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Cleaning an oily motherboard

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polbit

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Joined
Dec 20, 2017
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Location
Fort Mill, SC
I have received a computer MB that was, according to the previous owner, treated with a "rust inhibitor". It looks like and feels like oil. It's coated in it. What is the best solution to wash it off? I'm usually a q-tip and IPA type, but this is way beyond that... I would really like to save it if I can. Thanks for any tips!
 
gross.. remove.the battery. wash with soap and.water or.run in dishwasher with NO heat cycle. afterwards spray with rubbing alcohol to diisplace the water and to expedite drying.


Also noone sprays rust inhibitor on a perfectly good board so does it even work? maybe test it first?
 
Yeah, it actually works, just nasty...

In my many years of playing with old computers, I've never seen anything like it. Had my fair share of bugs, dust, etc., but not intentional coating of sticky stuff...
 
I remember people submerging motherboards in aquariums of oil during the early 2000s overclocking craze. Always wondered if/how the parts got cleaned afterwards.
 
Brake cleaner.

Note that this will also remove any stickers and any other adhesive. Blast mobo with it, then hit it with an air chuck.
 
Just let it soak in some palmolive/dawn hot soapy water for a good hour, then clean it with a brush and rinse it off... I've stored and cleaned boards with wd-40 on em, this method always worked great.

Note, if you do use brake cleaner, which i would use electronic crc quick dry cleaner, make sure its non chlorinated!
 
Use CRC's CO contact cleaner. It will remove all the oil and not harm any component marking, board coatings or inks. And it completely evaporates. Other spray cleaners can be too aggressive towards coatings. I wouldn't put water or detergent anywhere near it as you will get residues in crevices & IC sockets etc that will remain.
 
twolazy said:
Just let it soak in some palmolive/dawn hot soapy water for a good hour, then clean it with a brush and rinse it off... I've stored and cleaned boards with wd-40 on em, this method always worked great.

Note, if you do use brake cleaner, which i would use electronic crc quick dry cleaner, make sure its non chlorinated!
Click to expand...
You may not be aware that WD-40 encourages corrosion on brass and copper:


It is very good on steel though. If you want to, have a go and repeat the experiments.

If you want to apply an oily coating that is better in this respect and longer lasting, use Inox's mx-3.
 
First, his wording was probably ambiguous. He did not use WD-40 but cleaned and stored boards that originally had WD-40 on them.

Second, did you read that PDF to the end? Because the conclusion was:

WD40.JPG
 
I mostly use wd 40 on boards with green corrosion till I can visit it and clean it up. For projects that I cannot get to in a few days it works well enough... Haven't had any problems thus far that can't be cleaned with soap. It keeps it from spreading all I care

But yes hes correct I don't use it long term, maybe a few weeks max. It's amazing what wd40 and an eraser can do.
 
Thanks everyone, I ended up washing and scrubbing it with mild detergent, then rinsing with distilled water, drying for two days, then finishing with IPA.

For next time, I also bought CO Contact cleaner.
 
polbit said:
Thanks everyone, I ended up washing and scrubbing it with mild detergent, then rinsing with distilled water, drying for two days, then finishing with IPA.

For next time, I also bought CO Contact cleaner.
Click to expand...
You finished with an ale? (IPA = India Pale Ale to me) :)
 
yeah hearing all these people on youtube refer to rubbing alcohol as IPA is ridiculous.. its beer.. its always been beer.. acronym misuse.
 
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