How to clean SD card slot?

[alex_virt]

I want to clean the SD card slot on one of my cameras. What is the best way to do it? Are there "cleaning cards" or something like that?

 

[Gam3r01]

First you would need to establish why you want to clean it to begin with.

If you are trying to get physical debris out, a blower or toothpick.

For anything stuck on, one of those dental picks for people with braces (essentially a tiny pipe cleaner) with isopropyl alcohol.

Cant say Ive never needed to clean an SD card slot, on anything, before.

 

[alex_virt]

First you would need to establish why you want to clean it to begin with.

I've established that.

If you are trying to get physical debris out, a blower or toothpick.

For anything stuck on, one of those dental picks for people with braces (essentially a tiny pipe cleaner) with isopropyl alcohol.

Cant say Ive never needed to clean an SD card slot, on anything, before.

It's supposed to be a common task, and I'm surprised there are no readily available tools for that. I still remember cleaning diskettes and cassettes...

 

[Gam3r01]

First you would need to establish why you want to clean it to begin with.

I've established that.

If you are trying to get physical debris out, a blower or toothpick.

For anything stuck on, one of those dental picks for people with braces (essentially a tiny pipe cleaner) with isopropyl alcohol.

Cant say Ive never needed to clean an SD card slot, on anything, before.

It's supposed to be a common task, and I'm surprised there are no readily available tools for that. I still remember cleaning diskettes and cassettes...

You didnt establish it though, you havent said anything about whats going on with your SD card slot that would require cleaning. Is it full of dirt? Rocks? Lint? Soda? Sea water? Different materials are going to require different approaches, so its hard to recommend something with no info.

I also am not sure where you get the notion its supposed to be a common task, Ive never heard it recommended, never seen any guides, nor seen any products designed for it, which lends to the idea that its not common at all.

 

[Mika Y.]

First you would need to establish why you want to clean it to begin with.

I've established that.

If you are trying to get physical debris out, a blower or toothpick.

For anything stuck on, one of those dental picks for people with braces (essentially a tiny pipe cleaner) with isopropyl alcohol.

Cant say Ive never needed to clean an SD card slot, on anything, before.

It's supposed to be a common task, and I'm surprised there are no readily available tools for that. I still remember cleaning diskettes and cassettes...

For me this is actually the first time I recall seeing anyone mentioning that they would like to clean a card slot.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that for cassettes and diskettes cleaning was primarily needed because any material accumulating on the heads was way more harmful because there were actually moving parts involved, and the sensitive media could be damaged by the extra contact. Various memory cards on the other hand are both way more robust and besides inserting/removing a card there's no moving parts involved.

 

[PhotoMac503]

In all of my decades discussing photography, I have never heard anyone ask about this.

I suspect a lot of people clean lenses and sensors simply because they like to buy gadgets and because they are bored.

Nose grease and a t shirt for lenses!

 

[sybersitizen]

It's supposed to be a common task ...

I'd like to see where it's been described as a common task.

and I'm surprised there are no readily available tools for that.

I'm thinking it's something that is never done unless an uncommon circumstance has occurred, so there are no readily available tools.

 

[Bob A L]

I see the perfect opportunity for someone to get rich. Just design a sd card slot cleaner.

 

[skyglider]

I want to clean the SD card slot on one of my cameras. What is the best way to do it? Are there "cleaning cards" or something like that?

While working as a computer hardware technician, we only cleaned the female slot using a brush and vacuum with a plastic tip (long card slots, not SD slot). Can also blow into the slot if vacuum was not enough. Do not use compressed air as that will contain condensation. Only use a vacuum cleaner. ..... This was mostly for upward facing slots. I don't think this is necessary for a SD slot unless you can visibly see dust in the slot.

We cleaned the male contacts on circuit boards using a soft eraser like a pink pearl eraser. Those pencil type erasers with the white soft rubber eraser in them would work. Do not use a hard eraser to erase the male contacts. .... So you can clean the male contacts on the SD card using a soft eraser. The soft kind that actually erases pencil text cleanly without leaving eraser marks on the paper.

 

[alex_virt]

I want to clean the SD card slot on one of my cameras. What is the best way to do it? Are there "cleaning cards" or something like that?

While working as a computer hardware technician, we only cleaned the female slot using a brush and vacuum with a plastic tip (long card slots, not SD slot). Can also blow into the slot if vacuum was not enough. Do not use compressed air as that will contain condensation. Only use a vacuum cleaner. ..... This was mostly for upward facing slots. I don't think this is necessary for a SD slot unless you can visibly see dust in the slot.

We cleaned the male contacts on circuit boards using a soft eraser like a pink pearl eraser. Those pencil type erasers with the white soft rubber eraser in them would work. Do not use a hard eraser to erase the male contacts. .... So you can clean the male contacts on the SD card using a soft eraser. The soft kind that actually erases pencil text cleanly without leaving eraser marks on the paper.

Thanks!

 

[OpticsEngineer]

I have occasionally had things used in dusty environments that I would use a can of dry compressed air to blow dust out of a slot. I would use the thin straw like tube to direct air into one side of the slot, so the other side was open for the air to blow out.

But something to be aware of. The whole thing has been designed so the males contacts on the card naturally wipe the dust off the female pads as the card is being inserted. That is why it is so rare that one needs to clean SD card slots. When connectors are being developed, there is a lot of testing with dust, and microscope examinations of pads/contacts after repeated use. One of my mechanical engineering colleagues described it to me once about stuff he was involved with thirty years ago. There are a lot of cost considerations when millions and millions of something is being made, so the pressure is really high to not spend even the tiniest fraction of a penny if it is not necessary.

 

[Gato Amarillo]

First you would need to establish why you want to clean it to begin with.

I've established that.

If you would tell us we might give better answers