Methods for cleaning a soldering iron and blowtorch. Cleaning the soldering iron tip: reliably and for free How to clean a soldering iron from carbon deposits

Many radio amateurs and home craftsmen, after completing soldering work, have to begin the, albeit short, but very tedious process of cleaning the soldering iron tip. We must take it sandpaper and clean it from carbon deposits for 10 - 15 minutes. Having learned the method of instant cleaning, this problem will never bother you again. Sandpaper and soot on the soldering iron will be a thing of the past.

Necessary materials

Our secret material, this is ordinary ammonia in powder form. You can get it in radio engineering or other specialized stores. It is often presented in small individual packaging, but can also be found in bulk. The cost of powdered ammonia is not high, even a schoolchild who is interested in radio electronics can afford it. But the savings in time and effort from using it are very significant. At this stage, we don't need anything else.

Purification process

For the process of cleaning the soldering iron tip we will need the following. A small cup, preferably heat-resistant. Pour our ammonia powder into it.

Next, turn on the soldering iron and wait until it warms up to the optimal operating temperature. Important: Before cleaning, be sure to open the windows to workroom well ventilated. Or provide another method of forced ventilation. The pungent smell of melting ammonia powder is extremely unpleasant. And in order to be able to complete the work to the end, you will need an influx of fresh air.

Then, immerse the soldering iron tip into the cup for a few seconds and then remove it. The remaining powder on the tip will begin to melt and emit white thick smoke, and then the end of the soldering iron will begin to acquire a shiny copper color. If traces of soot remain, then we continue to perform the previously described actions until the desired result is obtained. Now all we have to do is wipe the tip with an unnecessary rag or any other rag, and tin its tip with solder. The cleaning is completed, you can enjoy the result and think about where to spend the saved time.

After I found out this method, incredibly quickly cleaning the soldering iron tip from carbon deposits, the question immediately appeared in my head: “Was it possible to do this?” Before that, like most radio amateurs, I took sandpaper and manually cleaned the carbon deposits from the sting. The whole process took about 15 minutes and took quite a lot of effort, not counting the removal of black soot after such cleaning.
Now everything has changed thanks to a little trick, which I’ll tell you about now.

Will need

The whole secret is to use powdered ammonia. It is sold at radio markets or specialized stores.
It may have individual packaging:

Or it can be sold by weight in bulk:

In any case, it’s worth every penny, especially considering the fact how much time and effort it saves.

Cleaning the soldering iron tip from carbon deposits

So, pour the ammonia powder into a more convenient and heat-resistant container.

Next, turn on the soldering iron and heat it to the usual soldering temperature. Please note that the sting has thick layer carbon deposits on its surface.

Now dip the heated sting into ammonia powder.

It is advisable to do this process in a well-ventilated area.

Hold for a few seconds and remove. A little powder will remain on the sting, which will begin to evaporate, releasing thick white smoke. And after that you will see a shiny copper tip.

Now we remove all residues with a rag or a special sponge.

And tin the tip with solder.

Yes, it's so simple and fast! I am sure that you will definitely use this cleaning method.
This method will be especially useful for those who solder very often.
Personally, I was very surprised by how fast and easy it was this process and I regretted a little that I didn’t know this earlier. Good luck to everyone, friends!

So. You have become the proud owner of a Japanese soldering iron with a non-burnable tip. Or maybe two soldering irons with different power at once. You have successfully tinned the tips and now you can easily solder the radio components of the next DIY kit. But then, in a completely incomprehensible way, the soldering iron suddenly began to solder parts somehow poorly; its tip, hitherto shiny from molten tin, became covered with some kind of black crust. And you, without hesitation, ask the age-old questions: what to do, and who is to blame?

