I recently read someone here mention that they used mineral spirits (MS) to remove flux. Since I had some around I gave it a go. It seemed to work about as fast as 91% IPA, but left less flux residue spread around the board (i.e. none). I found a manufacturer's reference to using mineral spirits in place of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents to remove non-corrosive solder flux from copper here: http://www.fusion-inc.com/filler2.htm#anchor237100 although, since it's paste solder they're talking about, I suspect they're taking about using MS to remove flux from copper pipe joints. I also found another site: http://www.logwell.com/tech/servtips/cleaning.html which discussed a few of the substances they used in the cleaning of electronics in general: "Our work bench is also stocked with a MENDA dispenser full of denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is ethanol with small amounts of methanol or other denaturing agents added to render it unfit to drink. ... Denatured alcohol is very good for cleaning soldering flux; it is now our favored circuit board cleaning agent since the demise of 1,1,1 (1,1,1 Trichloroethane a/k/a methyl chloroform)... Rubbing or Isopropyl alcohol is a considerably less efficient cleaner and it makes your shop smell like a doctor's office. Commonly available "rubbing alcohol" is usually 70% isopropyl alcohol with the balance as water. Anhydrous or 100% isopropyl alcohol is available and is sometimes used as an industrial flux cleaner. Occasionally, a stubborn stain will yield to one of the alcohols when all other cleaning agents fail, but ordinarily they are mediocre performers. Both denatured ethanol and isopropyl alcohol are generally safe on plastics, but ethanol will mildly attack a few plastics." About denaturing agents used in denatured alcohol: "The completely denatured alcohol formulation used in the United Kingdom contains (by volume) 89.66% ethanol, 9.46% methanol, 0.50% pyridine, 0.38% naphtha, and is dyed purple with methyl violet." Other "typical additives are methanol, isopropanol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, denatonium benzoate, and even aviation gasoline."
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Flux removal
2006-02-11 by wbblair3
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