ByteRot :: How to Clean Nintendo Entertainment System Cartridges

BYTEROT - retro PCs, consoles and lost software

Get an account

Accounts are free. Join #retro on irc.fxnet.org, identify with NickServ and type !req.

[ how ]

IRC

#retro on irc.fxnet.org
6697 ssl · 6667 plain
modern + vintage clients welcome

[ vintage how-to ]

Sections

OS 1,075

DRIVERS 61

SOFTWARE 22

GAMES 10

UTILS 37

DOCS 561

INCOMING 0

REQUESTS 0

LIBRARY 25,406 files

Some stats

releases	1,766
last 24h	+750
online	404.1 GB
library	1.2 TB
members	0
updated	2026-10-04 23:40

How to Clean Nintendo Entertainment System Cartridges

Device	Nintendo Entertainment System
Difficulty	Easy
Time	5 - 10 minutes
Steps	3

This guide is by [deleted] on iFixit and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0. ByteRot mirrors it for non-commercial preservation: formatting changed and photos resized for old browsers; full-size photos and the text are on the FTP in /DOCS/REPAIR. Original guide >>

Hello! In this guide I will show you how to clean NES cartridge contacts. Let's get started!

Tools: Minnow Driver Kit; Tamper Resistant TORX Plus TR Bit

Step 1 :: Take Apart the Cartridge

• Remove the three screws on the bottom of the cartridge. While most of the time the screws are security screws, sometimes there are Phillips/Flathead screws.

Step 2 :: Mix the Abrasive Paste

• Simply put about 2 tablespoons of baking soda on the cartridge contacts. Then put enough water on the baking soda until it is the consistency of a thick paste.

Step 3 :: Scrub the Contacts

• Take something like a toothbrush or the scraping part of a sponge and scrub the cartridge contacts.
• After scrubbing for about 4-5 minutes, rinse the cartridge board off in the sink. Let it dry for about 4 hours after pouring alcohol under the chips.

Conclusion

And with that your cartridge should be working properly!

Credit