Isopropyl alcohol is considered the ideal cleaner for electronics. But what if you run out of it and have no time to grab a new bottle?
In such a situation, vodka might seem a blessing because it also has alcohol. But can you use it to clean electronics?
Well! There’s no clear answer. It depends upon the parts of electronics you want to clean.
If you want to know more about the subject, read the article till the end!
Is Vodka a Good Choice for Clean Electronics?
Vodka is an alcoholic beverage. The fermentation of different grains and potatoes produces it.
The drink is a neutral spirit with a subtle mouthfeel. It’s also odorless.
Since it contains alcohol and alcohol is a good cleaner, many people use it for cleaning. But can you use vodka to clean electronics?
Electronics are quite sensitive. To clean them, you need to be very careful.
And when it comes to using vodka to clean the circuits, the answer is no. A big no!
Why Must You Not Clean Electronics with Vodka?
You might be wondering why vodka is bad for electronics. How does it disturb the function of devices?
Vodka is 40% ethyl alcohol and 60% water. The water also contains minerals and other substances.
When you clean the electronics with vodka, the water content disturbs the flow of electrons inside the instruments.
Besides, the ethyl alcohol also doesn’t evaporate quickly and leaves traces of oil or electronics. Hence, breaking them down.
That’s why you must avoid experimenting on sensitive electronics with vodka.
Can You Clean CPU with Vodka?
CPU is an essential component of a computer. Without it, your computer set is just a useless box.
You can use vodka to clear the outer casing of the CPU. But it’s not suitable for cleaning the debris from the internal sensitive components.
So the answer to your question depends on the parts of the CPU used that you want to clean. For outer covering, the answer is yes, but for internal components, the answer is no.
Can You Clean Your Keyboard with Vodka?
The keyboard is the typing pad attached to the computer. It has buttons to help you type the information/ instructions.
Using vodka to clean the keyboard is a nice option. But there are some considerations too.
1. Don’t Spray the Vodka
Don’t spray the vodka directly on the keyboard. It will seep into it, resulting in loss of function.
2. Use a Damped Cleaning Cloth
While cleaning the keyboard, ensure that the cloth is damped. A dripping cleaning cloth can damage the keyboard.
In short, you can use vodka to clean keyboards, but you must be careful.
Is 70% Ethyl Alcohol Safe for Cleaning Electronics?
Ethyl alcohol is present in all alcoholic drinks. Its percentage varies.
It has excellent cleaning potential too. But can an alcoholic drink with 70% ethyl alcohol be safe for cleaning electronics?
As said before, it depends on the part of the electronics you are cleaning. If you want to clean the dust, adhesive, or other stains from plastic or any other metal, you can use 70% ethyl alcohol to clean it.
But you’re mistaken if you plan to clean the circuits or electrical wires deep. 70% ethyl alcohol is not the right choice.
It contains water that disturbs the circuit. Even your device can erupt because of a short circuit.
Which Alcohol is Best for Cleaning Electronics?
Okay! Hope you are clear about why you can’t use vodka to clean your electronics. But if not vodka, what else?
Which alcohol is the best option for cleaning electronics? Let’s find it out!
Isopropyl alcohol, also known as IPA, is considered the best cleaner. It’s widely used in laboratories and industries to clean electronics.
Give it a try at home too.
Why is Isopropyl Alcohol the Best Electronics Cleaner?
There are a lot of alcoholic cleaners in the market. What makes isopropyl alcohol the best one?
If you don’t know, worry not! Here’re a few reasons.
- Isopropyl alcohol evaporates quickly.
- Unlike ethyl alcohol, it does leave the surfaces oily.
- It has excellent grease-cutting potential.
- It is also a good disinfectant.
Due to all these reasons, isopropyl alcohol is the best.
What Should Be the Percentage of Isopropyl Alcohol for Cleaning Electronics?
Suppose there’s some problem with your laptop. You open it and find out that the internal circuit is dirty.
How much percentage of solvent will you use to clean it? It should be 99 to 100%.
The reason? 99 or 100% isopropyl alcohol has just 1% or no water, respectively.
Such a pure solvent cleans more effectively. Besides, it dries out quickly too.
On the other hand, if the screen has fingerprints or the buttons are dirty, 70% of the alcohol is also perfect.
In short, it depends on what part of the electronics you want to clean. If it’s a circuit or other water-sensitive parts, pure alcohol is recommended for cleanup.
Can You Use Vodka to Clean a Logic-board?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Yes, you read it right!
Vodka is not suitable for cleaning logic boards. It contains just 40% ethyl alcohol, and the rest is water.
Such a high water content reduces the efficiency of the ethyl alcohol. Besides, it also takes more time to evaporate.
It’s better to opt for isopropyl alcohol.
What’s the Official Cleaning Solvent for Electronics?
Both ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are used for cleaning. Ethyl alcohol is more commonly used in biological laboratories for sterilization purposes.
But when it comes to cleaning electronics, isopropyl alcohol is the official cleaning solvent. Whenever you want to clean electronics, go for isopropyl alcohol.
Can You Use Vodka to Clean TV Remote?
Yes, if you want to remove the dust or sticky dirt from the buttons. You’ll need a cloth damped with vodka.
Avoid spraying the vodka straight on the remote. The liquid will travel down the buttons and leave them out of order.
Wrapping It Up
Can you use vodka to clean electronics? You start looking for alternatives when you don’t have a cleaning solution.
In such a situation, considering vodka, the candidate is quite natural. But it’s not an ideal electronics cleaner.
It contains more water, making it a bad circuit or electronic bits cleaner. However, vodka is a good option if you just want to remove debris from the coverings of electronic devices.
