Is this a safe way to clean a mobo?

[andrew732]

I recently acquired an old but nice Gigabyte mobo. Unfortunately there is a significant amount of grime on it and I'm not exactly sure what this grime consists of. If I just spray this CRC Quick Dry Electronic Cleaner copiously all over the mobo, will I damage anything? I realize it may not successfully remove the grime, but I want to at least be sure that I won't do any damage.

 

[Janus67]

Hmm: not sure. I generally would clean with some high% rubbing alcohol. You could technically put it through the dish washer (benchers do that to get rid of residue), there are a few steps to take but people swear by it coming out looking new. I haven't had to do it myself though.

 

[cyberfish]

Most PCBs can be washed in dishwasher (except for PCBs with sensitive environmental sensors, etc, which motherboards don't have). Just make sure it's completely dry before powering up.

 

[andrew732]

Hmm: not sure. I generally would clean with some high% rubbing alcohol. You could technically put it through the dish washer (benchers do that to get rid of residue), there are a few steps to take but people swear by it coming out looking new. I haven't had to do it myself though.

Thanks for your reply. The CRC cleaner is actually mostly alcohol I believe. Surely this stuff designed for electronics is at least as safe as putting the mobo in the dishwasher. Or am I not understanding something?

 

[andrew732]

Most PCBs can be washed in dishwasher (except for PCBs with sensitive environmental sensors, etc, which motherboards don't have). Just make sure it's completely dry before powering up.

Thanks for your reply too. Would you say that putting it in the dishwasher is actually safer than using the CRC cleaner?

 

[RGone]

The CRC cleaner is actually mostly alcohol I believe. = Actually no. It is about 80% some form of Hexane and 1% alcohol. The rest of the can is filled with the propellant which is a form of freon type chemical.

The problem I have had with good carbon based chemical cleaners is that they can remove the silk screen style printing from the mobo. Top shelf of the dishwasher hardly if ever does this if not set to wash until "done". Completely dry after the dishwasher is a must though. I have used automotive brake cleaner on many boards with a quick follow up of spray off with air from a compressor for years and no issues and still the printing is left on the PCB. Strokes for folks.
RGone...

 

[andrew732]

The CRC cleaner is actually mostly alcohol I believe. = Actually no. It is about 80% some form of Hexane and 1% alcohol. The rest of the can is filled with the propellant which is a form of freon type chemical.

The problem I have had with good carbon based chemical cleaners is that they can remove the silk screen style printing from the mobo. Top shelf of the dishwasher hardly if ever does this if not set to wash until "done". Completely dry after the dishwasher is a must though. I have used automotive brake cleaner on many boards with a quick follow up of spray off with air from a compressor for years and no issues and still the printing is left on the PCB. Strokes for folks.
RGone...

OK, thanks. I saw a description that said alcohol-petroleum mix and I incorrectly assumed alcohol was the main ingredient. That's interesting about the printing not surviving a treatment with chemical cleaners though. I haven't heard that before. It looks like the consensus is the dishwasher technique, although I'm still amazed that doesn't do any damage.

 

[trents]

What brand of dishwasher detergent is recommended?

 

[cyberfish]

Thanks for your reply too. Would you say that putting it in the dishwasher is actually safer than using the CRC cleaner?

Using alcohol to wash PCBs is pretty common and generally safe, too. Petroleum should be OK, but I've never used it.

 

[cyberfish]

What brand of dishwasher detergent is recommended?

Hot water should be enough to take out most things. I guess detergents would have to be non-conductive (in case some deposit is left behind), but I don't know anything about detergents.

 

[RGone]

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/t...ts-with-de-mineralised-water-problems.153592/
Cleaning a motherboard (and other components) with de-mineralised water. Problems?

That link is to first page of two. Funny in places. Covers many many aspects including admonition to remove the battery from mobo and to ensure that capacitors on the mobo are discharged. Pretty good read actually.

I laughed at a couple of phrases like >> you need a set of balls. Or washing mobos is like one's first trip into overclocking which was OMG I will blow-up my mobo. Like I said, a little funny but pretty straight forward as well.
RGone...

 

[cyberfish]

Removing battery is definitely important. It powers part of the circuitry, and nothing should be powered when the board is being washed.

 

[Janus67]

I believe the socket should be covered as well, especially of it is an Intel socket to prevent damage to the pins.

 

[jediobi1]

i have never washed a motherboard in a dishwasher but i have used liquid dish soap and a toothbrush in the sink to clean one and then turned my oven on as low as it can go and put in there for about an hour or so while keeping an eye out to dry out as much as it can and then i let sit out for a day or two to dry the rest

 

[Adragontattoo]

If I ever had a MB that was so filthy that I actually looked at my Dishwasher as the first thought of how to clean it, that MB would be trashed and I would be looking at the rest of my household. (Extreme OC is a different ballgame)

Air to blow off the dust
Paintbrush or similar to brush out dust
Qtips/Cotton Swabs and 90+% Rubbing Alcohol

is how I have cleaned every MB from Pentium1 to now. Server/Desktop or Laptop all get the same treatment...

 

[chrisjames61]

Thanks for your reply. The CRC cleaner is actually mostly alcohol I believe. Surely this stuff designed for electronics is at least as safe as putting the mobo in the dishwasher. Or am I not understanding something?

I clean dusty components I get from say eBay in warm water with a mild soap. Rinse well. I always remove heatsinks and thermal compound first. Let whatever you wash dry very well. Never had a problem since 1990 doing this.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

I use that soap that saved all the wild life from oil spills. Dawn. If it's good for the little duckies, it's good for my board

A gallon of distilled water and some towels and a tooth brush. I don't use paper towels but just regular cloth towels. The tooth brush for getting under things.

A good practice while handling any of your electronics, is remembering about static electricity. You may get the board clean with distilled water and soap, you must also remember that static electricity is probably more of a risk than a motherboard that's off being cleaned in water.

Things I'd suggest while cleaning with liquids is to be sure the battery is out of the board and all the caps are drain as well as possible. You can drain caps by hitting the on button, or jumper the pins, and letting the board sit for some time and jumper the power pins again to be sure.

 

[bob4933]

I would honestly be against the "dishwasher" method. Sure some may do it, but in places like where I live, the water is pretty damn hard. This means build ups of minerals (aka things that conduct electricity) over time, and not really something I'd like on my motherboard. Contact cleaner and alcohols are probably the best and safest options.

 

[xsuperbgx]

If someone was really worried about mineral deposits, perhaps a distilled water rinse after it comes out of the dishwasher but before it dries?

 

[bob4933]

If someone was really worried about mineral deposits, perhaps a distilled water rinse after it comes out of the dishwasher but before it dries?

Or just use alcohol or contact cleaner, because true distilled water is expensive as hell.


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-First-Aid-Antiseptic-91-Isopropyl-Alcohol-32-Fl-Oz/10533997