Flux removers are cleaners used to remove flux residue and other contaminants from PCBs (printed circuit boards) and electronic components.
How do flux removers work?
Flux residue can promote corrosion and thus cause short circuits, leading to the destruction or degrading of electronic components. Flux removers remove deposits of flux, soldering oils, grease and dirt and leave no residues.
Flux removers come in the form of wipes or sprays. Factors to consider when choosing an appropriate flux remover include:
- Solvent compatibility
- The type of flux to be removed
- The ease of application
What are flux removers used for?
Flux removers are used for cleaning PCBS, electronic sub-assemblies and other electronic components. Some flux removers will also effectively remove solder pastes and burnt-on flux residue as well as electronics varnish and lacquers. Typical applications of flux removers include the cleaning of:
- PCBs
- Chip carriers
- Relays
- Sockets
- Switches
- Surface mount device (SMD) pads
- Plugs
- Heat sinks
- Work areas
- Post-solder operations
- Sensitive circuit components