SNES General Cleaning/Care Guide v1.2
By: Jason Fleck
GameFAQs - Fleck
April 2005
--------Contents--------
A. Introduction
B. Cleaning FAQ
1. What causes games/console to get dirty?
2. What materials will I need?
3. Methods of Cleaning Cartridge Contacts:
a. Q-tip/Alcohol Method
b. Emory board method
c. Official SNES Cleaner
4. Methods to clean outside of cartridge:
a. Sticker Removal (Submitted by DarkBubble)
5. Cleaning the inside of your cartridge:
6. Basic SNES Controller Pad Maintenance (Submitted by DarkBubble)
a. Cleaning
b. L and R Button Repair
c. Repairing Contacts
7. SNES Console Cleaning FAQ (Coming Soon!)
C. FAQs
D. Miscellaneous
------------------------
A. Introduction
You are probably wondering why on Earth we would need a FAQ about how to clean
your cartridge, but you wouldn’t believe how many people ask that question on
the Super Nintendo General message board. So, I have taken the time to outline
a few easy ways to keep your SNES cartridges clean and working perfectly.
Should you have any questions (hopefully this FAQ will be comprehensive enough
that you won’t), feel free to e-mail me at
[email protected].
B. Cleaning FAQ
1. What causes games/console to get dirty?
Again, this stuff may seem obvious, but any type of dirt or dust that comes
into contact with your cartridge or SNES is going to soil it. I have seen
cartridges with dried pop, oil, and other nasty things on them, too. The
reason it is important to know this is because dirty cartridge contacts are
going to not only dirty up your machine, but 99.9% of the time are the
culprit when your game won’t load correctly; thus, the purpose of this FAQ
in the first place.
2. What materials will I need?
Depending on what method you choose, here is a brief list of materials
that you will need to clean your games:
Bit compatible screwdriver
3.8mm Security bit
4.5mm security bit
Can of air (air duster)
Goo-Gone
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
Windex (or any other household cleaner)
Q-tips
Emory Board
3. Methods of Cleaning Cartridge Contacts:
a. Q-tip/Alcohol Method
This is probably the most widely used method of them all (or at least some
derivative of it). Easy as it sounds, just dip a Q-tip into some rubbing
alcohol and rub the contacts at the open end of the cartridge, and you
might want to clean the whole underside of the cartridge while you’re
there. You’ll be surprised at how much dust gets trapped in there. Put a
little elbow grease into it. You really will notice quite a bit of grime,
usually, so you may need to repeat the process several times. Keep
repeating this until the Q-tip is clean afterwards. Some people dilute it
with water, but I find that the alcohol by itself evaporates faster and
therefore may cause erosion. Once the contacts and underside of the
cartridge are clean, use a dry Q-tip to dry up the excess alcohol left
over from your cleaning.
b. Emory Board Method
For those who do not know, an emory board is basically a fingernail filer.
I will say before going into this that I DO NOT recommend this method, but
I know a lot of people use it and it works for them, so you be the judge.
All you do is slide an Emory board across the contacts of the cartridge
until whatever is on them has been broken up. You can then clean off the
grime using a q-tip or rag. The Emory board is very abrasive and acts
almost like sand paper to get really hard stains off the cartridge. Now,
the reason I do not use this method is because it tends to corrode your
contacts pretty bad after a while. As I said before, some people swear by
this method and I definitely have had things on my cartridge that seemed
like they would never come off, but scratching it off is not an option
for me.
c. Official SNES cleaner
I’m not going to go too much into these, because they have their own
instructions that you can read if you have one. But, really I just wanted
to note that these do exist and you can use them to clean the contacts on
not only your machine, but your games, too.
You can find instructions on how to use them here:
http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/super_nes/super_nes_cleaning_kit.shtml
4. Methods to clean the outside of your cartridge
There are several different things that you can use to clean the outside of
your cartridge that I thought deserved mention. First is Goo Gone. Use
this with extreme caution. It is very abrasive and will soak in to the
labels of your games and break down the glue that holds it to the cartridge.
