Slightly abrasive for micro cleaning (electric, material, light, purchase)
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I am looking for some solid but soft material that is slightly abrasive.
Abrasive at the level of a kitchen sponge scrubber side, but much finer texture.
I need to clean some small electronics devices, with gold plated surface area <1mm.
I cannot use fine grit sandpaper, it would take too much material off.
I need to remove oily residues, sometimes plastic particles.
It has to remove the residue, but not leave any new residue on the surface. So a pencil eraser would probably not work.
Q-tips with alcohol are not abrasive enough to scrub the sticky dirt off.
Can you help identify any object or tool, that can do that, and can be commercially purchased?
[quote=buenos;63707848]I am looking for some solid but soft material that is slightly abrasive.
Abrasive at the level of a kitchen sponge scrubber side, but much finer texture.
I need to clean some small electronics devices, with gold plated surface area <1mm.
I cannot use fine grit sandpaper, it would take too much material off. I need to remove oily residues, sometimes plastic particles.
It has to remove the residue, but not leave any new residue on the surface. So a pencil eraser would probably not work.
Q-tips with alcohol are not abrasive enough to scrub the sticky dirt off.
There are electric contacts cleaning kits that include several solutions or cleaning liquids. A stiff pencil eraser is the most common tool one can use, but you will still have to use alcohol or another cleaner to remove oil residue. Some of the military-grade contact cleaners don't leave residues after evaporating, and if any is left behind, you can wipe the contacts with a clean rag or paper towel.
There are some very light aggressive compounds and pads used for cleaning ceramic stovetops, but you have to be very careful if cleaning gold-plate electric contacts. These glass-cleaning pads are white in color. Green, black, and dark blue pads are too aggressive. Regardless, after scrubbing you steel have to use a solution to remove oils of grease left on the contacts.
You may have to search, "residue-free electronic contact cleaners." I have seen some advertisements about a CRC contact cleaner that doesn't leave residues, but I have no idea if it is residue free since I have never used it. It costs around $27.00 for a small "spray can" of it.
CRC works. I think Harbor Freight has it cheaper than that. In the old days, carbon tetrachloride was used. IIRC, circuit boards are cleaned using a vat of a chemical like that and an ultrasonic driver to move the solution around. Abrading is not a good idea in general. Some glue residues can be cleaned using silicone spray.
Even if not abrasive, something solid is needed.
I also have sticky dust of soldermask particles and other things stuck on the surface, liquids would not make them loose. Mechanical removal.
Another vote for Magic Eraser. I've even used non-branded bulk ones that seem to work at a lower cost.
I've also used toothpaste which works well.
Slightly more grit: 3000 grit sandpaper and rubbing compound from the automotive store.
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