this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2023
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Cleaning Game Boy cartridges? Best way to not cause damage while cleaning/restoring (lemmynsfw.com)
submitted 1 year ago by BigWigglyStyle@lemmynsfw.com to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world
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Hello everyone,

I have a few game boy games I’d like to revisit. I’ll admit they were not stored the best way being mostly kept in a small cardboard box.

Before I just put in a cartridge and turn it on, what step could I take to clean/restore the games? I’m sure all my Pokémon are long gone so battery swaps would probably be a thing.

Before I just go dabbing alcohol I wanted a check on what the best way to go about cleaning and getting a cartridge in playable condition.

I really don’t want to fuck up my copy of Pokémon Crystal. It was there more than my parents were.

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[–] drcouzelis@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is there something specific to clean?

Sticker residue comes off with Goo Gone from the dollar store. Marker can come off with isopropyl alcohol. Keep both away from the label. Sometimes I'll take the screw out so I can safely clean the plastic while staying away from the internals. A pencil eraser will clean dirty metal contacts.

[–] BigWigglyStyle@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 1 year ago

Outside should be straightforward. I’m hoping to clean down to the PCB. Give every nook and cranky a wipe down.

I guess my main concern would be aging capacitors or other vital pieces of the PCB that may have gotten damaged.