After consulting the best forums on the Internet, you understand that a raid is inevitable. It appears from the flux used, and pieces of cable that somehow fall under the sting. And this plaque needs to be cleaned somehow. You tried shaking it off and wiping it off on the edge of a can of solder, but your inner instinct tells you that this way, inadvertently, you can damage not only the coating of the tip, but also break the internal a heating element. And lo and behold, an experienced forum member tells you that in the old days his grandfathers used special sponges and steel wool to remove plaque that interfered with normal soldering.

Inspired by quick success, you run, without making out the way, to the nearest radio shop, where Kondraty grabs you. This young man, with his bony hand, shakes you in the hope of drawing your money for the proprietary system for cleaning the sting. And the amounts for branded products are astronomical! You are internally not ready to part with your hair in order to clean the soldering iron while doing just a hobby. That's why you leave the store in search of alternative solutions.

And there are such solutions. First of all, steel wool is not best case when using a fireproof tip. There is a very high risk of damage to the coating of the tip and, as a result, purchasing a new tip for a lot of money. Such stings require very delicate handling. In extreme cases, you can use a sponge made of soft metal such as bronze or copper. But it's better to use a sponge. Actually, secondly, to clean the tip of a soldering iron, especially a non-burnable one, you can and should use a cellulose sponge. It is this that, in most cases, is present in professional cleaning kits.

So, buy a regular cellulose sponge for washing dishes. It is cellulose, not foam rubber or melamine. It says “cellulose” on it. Any other sponge from the hardware store will melt and add even more oxides. If the sponge also has a layer with a hard metal sponge or a similar type of sponge, then you can only use the soft cellulose part. The soldering iron heats up and the sponge is moistened with water. Yes, it must be wet to clean the carbon deposits. A dry sponge will not be able to properly clean the sting, and it will also melt on its own.

A mandatory tool, without which it is impossible to do soldering, is a soldering iron. There are several types of it. In an electric soldering iron, the most popular tool among craftsmen, a heating element heats up a copper tip.

In other models, the working area is heated by a flow of heated air or open flame. Thirdly, the tip has a massive appearance, reminiscent of a hammer in shape, the heating of which is provided by electricity. There are hammer soldering irons with the ability to heat the tip over an open fire.

Regardless of the type and shape of the tool, before starting work, you must clean the soldering iron tip. Over time, deposits accumulate on the working end of the tool, formed during the thermal decomposition of solder and flux. The process is aggravated by the mutual penetration of tin and copper and their thermal diffusion.

A contaminated surface of the tip does not allow soldering to be carried out correctly.

Accumulated combustion products Supplies, which form especially quickly when the soldering iron is left idle in a hot state, interfere with subsequent work. There will be substances in the working area that prevent good adhesion and uniform distribution over the surface. Thorough cleaning avoids problems.

The procedure must also be performed with new soldering irons, because manufacturers cover the tip for protection. thin layer oxides, which is called patina.

Less carbon deposits are formed when working with soldering station, having heating control.

Soldering irons with stainless steel tips do not form deposits at all, but working with them is not familiar or convenient for everyone. It is necessary to choose the right power so that the low thermal conductivity of the tip allows for good soldering.

Special products for copper tips

To remove carbon deposits, the industry produces a variety of products; a large number of practical experience, which is used in modern technologies preparation of the sting. Approaches to cleaning differ, although, in principle, they come down to two main options for influencing fumes: mechanical and chemical.

Mechanical types of cleaning

Depending on the type of work to be done, you can choose one or another abrasive material. If there is a need to make the tip strictly even and flat, you should take a file. In other cases you can use:

sandpaper;
sharpening stones;
abrasive sponges.

To remove the patina from a new soldering iron, use fine-grit sandpaper. This will be enough to remove a thin production layer. At the end mechanical cleaning the sting is treated with rosin or other suitable resin. The rosin composition does a good job of removing plaque consisting of oxides and other impurities.

If desired and possible, you can buy a ready-made device wts-599b. This metal sponge in a special housing is very convenient to use.

Chemical methods

There are possibilities for cleaning the tip with chemical means. You need to choose flux cleaners carefully, after first familiarizing yourself with the metal composition of the tip.

