Hot take: Isopropyl alcohol vs dedicated flux remover

I used to always reach for the fancy flux remover sprays on stubborn boards. After working on a vintage receiver from 1972 last month, I tried 91% isopropyl with a stiff brush instead. It cut through the old rosin just as fast and cost me like $3 vs $15 a can. Has anyone else noticed the expensive stuff isn't really worth it?

3 comments

3 Comments

diana51226d ago

Yeah @janah83, I switched to 91% isopropyl on a greasy old guitar amp and it worked way better than I expected.

janah8326d ago

Oh man, I feel you completely on this one. I used to be the exact same way, thinking the fancy stuff was magic and the cheap stuff was just for cleaning up spills. But after trying 91% on a really nasty old computer board from the 80s, I was shocked at how well it worked. The expensive flux removers are fine, but they are basically just isopropyl with some extra solvents and a huge markup. I started buying the big jugs of 99% isopropyl from the pharmacy and it works just as good for way less money. It's honestly kind of liberating not having to worry about running out of that expensive spray.

the_linda26d ago

Actually 91% versus 99% is a bigger difference than most people realize. 91% has more water in it which makes it dry slower and can leave residue on sensitive electronics. For old computer boards and guitar amps the extra water can sit in cracks and cause corrosion down the road. 99% evaporates way faster and leaves nothing behind. I buy the 99% in gallon jugs too but I always tell people to skip the 91% if they're working on anything they care about.