Classic Game Room - HOW TO CLEAN GAME CARTRIDGES!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2011
- Classic Game Room educational film: HOW TO CLEAN GAME CARTRIDGES! This CGR special shows you how to clean videogame cartridges using a Q-tip (not the rapper) and isopropyl alchol. Collecting for N64, Atari 2600, Colecovision, NES, SNES, Genesis or any other cartridge based video game console? Then odds are you'll run into some dirty game carts that need a simple cleaning before they work. If you buy used video game cartirdges you'll frequently find some that don't work when you power up the game system. A simple cleaning will fix the videogame cartridge 99% of the time because the contacts become dirty over time. Sometimes they become flat our disgusting and filthy. Clean your game cartridges with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab and never let grime in the way of your gaming again!
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2:34 epic moment in music perfectly timed with video
Great demonstration. Really love the old cartridge systems, they just don't make 'em like they used to. I remember my SNES taking a few tumbles and still working perfectly fine. Ah, the golden age of cartridge gaming. Thumbs up if you remember blowing into your cartridges and the cartridge slots before using them!
all of Mark's vids are awesomely enjoyable, even a cleaning tutorial is entertaining to watch!
I used to do this all the time, it works great.Rubbing alcohol is great for all kinds of stuff, it's like a miracle potion.
Good video! Isopropyl alcohol works well for cleaning other gunk off of games too. Another useful feature for it is wiping off permanent marker ink and BlockBuster labels as well. Getting off the clear tape is a whole different headache
fun facts: the reason why cartridges often got dirty is due to the connectors on the game oxidizing, creating a patina buildup or in the worse case scenario, corrode the pin connectors. consumers were also supposed to clean the games regularly to avoid this as it was stated on the warnings on a back of a snes cartridge. also the reason why blowing on the cartridges seemed to work is the moisture in your breath moisturized the cartridge, encouraging conductivity.
Thanks so much, I got my 19 year old Pokemon stadium cartridge to work smoothly and clean just like back in the day!
A 2011 demonstration of a cleaning technique me and my friends did back in 1987. This is so nostalgic and non-applicable to today's gaming, but that's usually what CGR is all about, and it's awesome.
i'm going to do this with my prized earthbound cartridge. i am trusting you here.
Did it work?
How did it go.
Never answered...that post trauma...
sorry for the wait, but it went great! would 100% recommend.
+Corgisaurus ♥ lmao dont lie hes trolling all of you i doubt he has earthbound...if you do tho you know where to contact me i'll buy it off you for $5
Always use isopropyl alcohol when cleaning electronics, as it doesn't conduct electricity, other types of alcohol are usually ok, but if you don't allow it to evaporate completely, it has the chance of causing a short. My rule of thumb is isopropyl alcohol, because it's almost impossible to screw anything up with it.
Been gaming since 1979. Have used alcohol and qtip for decades. I still buy N64, Snes games, and always clean them first with this method. Awesome vid for those who may not know. I also use the 1up console cleaner cartridge for my N64 and Snes. Bought on Amazon, $19.
It's always nice to see these kinds of tips and pointers. I know AVGN already did this in his game glitch video with the similar procedure.
this helps me sleep. I watch this whenever I take a nap
So this is like ASMR to you?
Dude you rock! thanks a bunch. It worked like a charm.
it works amazingly! you have no idea how happy this makes me
Great selection of music. I am glad to see that I clean them correctly.
you want to use the highest concentration to prevent possible oxidation from the water used to dilute it. Actually, the true secret is to use a white pencil/pen eraser as it prevents any moisture from touching the contacts.
Love my 99.9% alcohol, it's cleaning on easy mode.
Just be very careful how you store it...
ALCOHOL FIXES ALL MY PROBLEMS! :D
the cause....AND SOLUTION to ALL of life's problems!!
Well not the type that’s at bars
That's a pretty swaggy q-tip holder, you've got there. I can see you went all out on this video.
I already knew this, but I watched it anyway because I love CGR.
