Homebrew PCBs

> I've used a number of different things that have mostly all worked
> fine. I normally start by scrubbing the board with a fresh bit of green
> scrubby pad. Rather than muck up a whole pad, I cut off a small
> rectangle and use that. Once the copper is nice and shiny, I wipe it
> off with cleaner. Rubbing alcohol and Windex both work well, Naptha and
> Acetone are also good but much more stinky. The key is to use something
> that evaporates fully and leaves no residue behind.


You need two cleaners to get things clean, mechanical before hand helps.

You need a degreaser (simple green etc) to get rid of most junk, and
something water soluble & ammonia based (like the Windex) to get rid of the
organics such as finger prints.

Rubbing alcohol & Windex are a good combo as you've found.  I haven't tried
Naptha, and as I get older I try to steer clear of such things as acetone.

I haven't tried using hydrochloric acid to clean copper as someone suggest,
and I don't think I will.  I discovered the other night that if it's cold
and you take the cap off a bottle of it, you can see the fumes coming off
it.  Must look up what it's evaporation point is.  Ok, I did say TRY to
steer clear of such things.

Tony