How to Clean, Restore & Maintain Old NES, SNES, Genesis, Mega Drive & Master System Game Cartridges

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RoXolid Productions

Subscribers:

30,100

Published on January 14, 2018 5:33:59 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DvGUKLLjrI

Game:

Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Category:

Guide

Duration: 15:59

2,003 views

65

In this video we discuss how to clean old cartridges for the NES, Super NES, Famicom, Super Famicom, Mega Drive & Genesis.

The thrill of the hunt, especially when you finally bag that trophy is so fulfilling. But what happens when you get your new precious home and it isn't what you expected. There's not much worse than finding a game that you've lusted after and desired to add to your collection and when you go to play it all you get is a blinking light on the front of your console. Well I'm going to show you how I clean my cartridges, inside and out and provide a list of supplies you'll want to use.

1-Up Cleaning Supplies: https://goo.gl/vLSra8
Dynamite Magnum Force Spray Cleaner: http://bit.ly/2mn3Cxs
Heat Gun: http://bit.ly/2D1iUCU
Goo Gone Decal Removal Kit: http://amzn.to/2Fuk3Ar
Goo Gone: http://amzn.to/2mssWTf

Cleaning the Cartridge Pins:
One of the biggest issues with old games is the amount of crud and dirt that can build up on the contacts. Over time this can prevent the pins from making proper contact inside the game console. Some people use Cotton Swabs such as Q-tips but I am not a fan. Yes, they're inexpensive and everyone has them but I'd rather use a lint-free swab or cleaner. 1-Up has a series of cards for cleaning retro carts that works great, doesn't leave fuzz or residue behind and just plain work. Oh, and you can get 3 for under 10-bucks!

For cleaning solutions again many people use rubbing alcohol, I have as well and it works. Get the highest percent alcohol you can find, 91% or higher generally will do the ticket. I also use a cleaner from the RC Car and Truck world called Dynamite Magnum Force 2. I've used this for years to clean out electric components such as motors and this does a great job on copper contacts without leaving a residue and is generally plastic-safe.

Getting rid of stickers:
I hate when resellers put stickers on games, it just risks damaging the carts. If the stickers have been on for some time they probably won't come off cleanly. This is where Goo Gone, a spudger and Magnum Force 2 again all come into play. Goo Gone really works well to break down glues and adhesives however it can also soak thru to other labels and damage them, like soaking thru a price tag that is on a cartridge label. I generally don't like using Goo Gone on stickers on labels for this very reason. This again is where Magnum Force 2 works so well, it dissolves the glue without damaging what's underneath.

For really old and stuck on stickers you'll want to use a heat gun to help clean things up. The heat will loosen the glue and let you get under it with a blade or spudger. Just be careful, heat guns are HOT and you can burn yourself if you're not careful.

Cleaning Marker off of Carts:
Savages back from the mid-evil 1980s would often drawn on cartridges or otherwise marking them with names, drawings and other forms of vandalism. Getting marker off the plastics can be easy, just dab a paper towel with some Goo Goon and hold it on to the offensive marks for 10-15 seconds. The Goo Gone chemically breaks down and removes the marker over time. You may have to do this a few times to get all of the marks off the cart.


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