Process Guide

PCB Cleaning for High-Reliability Electronics

Remove flux residue, dust and ionic contamination without introducing lint or static damage.

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The Objective

What are we trying to achieve?

Produce contamination-free PCBs ready for inspection, conformal coating, or final assembly.

Micro-shorts, latent ESD damage, and conformal coating delamination caused by improper wiping materials or techniques.

Common Challenges

Types of Contamination

✕ Flux residue ✕ Fine dust ✕ Solder balls ✕ Fingerprints ✕ Static discharge ✕ Loose fibres
Material Specs

Critical Requirements

✓

Low Ionic Residue

Prevents micro shorts and dendrite growth.

✓

ESD Safe

Protects sensitive ICs during the physical wipe.

✓

Solvent Resistant

Will not dissolve or leach binders when soaked in IPA or flux removers.

SOP

Standard Cleaning Procedure

STEP 1

Apply Solvent

Saturate the wipe with IPA or approved flux remover. Do not spray the board directly.

STEP 2

Single Direction Wipe

Wipe in one continuous direction to lift and pull flux away from components. Do not scrub.

STEP 3

Inspect

Examine under magnification/UV to ensure flux is fully removed.

STEP 4

Dispose

Discard the wipe after a single pass to prevent cross-contamination.

✓

Best Practices

  • ✓ Wear ESD-safe gloves
  • ✓ Store wipes in sealed bags
  • ✓ Clean in one direction
  • ✓ Use pre-saturated wipes for consistency
✕

Avoid These Mistakes

  • ✕ Circular wiping (moves dirt around)
  • ✕ Reusing dirty wipes
  • ✕ Using cotton (leaves lint)
  • ✕ Touching cleaned surface bare-handed

Related Resources

Solution
Lint Contamination Reduction
Solution
ESD-Safe Cleaning
Solution
High-Precision Surface Cleaning
Industry
Industrial Wiping Solutions for Electronics & Semiconductor
Industry
Industrial Wiping Solutions for Medical & Pharmaceutical
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We engineer wipes to fit your exact standard operating procedure.

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Frequently Asked Questions

No. Reusing wipes for PCB cleaning risks dragging ionic contamination back across the board.

Compressed air pushes dust into crevices and can generate static charges. Wiping physically removes the contamination.

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