To clean the copper working surfaces of the soldering iron, you can use oxide. Its composition is dominated by ammonium chloride. The sting is heated, placed in chemical agent and watch the cleansing, which happens very quickly.

At the end of the procedure, wipe the heater on a sponge or cloth, which should be pre-moistened with water.

Instead of oxide, many craftsmen use a powder with similar properties called ammonia. This is the same ammonium chloride, which removes oxide products well. When heated, it produces caustic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen chloride.

Cleaning the tip chemicals should be carried out with good ventilation because caustic fumes of acid and ammonia are released.

Very good result gives flux-off cleaner. It is sold in aerosol form and easily removes dense decomposition products of consumables. Any flux layers and remnants of tin-lead solder quickly dissolve. The aerosol must not come into contact with plastics. Other material, for example, a ceramic fixative, will not be damaged by hydrocarbons or esters.

To improve the condition of a contaminated sting, you can buy paste-like activators from the goot series. The function of the active reagent in them is performed by ammonium phosphate mixed with tin powder. The head heated to 300 ℃ must be immersed in the paste and rotated in it. Usually, one dose is enough. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

Traditional methods

Inventive craftsmen and amateurs find a way out in cases where there is no special means. You can take regular food citric acid, stored in any kitchen, dip the heated tip into it. The result will not be long in coming - the cleaning is quick and successful.

Some craftsmen try soda, alcohol, aspirin, pharmaceutical glycerin, and other home remedies. The impressions accumulated were different. There are many compounds with a known effect, so it makes no sense to enthusiastically compete in ingenuity.

Cleaning the fireproof tip

Purchasing soldering irons with a non-burning tip is a great joy, which can quickly become dark during intensive work. After some time, a black coating appears on the surface of the heating end, and soldering goes worse and worse. It becomes obvious that you need to clean your soldering tool.

Iron scourers are not suitable for delicate materials. They may scratch the surface. As a last resort, a washcloth made of copper or bronze threads will do.

A good, inexpensive product is a cellulose sponge. It is often included in professional cleaning kits. Please note that the product must have an inscription confirming the cellulose composition. It is not always possible to determine the quality of a soldering iron sponge externally; other threads and impurities can oxidize and aggravate the situation.

As alternative option A viscose sponge is suitable. She in practical application for cleaning the tip does not differ in properties from natural cellulose material. The sponge can be moistened not only with water, but also with glycerin. In extreme cases, a piece of cloth will do just fine instead of a sponge.

The soldering iron needs to be heated and cleaned with wet material; dry material will not help. Carbon deposits are removed with simple movements, as if you were wiping the rod. Sometimes craftsmen cut a depression in the sponge, which makes cleaning the tip even easier.

Cleaning the Blowtorch

The burner of a blowtorch, like the tip of a soldering iron, requires constant care, otherwise it may become completely clogged and not work at all. The process of dirt accumulation in the nozzle increases when using not very clean fuel. Impurities tend to accumulate together with combustion products.

The lamp usually comes with a special needle for cleaning the working hole. If it is not there, the jet can be cleaned with a thin wire.

There is often a need to clean a blowtorch. In this case, treatment can be carried out with aerosol cleaning agents or gasoline. Some masters manage to clean work area cloth soaked in white spirit. The cloth must be completely soaked so that the solvent can remove all the dirt.

Correct preliminary preparation tools will allow you to do the job efficiently and quickly.

There are a large number of synthetic products or folk methods to clean the soldering iron tip. The effectiveness of cleaning depends on which tip is used for soldering various surfaces. A distinction is also made between ordinary carbon deposits and chemical oxides. The latter are much more difficult to clean completely. If the soldering is copper, then you can experiment with cleaning. For other alloys (so-called eternal tips), any mechanical stress can lead to damage. You can just take it off upper layer alloy, it will no longer be possible to use such a sting.

