How to Safely and Effectively Clean Printed Circuit Boards

1. Why Is Cleaning a Circuit Board So Important?

During the SMT assembly process, soldering, testing, or PCB board production, printed circuit assembly often accumulates contaminants such as:

• Flux residue (rosin, activators)

• Dust, oils, and fingerprints

• Solder balls and debris

• Static-attracted particles

These contaminants can cause:

• Short circuits

• Corrosion of copper traces

• Electrical signal interference

Ensuring a clean PCB surface is especially critical in high-reliability industries like industrial control, automotive, and medical electronics.

2. Safe & Effective pcb board fabrication Cleaning Methods

(1) Manual Cleaning (For Small Batches or Repairs)

Use lint-free wipes and 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) to gently clean the circuit board.

• Wear anti-static gloves

• Use soft-bristle brushes for fine-pitch areas

• Avoid applying too much pressure

(2) Ultrasonic Cleaning (For Dense, Complex Boards)

Submerge printed circuit board in a bath of eco-friendly cleaning agent and apply ultrasonic waves. This method removes microscopic particles and residues without damaging delicate components.

• Use deionized water for rinsing

• Always ensure thorough drying post-cleaning

(3) Compressed Air or Vacuum Cleaning

Compressed air or vacuum suction can quickly clean surfaces for dust or dry particle removal, especially for non-soldered boards or early-stage inspection.

3. Common Circuit Board Manufacturing Process Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid

4. The Role of ODM/OEM Services in High-Quality Printed Circuit Assembly Cleaning

Today, many companies rely on ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) or OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) partners for their electronic product development and production. These services aren’t just about printed circuit manufacturing — they’re about guaranteeing quality at every printed circuit board manufacturing process step, including cleaning.

●  What’s the Difference Between ODM and OEM?

OEM: The client provides the circuit design, and the manufacturer produces the board.

ODM: The printed circuit board manufacturers handles the design and production, offering optimized, cost-effective solutions.

● Benefits of Partnering with an ODM/OEM Provider

Access to automated cleaning machines and ionic contamination testing

Compliance with IPC-A-610 cleanliness standards

Full traceability with cleaning process logs and reports

Tailored solutions for lead-free, RoHS-compliant, or medical-grade cleaning

One-stop circuit board assembly service end-to-end support: PCB design → Electronic components sourcing →Printed circuit assembly → Cleaning → Box build assembly→ PCB board testing

5. SCSPCBA: Your Trusted ODM/OEM Partner for High-Standard PCB Cleaning

SCSPCBA specializes in one-stop PCB manufacturing and assembly, solution development, and technical support, including professional cleaning processes aligned with IPC standards.

With four smart factories across China and Vietnam, we offer:

• High-speed SMT assembly with inline cleaning

• Customizable cleaning procedures for specialized industries

• Rapid AI-driven quoting system (get a quote in 10 seconds!)

• Integrated PCB design, sourcing, assembly, testing, and delivery

Whether developing a new product or scaling up production, SCSPCBA ensures clean, reliable, and high-performance circuit boards every step of the way.