

Then use the alcohol-soaked cotton swab to clean the lens by moving the swab gently in circles. To clean the lens, start by getting some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab, but not too much just push the tip against the alcohol container to squeeze out the excess. Consoles which use a tray or a slot (PS2, 3DO FZ-1, etc.) will necessitate that you open the console to gain access. Top-loading consoles ( PS1, Saturn, etc.) make it very easy to reach the laser since all you have to do is open the lid. Laser Lens For consoles which use optical discs, the laser lens can be cleaned very quickly once you have access to it. When you clean a slot or port, you should also clean whatever goes in it to prevent the future accumulation of dirt on the connector. Only go up and down side-to-side movement may damage the pins. Slide the cloth-covered card in and out of the slot to clean it. An alternative method for cartridge slots is to take a t-shirt or other thin cloth, soak it in alcohol, and wrap it around a credit card. Genesis A/V cable), you can press the toothbrush against these ports and slide the bristles into the holes to clean them, although this usually isn't necessary. For other ports where there are pins on the cord that are inserted into holes on the console (i.e. the Genesis and Atari 2600) you just need to be careful not to bend the pins. It's also great for controller ports that use pins (i.e. This is extremely effective for cartridge slots, and for those you don't have to worry too much about being gentle. The best course of action is to take a toothbrush, dip it in isopropyl alcohol, shake it to remove excess, and scrub the offending slot or port. Do not use Windex/Amonia based cleaning products as they leave a massive residue inside machines that is difficult to completly remove from sockets and cartridge connectors, and can after a while cause a short or arching.Ĭonsoles Cartridge/Expansion Slots The section applies to any port or slot that a circuit board (cartridge, memory card, etc.) or cord (controller, A/V, etc.) attaches to on the console.


You can buy a bottle for only a few dollars at any drug store, and one bottle will last you a long time. If you don't have isopropyl alcohol, get some. A rubber eraser ( not on a pencil) for taking off stubborn corrosion on edge contacts.This is why you should use 90% or higher. percentage) is low, the alcohol won't evaporate as quickly. The point of using alcohol is that it evaporates very quickly.You can find it in a hardware store in the paint section. Alternativly, Denatured Alcohol as it contains none of these other chemicals.Check the label to make sure they didn't add acetone, as it damages (fogging on bottom side) CDs and leaves a residue on cartridges and connectors, over time this build up causes problems.70 percents have other adulterant chemicals in them. Isopropy alcohol, at least 90 percent.The most important tools you'll need for cleaning most parts of a console are Occasional cleaning of game consoles is recommend to extend their longevity and restore functionality.