I use this stuff to get stickers off my carts. It is especially useful in
getting the residue off after you pull a sticker off your cartridge. Now, I
do use this on cart labels, but I try to keep it away from the edges for the
exact reason I listed above.
Another notable product is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This is the invention
that was created especially for us, I swear. With minimal abrasion, you can
get any and all magic marker or writing off of your carts with these things.
Now, I must note that I have had some marker that was too old and had sunk in
pretty good and wouldn’t totally come off. But, 90% is still better than
having that ugly writing on your carts isn’t it? Try these. They work.
Other stuff you might try is Windex or just about any other household cleaner
you can find. I use this stuff to get the easy stuff off; like dirt, grime
and dried food stains.
(Submitted by DarkBubble)
a. Sticker Removal
Anyone who's bought used cartridges has come across unwanted labels or
the adhesive left behind by them. Sometimes, the game label itself is
practically destroyed or is incorrect (case swaps do happen). Alot of
people will suggest Goo-Gone in this instance, but I'll typically go with
what I have on hand or is more readily available. When it comes to
getting rid of adhesive, whether it be on a cartridge or a CD case, I use
windproof lighter fluid. This is a simple cleaning method, requiring few
items:
Windproof Lighter Fluid (Can be found near the auto fuses and tweezers
at most convenience stores. You don't need to buy a huge bottle, as
a little goes a long way.)
Paper towels or rags
Q-tips or generic cotton swabs
Toothpicks (for any trouble spots that swabs or towels won't reach)
This'll be your standard fare rub-down, but use caution. If you're not
removing a damaged/incorrect label in preparation for replacement, avoid
getting close to the label at all costs. Only put the fluid on your towel
or swab, not directly on the cartridge, and use as little as possible. I
would also recommend using a clean, dry rag or paper towel to remove any
excess fluid. Never perform this cleaning method near open flames and
dispose of your cleaning materials properly.
You can simply wet the swab or towel with fluid and go to work, using
enough pressure to take off the gunk as you wipe. It may be necessary to
scrape a bit with a toothpick or your fingernail, but it shouldn't take
much effort. The only time I would recommend actually pouring fluid
directly on the cartridge would be if some adhesive had made it's way
into a crevice, and only in those crevices that aren't where the front
and back of the case meet. In that instance, it's better to dissassemble
the cart and try using the swab, towel, and toothpick method.
One user on the forums (unfortunately, I can't remember who)had also
suggested that Zippo Fluid is also good for cleaning the contacts of the
cartridge. I personally have not attempted this and have had no
confirmation from anyone other than the original poster, so I cannot
recommend this method in good conscience. If you try this and suffer ill
effects, I will accept no responsibility.
5. Cleaning the inside of your cartridge:
Ever wonder how in the world to get your cartridge open? What on Earth are
those screws in there? Well, they are security bits. You will have to find
a hardware store that sells them (or you can buy a set off Ebay for $10).
You need the 3.8mm bit to open your cartridge and the 4.5mm opens your
console. Just unscrew the the security screws, and carefully open your
cartridge. You will see a chip board inside. Pull the chip board out and
clean the inside of the cartridge with windex or any other regular household
cleaner. Use the can of air to spray dust the board and replace it. Screw
the screws back in and you are done. Some people like to clean the
cartridge contacts this way also. You can get a better grip on them and
really see what you are doing.
6. SNES Controller Pad Basic Maintenance (Submitted by DarkBubble)
It’s been my experience that the official SNES pad is fairly reliable,
assuming you’ve not treated it roughly. Your average platformers and RPG
titles shouldn’t put wear on the pad that quickly, but we all know how
abusive we get when we’re duking it out in a fighting game, sucking down
butter-soaked popcorn and spilling soda between rounds. Needless to say, one
of these days, you’re going to be playing through Contra 3 and suddenly die
because you can’t fire at an angle. Before you go out and buy a replacement,
realize that you have some options.
