Those great classic NES, SNES and Atari games we all love are getting pretty old. Most are over twenty years old and many were not well cared for by their original owners. Cartridge sets work with metal connectors, and over time those connectors oxidize and become unusable. The good news is that most cartridge games will work with a few simple cleaning techniques.

Method #1 Q-Tips and alcohol. For this technique you will need swabs and alcohol. Dilute the alcohol with water, use a half and half mixture of water and alcohol. Some people say that you should use distilled or purified water. I haven’t found this to make a real difference in cartridge cleanliness. Take the swab and dip it into the alcohol, then move it up and down across the metal contacts inside the cartridge. Then take a dry swab and blot up the alcohol following the same pattern. If the swab looks dirty, repeat the process until it is relatively clean.

Method #2 WD-40 or Audio/Video Cleaner. Some cartridges have oxidized to the point where the old technique won’t work. So we have to try something a little harder. Instead of rubbing alcohol we’re going to get a can of audio/video head cleaner or WD-40. Spray a small amount on the cartridge, let it sit for a few minutes for the chemicals to take effect. Then take the q-tips and dry the contacts again by moving each metal contact up and down.

Method #3 Draft. I have never had to use this technique as most games will work using both of the above techniques. However, some swear this works and I don’t see it doing any harm so I’ll include it. For this technique you will need a small Security Bit screwdriver (you can find them on eBay) and an eraser. You will first need to open the cartridge with the screwdriver and remove the circuit board inside. Now move the eraser up and down over each metal contact. Wipe off any remaining eraser residue. The idea here is that the eraser acts as an abrasive agent and removes some of the oxidation from the contacts without damaging the actual metal.

If that doesn’t work, some people suggest using metal cleaners like those used to clean old coins and the like. I don’t suggest this because they are very harsh and could leave you with a game that you will never be able to play again.