Synthetic products from the store

It is proposed to combat oxides and carbon deposits using large quantity funds. They all wear different names, but mostly monotonous in composition.

There are 3 main ways to clean the tip:

a chemical substance from the oxidation category or a sting activator;
Goot BS-2 cleansing paste;
synthetic sponge for soldering.

The choice of products like oxidal must be approached very carefully. You should familiarize yourself with the composition and decide whether it is suitable for a copper or multi-alloy tip. Too aggressive substances, along with the destruction of the oxide, can also dissolve the top layer of eternal solder.

There are also so-called sting activators, which do not clean very well. But their daily use improves wettability and protects the surface from the formation of soot and oxides.

Cleansing pastes are more versatile. They remove carbon deposits very well, but fight oxides a little worse. But they are suitable for any stings. In addition to pastes, there are special boxes with small metal filings into which you need to dip the dirty soldering iron tip to clean it. After this, both carbon deposits and part of the oxide are removed due to chemical reaction with sawdust.

It must be remembered that any synthetic product must be thoroughly removed after cleaning the surface. Otherwise, it will react with the solder or soldering board, and then the tip may be seriously damaged.

Synthetic sponges, such as Xytronic TIP Cleaner for dry cleaning, help clean the tip mainly from carbon deposits. They are ineffective in the fight against oxides. Many people replace these sponges with ordinary kitchen sponges, but this is not entirely correct. When in contact with a hot soldering iron, such a sponge can smell very unpleasant. This will not happen with store-bought soldering. Store-bought sponges can either be dry-cleaning or need to be dampened before use. This nuance needs to be clarified when purchasing, because buying a wetted sponge is a waste of money.

Return to contents

What is popularly used to clean stings?

Cleaning the soldering iron tip can be done using sponges.

Products from the store very often do not live up to expectations, so many people use folk ways cleaning the solder. The list of means used includes many methods. To remove carbon deposits use:

a variety of sponges - from kitchen sponges to cosmetic sponges, ordinary foam rubber;
paper, cotton wool and cotton swabs;
sewing needles, files, metal brushes and attachments, like on drills;
polishing cloths, emery cloths, scalpels;
ink erasers (eraser) and much more.

Return to contents

Learn more about each cleaning method

Using sponges and sponges of various textures is a good way to get rid of carbon deposits if you choose them correctly. And this can only be done experimentally. In the same way, you need to determine whether the sponge needs to be wetted.

Any sharp objects for cleaning (scalpels, needles, files and others) can only be used for copper tips. Some craftsmen manage to clean eternal stings with them, but this requires jewelry precision. And soft polishing attachments or sandpapers can be selected for multi-alloy tips, but experiments must be carried out on broken ones.

The Pluto6631 eraser from Koh-i-Noor cleans the soldering iron tip from carbon deposits and oxides.

Using paper or cotton wool is only for removing large amounts of carbon deposits when there is nothing else at hand. This method will not help get rid of oxides or hard formations.

You can clean the soldering iron tip using the Pluto6631 eraser from Koh-i-Noor. This method allows you to get rid of both carbon deposits and oxides. Be sure to clean the tip when it is cold, then treat it with acetone and wipe it well with a cotton cloth.

In order not to spend extra money on cleaners with sawdust in the box, you can do something simpler. Find small brass filings and pour them into a metal container. It will be much cheaper than buying in a store. Brass can be replaced with a good copper sponge (or, in extreme cases, steel).

There is one more effective method, according to some radio electronics enthusiasts, clean the sole of the iron with a pencil. This method works well and sometimes allows you not only to get rid of carbon deposits, but also to replace the tip activator with it, and the soldering will become better. If you compare the cost of a good pencil and an activator, you can buy a couple of dozen iron products for the price of a tip protector.

But the hardest part about dirtying a tip is not the formation of soot (it can always be removed mechanically), and the formation of oxides.

They are difficult to remove and significantly reduce the quality of soldering.