Is this also safe for the contacts inside the console? It probably is but I like my Megadrive too much to put that to the test
+Techno Badger As long as there is no electricity in the system when you clean it (unplug system, then turn on the power switch to get rid of any power lingering) you should be fine. Just make sure it's completely dry before even thinking about plugging it in.
HOW TO CLEAN EARTHBOUND CARTRIDGE, GET A COPY OF SOAPBOUND AND SMOOSH IT INTO THE PINS. THE END.
Just got Pokemon Snap again for n64 and thought the buyer sent me a bunk unit, after a quick cleaning we're golden! Thanks mate!
Yes I always use either isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab or dioxit d5 on a cotton swab to clean up the contacts on my Atari video game cartridges and/or my Nintendo video game cartridges. This is good advice in most cases, for a few minor cases one will need to clean up the contacts in the cartridge slot of the video game consoles instead. In those minor cases I have a cleaning kit, but they are no longer being made so use non magnetic strip end of a expired credit card with either isopropyl alcohol or deoxit d5 on it.
Isopropyl alcohol will only do so much. For games that are really stubborn, try Brasso metal polish. It is more effective, but it will leave a residue. so be sure to clean it off with alcohol afterwards.
Mike H you really do gotta be careful, you don’t want to damage it and when they’re really old, I wouldn’t even think about trying metal polish. Might test it anyway though. Thanks for the tip
Well, Brite Boy will work as well. I would still use Isopropyl after though.
Don't use isopropyl alcohol, use name-brand Nintendo "cartridge cleaner", made up entirely of isopropyl alcohol, but at a cost that drains your wallet.
Brand name is made to drain your wallet. The rubbing alcohol serves the same purpose. Buut..... to each their own if you like to be scammed.
Keith Lapere it's sarcasm body
@@thebaka234 buddy*
Personally I prefer a 1upcard
@@keithlapere7650 r/whoooosh!
Thanks man , video helped. I forgot this method decades ago. Got my hard to find Chrono Trigger working on my SNES!! cheers.
I did this to all of my Snes and n64 games. And it worked. THANKS :D
Alcohol is like duct tape. It fixes everything!
1:04 "It's for cleaning wounds." NO!!!! Isopropyl alcohol should NOT be used for cleaning wounds! It will make them heal slower. That is like... 1980s first aid. Newer techniques say to clean wounds with warm water.
I don't know what should be used, but I've used Isopropyl and I've been fine. It does hurt, though.
I just leave the wounds alone until they heal
It's so simple, yet so many people still think blowing inside the cartridge is the way to go.
+1 for spreading the word.
12 years later here is your +1
man i knew this technique a long time ago,
but its good that you made this mark, im surprised at how may ppl didnt know this
The mistake must people make is using their medical grade isopropyl alcohol which is typically a 70% mix, leaving 30% water and other mixes. Water can cause both immediate and long term damage from shorting your electronics to corrosion. In the video, he's using 91% isopropyl alcohol which is considerably better, but I would only use it in a pinch. Every pharmacy carries 99% isopropyl alcohol for less than a couple bucks, so don't be cheap(er) and skip the pure content because it not only cleans thoroughly, it evaporates quickly and completely.
Thank's for your comment on isopropyl alcohol for the use of cleaning game cartridges. I think it's very helpful. Could you please tell me if one should use the method with isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips on the cartridge slot of an N64 itself, or is it even necessary to do so in the first place? Thank you.
will 70 percent isopropyl work?
+sampeng1 Yes. It worked for me.
It will. It will just take just a little bit longer to dry and evaporate.
I'd say use 90% or higher
i tried with that % and it worked for me
91% and above are ideal.
Big Thanks...just cleaned my Xavix Power Boxing cartridge and its working fine now!
This is really funny, just earlier today I got the urge to clean out some N64 cartridges and after I'm done here's this vid. Good to see that I did it correctly!
I tried this and my cartridge turned into a Giraffe!
AVGN's glitch gremlin: "ohh not the q-tip!"
