Cleaning old P.C. boards

[midas touch]

I am an anal retentive clean freak.......There I said it in a public forum....I don't feel any different....Has anyone taken their nasty old printed circuit board to the sink and scrubbed them with a brush or threw them in a dishwasher........I have found this product called AWESOME at the dollar store that  makes the old cigarette goo run right off...If there's a better forum for this topic you can move it......mark

[cowboygames]

Scratch that response

[CVslots]

I remember a post of someone working on some old boards that had leaky batteries. I believe they put them in the dishwasher, but since many were toast already, it was never really determined if it helped or hurt the boards.

I can't see what the dishwasher would do that your cleaner and a toothbrush wouldn't do better. Maybe a rinse with water afterwards and blow them off with air compressor or hair dryer(low heat) to dry them.

Oh, and no worries about being an anal retentive clean freak. You are most certainly not alone in this group!

[cowboygames]

In my first response I'd advocated for washi g them, bit you have to be very careful depending on what components are on the board because water can get inside them and do damage or stay there, like chips sockets and adjustable resistors or any non-solidstate component. Washing with a brush and Dawn can be done but you have to know what you're washing. If you try the dishwasher, not recommended, use extra rinse and no heated dry. Put them out in the sun to dry

[midas touch]

So,,,, Probably take all the removeable  ICs out of their sockets  and use the least amount of water as possible........I can do this.....Thanks all