Please be aware that I will accept no responsibility for any damage done to
your controllers, system, cartridge, or your person. Out of my own affection
for the original SNES controller, I developed these basic methods and have
seen no ill effects to this day. As with any project using solvents or
adhesives, I recommend reading the directions for proper use and safety
precautions. If it says that you should only use a project in a ventilated
area, I suggest that you work in the garage with the door open or on a
porch/patio. Now, on with the show:
a. Cleaning
The easiest part of maintenance is simply cleaning out all of the goop
that your grubby little hands leave in and on the pad. You’d be amazed
what all of that sweat, oil, potato chips, pizza, and skin cells amount
to. You’ll need the following:
Philips head screwdriver (not too small, but not very large)
Q-Tips or other cotton swab
Rubbing alcohol
Toothpick (Anything that needs to be scraped will most likely come off
with this, especially when using alcohol. There’s no need to cut
yourself.)
Paper towels
First thing’s first, remove the screws. Make sure you put them where you
can find them. Pop open the back, and pull up the board, though not
completely. Make a mental note of the layout, especially the way the cord
winds around the posts inside. That acts as strain relief, preventing you
from yanking the cord free of the board when you pull it too far. Go ahead
and pull the board free.
Wet a swab with enough alcohol to get it wet, but don’t soak it to the
point that alcohol will be running all over whatever you are cleaning.
You’ll see where the buttons make contact (most likely brown and black, as
if burnt). Rub those areas with the wet end of the swab with just enough
pressure to clean. Rub it again with the dry end. Use one side of the
swab’s head for each attempt, so you can tell how much dirt is left. It
may not look pretty on the board, but if there’s nothing else coming off
onto the swab, you’ve probably gotten all you can. Anything that’s left is
probably wear. Now, onto the button contacts themselves.
Pull out the rubber pieces. The gray is just what holds the contact and
acts also as a spring to open the circuit when you’re not pushing a
button. The contacts themselves are a black, rubbery, conductive material.
Some may argue that cleaning these pieces with alcohol may not be the
best, but working quickly should minimize damage. Again, use the same
method that you used to clean the board, but be gentler. The contacts
themselves only need a once-over, as they’ll make the swab black no matter
how much you go across them. It’s the nature of the material, at least
from my experience. You’ll definitely notice some wear if you’ve spent
much time perfecting your Dragon Punch.
As for the casing and the buttons, go nuts. The only thing that can be
damaged by the alcohol is the rubber Start and Select buttons, but don’t
expect much, if any damage. Crevices will be your main concern, primarily
around buttonholes and where the two pieces of the case meet. This is
where the toothpick comes into play.
So, now that it’s all nice and clean, slap your buttons back in, as well
as the contacts. Remember the cable’s strain relief wrapping? Most likely,
the kink is permanently in the cable, so the guesswork of how it went in
should be gone. Slip the board back in and put the back on. Whether you
put none, a few, or all of the screws in before play-testing is up to you.
There should be a tight enough fit to not need them for testing, if you
want to be sure that you were successful before closing it up.
b. L and R button repair
One problem I’ve noticed with the design of the standard SNES shoulder
buttons is that unlike the simple pushbuttons of the PS1, they are hinged
on the side closest to the cord. The button has an eyelet that holds a
metal bar. Stress from pushing the button down too hard or incorrectly
(i.e. closer to the end with the eyelet) will eventually break the button
free from the eyelet. This can lead to finger pinching, button presses
not registering, and generally not feeling right during gameplay. This is
a simple fix. You’ll need:
Superglue
rubber gloves (Sticking your fingers together is bad enough, repeatedly
is worse, but if your skin is really sensitive, prepare for Pain
City, population: you. You’ve been warned.)
Something to set the button on
Cleaning materials from previous project
Needlenose pliers
Basically, just clean the pieces as you did the buttons during cleanup.
This way, you’ll achieve a solid bond between the pieces. Now, put some
superglue on one piece (preferably the button, not the eyelet). You’ll
probably prefer to use the needlenose pliers to hold the eyelet piece, as
there’s little to hold onto, and you don’t want to get stuck to it. Stick
the two pieces together. You can either hold it until it dries or set it
aside in such a way that the glue doesn’t make contact with anything else.
