TIL I was cleaning flux residue wrong for 6 years

A guy at a local repair meetup in Austin told me I was using too much isopropyl alcohol on my boards. I always just drowned them in 91% and called it done. He said I was probably leaving a film that traps moisture over time. Switched to a 50/50 mix with distilled water and a soft brush, and now my boards actually look clean instead of streaky. Has anyone else had better luck with a specific ratio?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery1015d ago

Same thing happened to me. I was using 99% isopropyl on everything for years and wondering why my boards looked cloudy after a while. A guy at a local makerspace told me to try 70% with a soft toothbrush and honestly it's way better. The lower concentration evaporates slower which gives the flux more time to dissolve. I also started doing a final rinse with distilled water and that stopped the white residue completely. Been doing it that way for about two years now and my boards actually look brand new.

phoenixk6415d ago

@emery10 I swear 70% just leaves more water residue behind for me lol.

thea60215d ago

Distilled water rinse is the real secret, not the alcohol percentage.