How To Clean A Soldering Iron With Flux

If all else fails Soldering Iron tips do not last forever.

How to clean a soldering iron with flux. Start your soldering iron and clean it while working with electronics. Once your iron is heated up for a job wipe it on a wet sponge to remove old solder and apply solder to the tip. This is known as tinning.

These fluxes are reactive chemicals which if left unattended on the board surface can lead to corrosion and eventually to circuit failures. Apply a small amount of solder to prevent further oxidation. They also avoid the thermal shock produced by wet sponges extending the life of the tip.

To apply the tip cleaner first heat the soldering iron. Wipe the iron on a damp sponge to remove the excess. If the tip is hot enough normally at least 300C and.

Then dip the tip in the cleaner and do a slight twist action. Flux is for dissolving surface oxides on the joint and tends to foul the iron. The brush should be flexible and soft so that it wont damage the sophisticated electrical components.

Modern cleaning methods involve the use of soft metal shavings pot. This should lead to a clean shiny tip ready for use for more info see this video. Once the soldering process is done some flux residue is seen on the surface.

If necessary trim your leads with a sharp shear lead cutter and dont trim into the solder joint. Heat the soldering iron and use a moist sponge to clean the surface. Use a wet sponge during use.