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Cleaning a motherboard

T

The Thrashmeister

<-- Made of awesome.
Anyone have any tips for it?

Specifically I want to... um... remove caked Dr. Pepper off of it.

Edit: OH YEAH, it's a laptop motherboard. I understand those are smaller than desktop motherboards.
 
Last edited:
BCVM22

BCVM22

Well-Known Member
For the risk involved if you don't do things properly, and with something like this there are a thousand things that an untrained individual could do wrong, you might as well just buy a new one.

However, if you are that desperate to try, I've always read that when trying to clean off dirty computer components, the way to go about it is to use a soft, damp cloth and gently wipe the surface of the component and then place it on a soft towel for at least a day to ensure it's completely dry, and then replace it and try to use it. For caked on stuff, try a toothbrush with some soap on it and then gently rinse it.

I would say try running it under a faucet to clean it as well, but I can't imagine that wouldn't damage the circuit board, can you?
 
T

The Thrashmeister

<-- Made of awesome.
I highly doubt compressed air will remove caked soda...

BCVM , do you mean buy a new motherboard or buy a new laptop?

Also... I kind of don't know how to get to the motherboard. >_>;
I've tried unscrewing several things but none of those parts seem to be the motherboard. And I'm afraid to unscrew any more things.
 
N

Nightcat

Well-Known Member
The Thrashmeister said:
I highly doubt compressed air will remove caked soda...

BCVM , do you mean buy a new motherboard or buy a new laptop?

Also... I kind of don't know how to get to the motherboard. >_>;
I've tried unscrewing several things but none of those parts seem to be the motherboard. And I'm afraid to unscrew any more things.
Click to expand...

You're basically going to have to take apart the entire thing to get to the motherboard. When you clean it, make sure you have an antistatic wrist band (or whatever they're called), as any minuscule amount of static electricity will fry your computer's internals. It's been said before, but make sure everything is dry before you put it back together. I'm not quite sure of how laptops are put together, but be really careful of the CPU unit, especially if/when you unplug it from the motherboard.

Anyway, how in the world did you get Dr. Pepper in the motherboard?
 
K

Kal-El

Mush! Mush!
Nightcat said:
be really careful of the CPU unit, especially if/when you unplug it from the motherboard.
Click to expand...

Central Processor Unit Unit? :p

Anyway, how in the world did you get Dr. Pepper in the motherboard?
Click to expand...

Laptop -> Dr Pepper + keyboard -> Dr Pepper seeps through keys... I would guess.

Dragonskull's suggestion about using compressed air is a good one... at least for getting dust out. I doubt you'd be able to get the Dr Pepper off though (that stuff is very sticky from my understanding).

Also, if you can't get an anti-static bracelet (I wasn't aware they made such things) the next best thing is to make sure your skin remains in contact with metal at all times, and don't wear clothing that easily generates static (such as ugboots).
 
T

The Thrashmeister

<-- Made of awesome.
Nightcat said:
Anyway, how in the world did you get Dr. Pepper in the motherboard?
Click to expand...

Kal-El said:
Laptop -> Dr Pepper + keyboard -> Dr Pepper seeps through keys... I would guess..
Click to expand...

Yeah. Laptop motherboards are right under the keyboard. At least, mine is.

Anyway, I did manage to get to the motherboard. I found the Dr. Pepper, and I cleaned every single last bit off (that I could see). And I still can't start it.

Either the Dr. Pepper wasn't the problem in the first place, there's still Dr. Pepper on the underside of the motherboard or elsewhere in the computer, or I f*cked something up while cleaning.

Not to sound full of myself, but I highly doubt the last one. I didn't take the motherboard out while I cleaned it, and all I used were q-tips, pretty much. I don't see how I could have made things worse... but if I did, then damn it!

If it's the first option, then... damn it!

If it's the second one, I don't think I can go any further from here. I don't have enough knowledge of how my laptop is constructed to risk actually taking out the motherboard from the unit. If all else fails, I'll have to get it fixed professionally.

But yeah. I'm not sure where to go from here. My computer's condition hasn't changed at all. -_-;

Nightcat said:
You're basically going to have to take apart the entire thing to get to the motherboard. When you clean it, make sure you have an antistatic wrist band (or whatever they're called), as any minuscule amount of static electricity will fry your computer's internals.
Click to expand...

Whoops. I didn't take any of those precautions. >_>;

But if the laptop's condition is no different from before I cleaned the motherboard... can it be safely said that I didn't fry my computer's internals D:

Kal-El said:
Dragonskull's suggestion about using compressed air is a good one... at least for getting dust out. I doubt you'd be able to get the Dr Pepper off though (that stuff is very sticky from my understanding).
Click to expand...

It wasn't that hard to get out. A bit of water did just fine. And this soda has been there for over a year, mind you.
 
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