Ultrasonic cleaning Cherry MX switches

[@WilliamDiaz]

This is really good, I will buy an ultrasonic cleaner for some vintage cherry black and keycaps that I bought, thanks for sharing

[@davidmendes7583]

hi Wodan, I should have watched your video earlier, I broke some switches because I didn't use my ultrasonic cleaner properly / didn't dry the switches. Do you know if there is a way to recover the switches with another ultrasonic cleaning or rather I should use a contact cleaner? Since you seem to have experience maybe you would be able to recommend me something. Cheers

[@WodanLive]

Did you get residue on the contact leaves from drying? Maybe it will dissolve if you clean them in distilled water? I never had to deal with this myself so I can only speculate.

[@davidmendes7583]

@@WodanLive the switches were very dirty green alps from an old typewriter, I will try your method and hopefully, I will save some switches.

[@samdeur]

a while back i talked to a superlube and oils lube distributor here in The Netherlands where i got my superlube grease and superlube oil that i used on my topre board. and one of my mx-clear boards is doing great btw.. only when i asked him how would one remove these greases and oils from any material he said i could try alcohol but in general they are hard to remove if not impossible.. i'm assume Ultrasonic cleaning is working out for you ?? and that it's the only real way to do this ?

[@WodanLive]

I got a special cleaning concentrate off German ebay for my ultrasonic cleaner and it works wonders removing the craziest stuff ... I even got pen marks off keycaps with it. Check out the DT thread for more information about this stuff

[@0Metatron]

I have some Durock lavenders coming which are factory lined so I want to clean them with my ultrasonic cleaner. Is it ok to use warm water and a little bit of dish soap? Thanks

[@dimitrikatsaros9212]

Hey there.. great vid! However, all the links you have on Deskthority have long since broken. Any chance of a mention on model name an cleaner liquid brand/type?

[@powahause5938]

I just use denture tablets and add some liquid dishwasher soap if I think its necessary

[@acmetypes]

Can I just use water as the cleaning solution? Or do i need to add soap or something?

[@WodanLive]

Heavily depends on the kind of dirt you are fighting with. Any oil based dirt or residue will be hard to clean without a cleaning solution. In my experience, a special ultrasonic cleaning solution is a game changer.

[@12.4-d6h]

Hi Wodan, have you come across any stems that would not clean up well? I desoldered what was described as "1/10 lmao" Wyse board and although the housings came out excellent, the stems are quite awful. I'm using a solution made for ultrasonic cleaners distilled to about 20%, no dice. Is it possible the stems have just become damaged over time? And thanks! Your videos have helped so much!

[@WodanLive]

Thanks for the feedback. So far I haven't had any issues with stems not cleaning well. I will be cleaning so early lubing mistakes (white lithium grease) soon and find out just how well the cleaning works. I would suggest trying another cleaning solution. Maybe try dental tabs? I've heard from a lot of people using these. Regarding damage, I don't see a risk there. Then again I am not an expert and just speak based on my experiences.

[@User-hd8mr]

What kind of “cleaning solvant” did you use in the ultrasonic cleaner?

[@WodanLive]

Please check my thread on Deskthority about this subject, I have linked to the ebay product page there. The stuff is a miracle but I only have a German source for it.

[@juno_99]

Hey after the video i got some questions... what ultrasonic cleaner are you using? Will a cheap 30€ ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon work too? And after cleaning the switches do you recommend to lubricate them

[@WodanLive]

That is a Chinese "industrial" Ultrasonic cleaner from ebay, 10 liter capacity. But any kind of ultrasonic cleaner should work, treatment times may be a bit longer for the same results though. And yes, I recommend lubing the stems after cleaning, will be doing a live stream of me reassembling the switches again with a full mod.

[@juno_99]

Wodan that would be perfect ;)

[@datdang5042]

Is it 100% clean?

[@acmetypes]

So do you put all the pieces in there to clean? stems? Springs? Housings?

[@WodanLive]

Yes it should all be in the video. I rinse the contact parts of the switches with destilled water and remove excess water in a salad spinner to reduce risk of corrosion and residue

[@Ensaumneak]

Hey Wodan, trying to research this stuff. What solution do you use in your ultrasonic cleaner? Is it just water and detergent?

[@WodanLive]

I use an additive concentrate specifically designed for ultrasonic cleaners. It's some small brand stuff I got from a German eBay seller, haven't found this anywhere else. I recommend looking for detergents, soap or additives that are specifically intended for ultrasonic cleaner use.

[@andljoy]

Have you got a link to the liquid you use ? I know you posted it on DT but the ebay auction has expired for that one.

[@WodanLive]

That ebay link was the only source I had :( Next time I am shipping you something let me know and I can sell you 500ml of that stuff for a good price :) You can mix it 1:50 and still get great results so that would be 25l worth of cleaning solution.

[@samdeur]

almost looks like you have this one from amazon.de ...1.3L is €60 seems reasonable..can get this one when i move to a larger house with extra room.. for such a device.. just got a desoldering station from Aouye and that one is even to big for this apartment.. need more space grrrr

[@WodanLive]

I totally understand ... having enough space is also such an important factor for me ;) Sounds great though, would love to hear more about your experiences in the DT thread :)

[@samdeur]

will post my experiences with the tool...i'm now looking for the right springs to experiment with already got mx-clears from DT mem to mod them in to ergo clears..diving in the rabbit hole of switch modding hahha.. for sure i'm going to need to desolder ;-)

[@steen275]

But will it not ruin the leaf?

[@WodanLive]

Not if you do it right. I've been using this method for a long time now and haven't observed any negative effects. Make sure to flush the switch bottoms with distilled water after cleaning. I use a salad spinner to drain excess water after that.

[@datdang5042]

You can take the leaf out of bottom housing with a switch puller

[@datdang5042]

@@WodanLive How distilled water gonna help after cleaning ? I am confused

[@WodanLive]

@@datdang5042 Distilled water does not leave any "residue" or minerals behind when drying. I don't want to have stains on my contact leaves.

[@datdang5042]

@@WodanLive gotcha Thankyou

[@bok3738]

good!

[@samdeur]

DJ Wodan !! give us sum switch music..tactile addict here

[@WodanLive]

With a Model F maybe :)