Thank you CGR... I actually tried this and it worked for me.
You a live saver thought it was over until a seen this video 💯
BLowing the cartridge slowly destroys it. Search for it.
not if you're a 90s kid
thank you so much this video saved my games
Thank you so much I just cleaned my friends cartridges for his Nintendo 64 and they work now they had too much dust in them👍
Thanks! Can't wait for my wife to come home so I can tell her all about it!
Man, he could talk about a plain cardboard box and the logistics of it even existing and I'd still watch it and be entertained.
Been doing this since I was a little kid. All my games still work.
You should do one on disc cleaning/restoration!
Yeah this is the way to go. CGR has the how to, down, so cool.
I am friends with a owner of a mom and pops gamestore and the preferred method is 50/50 water and ammonia. That is best for a standard cleaning.
Now if you have a badly corroded cartridge,fear not, get yourself some brass/copper polish and rub that in, the clean it off with VERY light amount of water. Repeat till there is no corrosion left.
Now for getting stickers of games and packaging and sticker residue, use lighter fluid, takes it off nice and clean.
@SMAAAASHTV I'm not sure about that, but the stuff I use is called what it is- Contact Cleaner. It was made by Radio Shack (what is now the "Source" store). I'm certain other places would sell it under the same name.
is it just me or is it really exciting to see a CGR video in my Sub box?
lol I did that when I had the nes cartridges. wow such old school methods is still in use today.
mark just reviewed cleaning....and it was AWESOME!!!
thanks for the help and tips!
I have close to 1000 games in my collection, I clean all cartidges before they go anywhere near one of my consoles. Rubbing Alcohol works on Atari/Coleco games that can't be opened, but games like NES/SNES/Genesis, I open them with the security bit, and clean the contacts using a Technical Eraser (white vinyl rubber). Works MUCH better than Alcohol, and can clean up even the dirtiest games.
Thanks so much! Finally got my games working
Although I'm a bit sad my brother gave away all the good games I used to have a long time ago, like Goldeneye, Super Mario 64 and Wave Race..
I have to say, I love your music LOL :D
can u understand there is not even a single day i don't visit Classic Game Room and watch your vids? gosh, you're a religion. Oo
yea i learned this when I 1st got into these type of games in the 90s always work
I thought this was knowledge that was born/imprinted into every gamer.
didnt even use water, I just cleaned it with an old tshirt and the arm of my sunglasses. Works 100%. Using the methods I did when I was a kid and I still own the same games as I was a kid. Games back then were meant to last, they were tough and still are to this day
Thanks! Now im prepared for my n64 :)
Awesome Q-tip case bro.
Also if you have the necessary tools to open your game, (a security bit), then a standard number 2 pencil, the ones with the pink eraser work wonders for cleaning the contacts. But the game must be open. Just use the eraser on the contacts like you are removing pencil from paper. This is by far the best way to get everything off. Then just Q-Tip clean off the eraser leavings
It's worked well for me. Though I'm running out of it to clean games now that you mention it.
This is a great video! Praying this works on my Majora's Mask
Did it work? i cleaned my Link To The Past like this and it burned up..
+Eden tification guess tequila doesn't work.
Eden tification It seemed to clean it, but it didn't work until I tried it on an older tv!
Marry me :D finaly a girl who plays Majoras mask, and shes hot!!!!
Blue Glass Majoras Labia?
@chenrikl With the NES it's best to clean the game carts often and also replacing the 72-pin connector in the NES itself. The connector is usually the cause of the wonderful blinking lights, weird distorted images and solid color screens.
It worked ! Thanks bro
Rubbing alcohol only is tempory fix, what works best is metal polish (for the contacts). because unlike the rubbing alchohol which will require multiple cleanings, and cleaning many times after played. I use Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. Rubbing Alcohol works best for cleaning the plastic sections.
