cartridges.

You can dip your cartridge in water, and so long as you dry it off before you put electricity in it, it'll be just fine.

Yeah gave it a shot, dabbed it in the alcohol, gave the contacts a good rub, dried with the other end. Gave it a few minutes and the cartridge is working perfectly now.

I got a bottle of isopropyl alcohol for cleaning NES cartridges after a guy at Radioshack (yes, Radioshack) told me that's all that was in the game cleaning solutions in the late 90s sometime.

The bottle ran out last year. It worked great to the end.

No, it has to be 90% or higher.

https://www.conro.com/why-isopropyl-alcohol-used-for-cleaning-the-pcb/#:~:text=I sopropyl%20alcohol%20used%20to%20clean,is%20not%20safe%20for%20electronics.

Pretty sure i use 70% on my genesis cartridges and most of those now take extensive non use before i need to clean them again.

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Idk why you wouldn't just run to the store and get the correct kind instead of risking water damage. It's not expensive and you can buy it anywhere.

70% is meant for sanitizing and disinfecting. 90%/99% is for electronics.

Yellow posted...

Idk why you wouldn't just run to the store and get the correct kind instead of risking water damage. It's not expensive and you can buy it anywhere.

70% is meant for sanitizing and disinfecting. 90%/99% is for electronics.

Bullshit, dendrite growth is only existent as a result of electrical current. No current, no short, nothing happens. As long as the water isn't there to rust long term, it's fine.

Electronics aren't some magical thing that exists in a bubble outside of the universe. It's cut out hunks of metal that are used to connect chips to chips. Don't let it rust.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


That's fair, as long as you're not fucking with a battery as well. So take that off.

shadowsword87 posted...

You can dip your cartridge in water, and so long as you dry it off before you put electricity in it, it'll be just fine.

I wouldn't dip a whole cartridge into water since that would probably damage the label. You can take a cartridge apart and dip the PCB and it would be fine.

shadowsword87 posted...

You can dip your cartridge in water, and so long as you dry it off before you put electricity in it, it'll be just fine.

I mean you can but you shouldn't.

Back in the day I would clean my cart based games with a q tip and regular rubbing alcohol. Canned air works too if you happen to have it but it's not needed.

To clean the console's cart slot, open it with your finger and use an air duster to blow out the debris. After that, run a cotton swab damping with rubbing alcohol along the interior of the slot.

Only on Gamefaqs will people passionately argue about using the wrong kind of isopropyl alcohol to clean electronics. A Google search will tell you immediately, but some people are weirdly stubborn.

Guys don't use water on your electronics. This isn't personal. I don't care how much you think you know about water electrosis or if you want to go up against 80% of repair sites.

I even said I used the expired 70% and it worked perfectly and people are still arguing lol

Also, god damn DKR is a good game. They dont make em like this anymore :(

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Or maybe, and hear me out, I googled it, multiple sources are telling me that you have to use 90% or higher for obvious reasons, and now you're just being annoying so I'm going to keep rubbing it in your face because it's fun.

https://ecolink.com/info/isopropyl-alcohol-as-an-electronics-cleaner/#:~:text=I PA%2099%25%20is%20safe%20and,use%20the%20purest%20IPA%20available.

Using IPA 99% On Computers
IPA 99% is safe and effective for consumer use to clean personal computers and electronic devices.
Isopropyl Alcohol 99% is the best substance to use for this purpose. Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol 91% may also be effective, but it is best to use the purest IPA available.

https://www.ifixit.com/News/36877/ask-ifixit-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-isopropyl- alcohol#:~:text=Can%20I%20Use%20It%20to,it%20onto%20circuits%20or%20wires.

Can I Use It to Clean My Devices? It's best to avoid using any isopropyl mixture below 90% on circuit boards and other electrical bits. If you're simply cleaning the adhesive off something metal or plastic, 70% might do in a pinch, but you'll want to be sure not to spill it onto circuits or wires.

You thinking that your personally using it and nothing bad happening means it's fine is like me mixing 10% dirt into my cooking and thinking it's fine because nothing bad happened.

papercup posted...

I even said I used the expired 70% and it worked perfectly and people are still arguing lol

Also, god damn DKR is a good game. They dont make em like this anymore :(

Yeah, this got weird.
Maybe someone has a bad experience with rubbing alcohol or something.

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To double up, I'm an electrical engineer. I went to school for this. I do failure analysis with circuit boards that have water on them.
It's fine.

Yellow posted...

Or maybe, and hear me out, I googled it, multiple sources are telling me that you have to use 90% or higher for obvious reasons, and now you're just being annoying so I'm going to keep rubbing it in your face because it's fun.

https://ecolink.com/info/isopropyl-alcohol-as-an-electronics-cleaner/#:~:text=I PA%2099%25%20is%20safe%20and,use%20the%20purest%20IPA%20available.

https://www.ifixit.com/News/36877/ask-ifixit-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-isopropyl- alcohol#:~:text=Can%20I%20Use%20It%20to,it%20onto%20circuits%20or%20wires.

You thinking that your personally using it and nothing bad happening means it's fine is like me mixing 10% dirt into my cooking and thinking it's fine because nothing bad happened.

You are free to use isopropyl, it will not hurt it, so long as you don't turn it on while the liquid is on the circuit. Because it will corrode. Like water.

It may be even better in professional settings where you're being super careful and wanting 99.99% accuracy and repeatablity. But this isn't a professional setting, you don't need to hold yourself to professional standards if you're just doing it once to one thing at home.

Additionally. Do not automatically trust a source saying you need their product. Those first two links you gave, are selling isopropyl. Of course they're saying you need their product.

The iFixit article, right after the bit you googled:

Theres enough water in that lower-grade stuff that it will take longer to evaporate, and may leave behind trace impurities from the water when youre finished.

That doesn't mean shit.

If you want counter-articles:
https://act-repair.com/can-i-wash-an-unplugged-circuit-board-in-soap-and-water-to-clean-it/

Many components on a circuit board are sealed, so would be ok for a quick wash. But some components are very sensitive to moisture, and washing those could lead to a catastrophic failure. Such as a relay, switch, or transformer; these generally are not sealed or are sealed poorly. Water in them could spell disaster not only for that component, but for the entire board.

(Note, this doesn't have any of those)

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/141296

It's fine.

Just blow it dude

I told your mom I had a Nintendo cartridge in my pants