Isopropyl alcohol as a cleaning agent?

[ClockChip]

Hello All,

I wanted to check with the board before I do anything foolish and/or irreversible. Can someone please set me straight on the use of isopropyl alcohol to clean electronics? I understand it is commonly used to clean electrical contacts. However, in this case, I am wondering if I can safely immerse a small electronic item in alcohol provided a) all power has been removed and b) I take care to dry it thoroughly before re-applying power.

The short version is that I am seeking to clean an older used (well-used) electronic item. The basic plan is to immerse it in alcohol, shake it dry, then set it in the (mild) sun for a week. Frankly, this thing is so grimy that I am seeking to disinfect it as much as clean it, hence the desire to give it an alcohol bath.

Is this a bad idea? Or is it perfectly reasonable provided I give it plenty of time to dry afterward? Also, Isopropyl alcohol seems to come in different concentrations. Should I make it a point to use the 91% stuff, or will any concentration do?

I would be grateful for any advice on this.

[petehall347]

i wash first in hot soapy water then use the isopropyl to finish off then blow dry with the airline . go high percentage like 97 percent or more .

[harp]

Use only 99% ipa or higher dehidrated alcohol for electronic
Avoid to pour in it fine optics or mehanics, like camera, speaker, microphone, sensors etc... the this things must be removed before cleaning or protect against liquid penetrate.
Anything thats it disolved in it after cleaning must be quickly soaked from pcb first with towel, then dried, not only left on pcb to dry...
Cleaning proces repeat 2-3 times to ensure to remove dirt from pcb to towel

Alcohol is great for disolving rossin from flux, and help with removing water, but it is not so good for cleaning fats, soup and other sweet sirup. If the device is nasty, you may have to first washup in some detergent in water, soap on brush etc, and then cleanit in ipa to help remove water and desinfects surface.
Always use brush in cleaning like toothbrush, it is generaly better then towel, and always use towel like wc or kitchen towel to soaked it up.

What item is your concern, and what parts wish to clean?

[CapLeaker]

99% IPA or Acetone

[stj]

NOT Acetone!!
it will take the paint off resistors.

IPA is "Safe and Effective" - for real this time!

it'a also a bit expensive so the method i use is put it in a pump-spray bottle,
spray the board and rub it in with a brush.
then put the board on it's edge on a bit of kitchen-towel and spray it again and brush downwards,
repeat a couple of times to get all the disolved crap onto the paper.

it takes minutes to evaporate after - you dont need days.

[CapLeaker]

If paint comes off with Acetone, you’re doing something wrong. A quick clean does zero paint removal of the board. It does clean like a SOB… try it on a junker board.

[petehall347]

i use electrical cleaner in a spray can . its only £3 a big can . its just isopropanol

[harp]

Carefuly with acetone, it has known noticable health hazard throug skin contact or vapour to internal organs, like acumulated toxic properties.
Also, it melt some plastics and coating using in electronics part or housing of device.
It is agresive to much, I dont recommend using it in general for cleaning, only special purposes.

[stj]

If paint comes off with Acetone, you’re doing something wrong. A quick clean does zero paint removal of the board. It does clean like a SOB… try it on a junker board.

your Acewtone is not pure - are you buying "nail varnish remover"? thats watered down.

[redwire]

OP, it depends on what kind of dirt is on the board. What is it?

Soaking a PC board in IPA does not really clean it, after a soak you have to use an old toothbrush and scrub gently. Staring at it immersed in alcohol does not remove much. Think about washing your car.
Some components do not tolerate a wash, like buzzers, potentiometers and switches because they have lube in them that gets washed out. Have not used acetone because it can destroy some plastics.
For soda pop spilled in a TV remote control, I soak it all in hot water with dish soap and gently toothbrush and rinse. The carbon-print can come off if you are aggressive.
Oily dirt, like tar and nicotine I use Fantastik if it's really bad.

[CapLeaker]

your Acewtone is not pure - are you buying "nail varnish remover"? thats watered down.

Not watered down shit. Pure out of a Liter can. I just don't flood the whole area, rather just dip the toothbrush in it and rub away. Fastest clean up job on any PCB. Lettering only starts to go away if you douse it repeatedly and scrub like crazy.

to clean whole boards, I use hot water with Dawn dish detergent and a ultrasonic cleaner. Also works wonders.