Rubbing alcohol will oxidize your contacts much more quickly than a less aggressive solution such as windex. It may work, but using windex or electrical contact cleaner is easier on the pads and prevents oxidation for longer. Simply put, you will have to clean your games more often if you use alcohol. When I don't have windex, I just use the blood of any unicorn... works like a charm.
Isopropyl alcohol is quite corrosive - I'd recommend light cleaning be done w/ something like Windex and a Q-tip instead. If you're looking for a deeper cleaning due to corroded contacts, use a metal polish like Brasso with a washcloth to clean and polish the contacts - works GREAT for NES games, I've cleaned most of mine that way. Some of which were unplayable even after changing my 72-pin connector.
Same thing I've been doing for years =)
Good to pass this type of stuff out
@ATgruppe80 That depends. You don't want to use too much water, the reason alcohol is recommended is that evaporates/dries very quickly and is therefore much less likely to damage the circuits and things in the game Its also recommended that you use rubbing alcohol with a high level of concentration because its less acidic than more diluted forms which will eat away at the metal of your contacts and the silicon they surround IIRC.
Kotaku.com had this on their front page yesterday... All I saw was a screenshot of hands and an N64 cart and I knew it was Mark. You're awesome Mark.
Worked like a charm
i look away for a second and this is suddenly a drawing channel
i love this SHOW!!!!!
If you don't have access to pure isopropyl, Windex is a great alternative that most of us have readily around the house. Due to chemical variations and proprietary information on chemical makeup, I won't use any other window cleaners as a substitute.
The cheapest way to clean the cartridge contacts is the open the cartridge and use a rubber to clean them. In the mega drive cartridges the 47uf cap goes bad and leaks. Best to open the cartridge and check before you test it.
Rouge Squadron! That game was so fun
Congrats for getting on Kotaku! :D
Works like a charm!
I also did this method too. My games work like new because of this. :D
thanks a lot man finally get to play my gameboy games from when I was kid and dang were they dirty lol but thanks
I remember just blowing into a cartridge. Job done. :)
Wieman's glass stovetop cleaner is the best stuff around for this.
Use Microfiber cloth instead of cotton swabs! As @Bazuna said, cotton leaves fibers which can contaminate your cartridge port. Nothing potentially damaging here, but in time, that cartridge port can require cleaning, which can be a pain for an average user to do. For the same reason don't use dry parts of your cleaning fabric, it is important to dry when you clean with water based cleaners but not with high concentration alcohol, since it evaporates in a matter of minutes. :)
@TheKaiserJack I've been using water for years. Doesn't seem to harm them, one bit. But, I use a Q-Tip, dip it under the tap for a second or two, dry the tip on a towel, THEN proceed like as seen here in the video. It makes the tip as filthy (or worse) as seen in the video. Kind of makes me hope my tap isn't x% alcohol!
@TheAwsome1one Blowing into the cartridge causes moisture from your mouth to stick onto the copper connections. Although the process has worked often with most people, me included, it actually corrodes the connection in the long run, which is why your game will begin to work less and less.
Mr clean magic eraser is a god for games with permanent marker
I love the backround music in CGR videos.........
@huynherexpress Rubbing alcohol is used to clean contacts all the time, not just on cartridges. I don't see a reason why it *should* damage the contacts (they're pretty firmly positioned anyway and can't just be randomly rubbed off).
Old (S)NES cartridges usually warned about never using alcohol to clean your cartridges, but that was most likely to just boost their own cleaning kit solutions.
Rogue Squadron? I freakin LOVED that game! Especially with the ram cartridge....
Thanks a ton!!!
Thank you it worked!!
It does work! Did this when I was playing my Nintendo 64 at age 9.
@Ralkila some games have a battery inside. When they wont save means the battery is dead. Most carts need a special tool you can find them on ebay.
Great Video. Good info to have for us retro collectors. Although I already knew this a lot of people do not and will use dawn and a sham wow. LOL
I have a Q-tip case just like that! :) Good video, man.
I used to do this (and still do) as well, its just the best way
I never had to clean my cardridges
Since 16 Years they play like a champion :D