How To Clean Electrical Contacts
Knowing how to clean electrical contacts is an important skill! Your home is full of of electrical components, which may need routine work from time to time. You will find conductors, electrical connectors, sockets and more – and all of these electrical elements have various types of electrical connections, too.
With the continued use of all these different electrical components, wear and tear can occur, leading to malfunction. As most electrical controls are usually in boxes, they can also face humidity, leading to dust and rusting. So, how can you safely clean these electrical contacts, and save yourself forking out for an electrician? Luckily, WD-40 is here to reveal all! Continue reading this handy blog to find out more.
Please note: When checking electrical components, always be sure to turn off the power from the mains first! You should do this by turning off the main switch and the meter. Non-professionals should not try to carry out certain activities except in emergencies. Always consult a professional if you are unsure.
Things you will need
Insulated screwdriver
Tester
Step 1
Wall sockets and switches
If a socket or switch isn’t working properly, it should be disassembled and checked.
Firstly, check for any disconnected cables – these must be reinserted and fixed into the relative terminal. If the switch itself is damaged, it will need to be replaced.
If you find any deteriorated terminals or electrical connectors, treat them with a spray of WD-40® Specialist® Fast Drying Contact Cleaner. This will eliminates various types of residue and condensation on electronic equipment, including delicate materials.
Step 2
Junction boxes
Junction boxes contain smaller or larger bunches of conductors connected with capnuts. If an electrical service (socket, light point, etc.) doesn’t work, first try to make sure that the problem isn’t coming from the electrical service itself. Then trace it back to the conductors, reaching the service from the junction box.
Check that the terminals in question are properly connected: otherwise, loosen the affected terminals and then restore their connection by applying some WD-40® Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray which penetrates and cleans the contacts. You can also apply the product to all other connectors in the box.
Step 3
Main switches and circuit breakers
The removal and reassembly of these controls can be difficult so this step should be left to a professional electrician. With main switches and circuit breakers, simply try to observe the situation to detect any disconnections and apply WD-40® Electrical Contact Cleaner.
Step 4
Other electrical equiptment
All household appliances such as power tools also have electrical contacts. These connections are almost always inside the body of the appliance. Therefore, reaching them for inspection and maintenance involves opening these containers. Before doing so, make sure that your actions won’t result in the loss of warranty coverage, and that it won’t compromise the integrity of the equipment. In this case, the intervention must again be entrusted to a qualified technician.
If you notice any damaged connections, restore their connection by applying some WD-40® Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray
Step 5
Electrical contacts on cars and motorcycles
These contacts are often exposed to water and other problematic substances inside the engine. If your vehicle malfunctions, you can visually check and evaluate with a tester, reconnect any detachments and apply WD-40® Electrical Contact Cleaner, which penetrates the hardest to reach areas. The product restores electrical conductivity, eliminating the danger of short circuits. Its non-conductive formula rapidly evaporates and leaves no residue. Plus, it is compatible with all metals, plastics and rubbers.
Now You Know How To Clean & Maintain Your Electrical Contacts
So, there you have it, a quick guide to restoring your electrical contacts. Always remember to switch all electrical components off before trying any of the steps above and if in doubt, call a professional electrician. To find out more about our WD-40® Specialist® Fast Drying Contact Cleaner, read our guide; Electrical Contact Cleaner FAQs.
The uses shown and described for WD-40 Multi-Use Product were provided to WD-40 Company by the users themselves. These uses haven’t been tested by WD-40 Company and do not constitute a recommendation of suggestion for use by WD-40 Company. Common sense should be exercised whenever using WD-40 Company products. Always follow the instructions and take heed of any warnings printed on the packaging.
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