These are light pieces, so you really don’t have to worry about them
working free of each other. Keep in mind that the glue will exit on both
sides of the fissure as you squeeze them together. You don’t want a chunk
of glue keeping the button from going all the way back to neutral (or you
may. What do I know?), so use to toothpick to remove excess on that side.
Feel free to add more on the inside for extra support, as long as it
doesn’t interfere with normal operation.
Aside from putting them in place when they’re dry, there’s nothing more
to it.
Cannibalize! Cannibalize!!! CANNIBALIZE!!!
Contacts dead? Button worn? Need to replace a cord on your favorite
controller? If you’ve got a pile of pads or can get used controllers
cheap, by all means, use them for parts.
c. Repairing contacts.
So, the black contact is worn to nothing, but the rubber has retained it’s
springiness? You can actually buy the contact material in liquid form from
electronics supply companies. I haven’t tried this yet, but it stands to
reason that with a little patience and ingenuity, you can actually repair
the contacts themselves. Whether this would be worth the effort, your
guess is as good as mine.
As for the contacts on the board, there may be a few options, but they may
be impractical and less cost-effective than just buying a new controller.
7. SNES Console Cleaning FAQ (Coming Soon!)
C. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can I locate those products?
A. All of the products that I listed (Goo Gone, Rubbing Alcohol, Mr. Clean
Magic Erasers, Windex, etc.) can all be purchased at any grocery store or
Walmart. Pretty much anywhere that cleaning supplies are sold, you
should be able to find most, if not, all of them.
Q. How much should I expect to pay for any of those cleaning products?
A. All of them are in the $.99 to $3.99 range, so it won't break
you to keep your games nice and clean.
Q. Help! My game won't save any longer! Is this the cause?
A. Surprisingly, this is a common problem with dirty games and systems. Try
cleaning everything first and see if that helps. A lot of times, if your
game is dirty, the contacts aren't connecting well enough to hold a save.
I have heard, not confirmed, that a dirty game's saves can be erased with
a slight bump of the system. The only time this has ever happened to me
was with a dirty game, so there may be something to it. But, batteries
going dead are the more probable answer to this question.
Q. What about the console? It's yellow, is there any way to clean that?
A. This may be one of the most common questions asked anywhere. Here is the
deal: Once your system gets yellow, there is little, if anything, that
you can do about it. I know it sucks, but the flaw is in the plastic
that was used to make the actual system itself. There are earlier models
that will not yellow because they are a higher grade plastic, but the
later models will always yellow eventually. You can try to clean your
system with some rubbing alcohol or 409, but unless the discoloration is
from the system just being dirty, it just won't help.
Q. What causes the discoloration, anyway?
A. There are a lot of reasons for the discoloration of a SNES console. One,
and probably the most common, is exposure to sunlight. The UV rays are
pretty lethal to the plastic. Smoking can also cause the same effect.
Look what it does to most smokers' teeth. I know that's a pretty brutal
reference, but it is the same conceptual idea of what can happen to your
console. Another cause is just plain age. As the plastic gets old, it
just plain breaks down. At least these are the reasons that I have
always read as so-called "expert's" answers. Take them for what they
are worth, but keep your system out of the sun and clean it, and you
will find that your console is less likely to yellow.
D. Miscellaneous (Thank You’s, Credits, etc.)
I want to thank GameFAQs for hosting this FAQ. I know there are those of us
that need this sort of thing.
Thank you to DarkBubble for his submission and help with the cleaning the SNES
controller pad section.
Thank you to all the members of the SNES Geneneral message board for your
continued help and suggestions.
I also want to note that this work is mine and you are free to use and host it
anywhere as long as I am credited for it. Am I going to hunt you down if you
don’t? No. But, Karma will get you. And, besides, it just wouldn’t be cool.
If you would like me to add anything to this or have any suggestions, please
e-mail me at
[email protected].
