Cleaning PCB's and electronic components

Cleaning components after installation is an important step for the life of the part. Proper cleaning will get rid of any residue or it can reveal any mistakes that were made. Deciding how to do this can sometimes be confusing because there are some many products out there. What kind you should use ? Which ones not use ? What are the proper steps ?

You will need to use a non abrasive solvent. Using abrasive solutions will only damage the parts . For example , tap water or distilled have minerals in them that will corrod the parts and its solder joints .You will need to use products that dry completely so it doesn’t leave any room for corrosion or lifting of the parts. At the same time you need a product that is strong enough to take off the excess flux or debris left from soldering .

Chemtronics is a manufacturer that we sell and they have some great products. They have aerosols , wipes or large commercial containers depending on what you need. They have a great guide on how to properly clean PCBs along with the do’s and dont’s of the process .

Here are some products that should be used to clean PCB’s

  1. Chemtronics products

  2. Digikeys full product line of solvent cleaners , degreasers, adhesive removals.

How to properly clean the components - The guide I have attached has some great videos and advices depending on what your doing .

Thank you , I found this post very informative.