Have you ever had a dirty game that won’t boot up on your DS system? The good news is that you can fix it easily at home with just a few supplies. In this post, we will show you how to clean a 3DS cartridge using isopropyl alcohol, a security bit or a small flathead, and paper towel.
Firstly, you will need isopropyl alcohol, preferably 91% concentration, which you can get for less than $5 at Walmart. You will also need a security bit or a small flathead and paper towel. The whole point is to get between the pins of the cartridge to scratch off the dirt and gunk. It’s important not to damage the side of the cartridge pin.
To start, pour some alcohol onto the paper towel. Tear the paper towel to a size that’s small enough to fit the DS cartridge. Then, put it on the edge of the cartridge where the pins are located. The idea is to scratch the pins and move them up and down to get the dirt off. Avoid scratching the pins too hard, as this may damage them.
It’s important to be careful when cleaning the pins, especially if your cartridge has identification codes. The alcohol may wipe the codes away, so be careful when cleaning around them.
Depending on the condition of your cartridge, you may need to repeat the process a few times. Don’t worry if you scratch the cartridge a little at first. This is a great way to clean it without damaging the pins. There are other ways to clean the cartridge, such as folding a piece of computer paper and scratching it out, but this is our favorite method.
After a few rounds of scrubbing, your cartridge should look a lot better. However, it may not be perfect, depending on how much dirt and grime is on the cartridge. Keep going until you’re happy with the result.
There are other ways to clean the cartridge, such as opening it up, but this is at your own risk. You can find videos on YouTube for this method.
Finally, test the cleaned cartridge to see if it works. If it still doesn’t work, you may need to clean it again or try another method. But with a little patience and effort, you can make your dirty cartridge work like new again.