Maintenance/Cleaning Best Practices?

[thrush]

I'm not a collector except as a result of being an avid gamer and up to this point I've been pretty lax in the care & feeding of my games.  My recent acquisition of a Duo-R and my first Japanese titles encouraged me to get a bit more serious about things.  So, I've done a lot of reading online and went down to my local retro shop to talk up the staff there, but frankly people here seem a lot more knowledgeable.  So, I'm hoping for a little advice.

1, is it a good or bad idea to use alcohol to clean the connections on a HuCard or cartridge?  I've heard both 'yes' & 'no'.

2, is it safe/effective to use hydrogen peroxide on a console casing if I kept it away from the insides?  (My Genesis is quite grungy.)

3, any general maintenance or cleaning advice?

(Hoping this is the right area to post this!  I searched but couldn't find a similar thread.)

[bartre]

1. kinda, but not a huge deal - I'd use windex or the like if i were you.

2. honestly, if you want to clean your system efficiently, talke it apart completely and wash it like you would some dishes.

3. don't let your stuff just scatter, get a good place for everything.

[DragonmasterDan]

I'm not a collector except as a result of being an avid gamer and up to this point I've been pretty lax in the care & feeding of my games.  My recent acquisition of a Duo-R and my first Japanese titles encouraged me to get a bit more serious about things.  So, I've done a lot of reading online and went down to my local retro shop to talk up the staff there, but frankly people here seem a lot more knowledgeable.  So, I'm hoping for a little advice.

1, is it a good or bad idea to use alcohol to clean the connections on a HuCard or cartridge?  I've heard both 'yes' & 'no'.

2, is it safe/effective to use hydrogen peroxide on a console casing if I kept it away from the insides?  (My Genesis is quite grungy.)

3, any general maintenance or cleaning advice?

(Hoping this is the right area to post this!  I searched but couldn't find a similar thread.)

1. What kind of alcohol? 99% Isopropyl is what you should use for electronics cleaning. Windex has a fair amount of water in it which can cause oxidation. Over the counter 90% rubbing alcohol does as well, it will do the job but to avoid oxidation go all out and get 99% Isopropyl. http://www.frys.com/product/3936318?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

2. I agree about taking it apart, any cleaning solution used gently on the plastic shouldn't be an issue.

[Necromancer]

1.  Isopropyl alcohol is fine (let it dry before using it), but something like deoxit is better if you have some serious oxidation.  Steer clear of windex unless it's of the ammonia free variety, as ammonia can damage many types of plastics.

2.  Peroxide is a bleaching agent, so I wouldn't risk it on anything that I didn't want bleached.  Like bartre and Dan said, just take it apart and wash it in the sink.

[blueraven]

I used Mothers Back-To-Black on my PCE Duo. But I just realized you were referencing a Duo-R.

You can Use Son-Of-A-Gun or a similar NON-WATER-BASED automotive interior protectant to clean your systems.

Armor All will crack your car's dashboard. It will also crack a video game system if it is exposed to sunlight.

[vestcoat]

Definitely use the highest % isopropyl alcohol you can find.  Don't use denatured alcohol, rubbing alcohol, or windex.

Pick up one of those security screw bits - you'll need to open your system sooner or later.

Goo Gone or any kind of alcohol both work well for cleaning the outside of systems and taking grime off controllers.  Goo Gone is also a must for removing the ubiquitous sticker residue from retro games.

Run a CD-lens cleaner CD through your Duo once in a while.

Is the spindle noisy?  Put a drop or two of sewing machine oil down the shaft.  Also put a drop or two on the gears if you have cause to open the system up.

Keep some Radio Shack electronics cleaner and Q-tips around to clean leaky capacitor gunk off boards, dull solder points, and the insides of grungy controllers.  People talk about running their systems through dishwashers, but I avoid this and clean the insides by hand.  Dishwashers may be OK if you dry it out completely, but I've seen rainwater oxidize exterior copper plating on a number of fancy buildings very quickly and I've also seen a corroded Turbostick board ruined by exposure to moisture.

Most importantly, keep your system covered with a cloth to keep the dust off when not in use!

[Necromancer]

Most importantly, keep your system covered with a cloth to keep the dust off when not in use!

I'd rather use it often enough to keep the dust bunnies away.  

[thrush]

Thanks so much for all the good tips!  I have been planning to open up all my systems and clean them by hand, but until I make the time for that I wanted to take care of the superficial items.  I'll save this for future reference.

[gtsamour]

Water as a molecule is not oxidative. What causes oxidation in this case are the ions in the water (calcium, magnesium ions for example).

The water used in the production of cleaning products (prety much in the production of everything that contains water) is deionized and not conductive (because it is lacking ions).

So dont be afraid of oxidation from water by windex

ps
I use Isopropyl alcohol for electronics cleaning.

[esteban]

Keep a tub of handwipes near your consoles. Then, when you have finished snacking on yogurt/custard/flan, you can wipe your hands clean and avoid gumming up the controllers.

[thrush]

Good to know about the water, and good idea about the wipes: yoghurt with custard & flan is my favourite!  ^_-

[esteban]

Good to know about the water, and good idea about the wipes: yoghurt with custard & flan is my favourite!  ^_-

Listen to the soundtrack to Download 2 whilst snacking and you will be in heaven

[thrush]

Sweet!