Current Events > question about motherboard cleaning.

(+) Yeah! (+)

i have been going through a few old laptops that have gathered over the years and parting them out/sending the rest to the recycling center. however i have a laptop that i think would be fun to just revive as a backup on linux just to see if i can.. the previous owner had spilled some kind of pop/soda into it. the computer has been on since the spill a few times and there's obviously sticky dried pop/soda shit all over the motherboard. the computer seems to run fine.

can i just pull the motherboard and give it a 99% isopropyl bath? will it eat away all the garbage and possibly keep it intact? i know professionals use ultrasonic baths but i'm not going to pay someone. if i kill it, it really doesn't matter too much to me.
---

Just take the whole thing out to the backyard and go ham on it like this dude.


---

I feel like a isopropyl bath would actually be a perfectly fine solution.

I'm just not sure if there is something delicate on a motherboard that could be damaged by it.

I THINK you would be fine to do so...
---

Dustin1280 posted...

I feel like a isopropyl bath would actually be a perfectly fine solution.

I'm just not sure if there is something delicate on a motherboard that could be damaged by it.

I THINK you would be fine to do so...

yeah, i am not really counting on not inadvertently killing it. hell, for all i know the only thing completing some proper circuits on the board is the presence of the residue.

i just know something like an ultrasonic bath can clean under chips better and remove residue entirely, so i recognize this is pretty half baked.

i think i may take my chances on a regular isopropyl bath. i'm just wondering if the alcohol will eat away the soda or if i'd have to get a really soft brush to really make it work. i really wanted to avoid brushing it at all.
---