Cleaning a used switch - smells like body odor anytime I am around the rack

[BoGs]

I bought a used switch that is rear to front, and every time I am working in the rack or doing anythign around all I can smell is body odor. I took the casing off and I can smell it most on the cpu heatsink and on the power supply fins. How would i be able to clean these without destroying the switch? I was thinking some rubbing alcohol and q-tips? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have super sensitive smell and it drives me crazy ....

 

[PigLover]

Pure Isopropyl alcohol and high quality lint-free swabs would be safe. Household rubbing alcohol likely has too much water (make sure you use >95% pure ISO) and garden variety q-tips will leave too much fluff when you are done.

 

[Dave Corder]

You might try this: CRC® QD® Electronic Cleaner, 11 Wt Oz - I've used it before to clean up small PCBs (by spraying them all over) and even clean out a couple of the motors on my power tools, so I think it'd be fairly safe (but don't blame me if it blows up your switch).

 

[CyklonDX]

i'd say get real UV light, take it out for a night or couple hours and open it up. Put it on in a closed room for couple hours - it will kill the smell / just make sure you put some protection on serial stickers if its on warranty or if you think you'll need it.

 

[BoGs]

i'd say get real UV light, take it out for a night or couple hours and open it up. Put it on in a closed room for couple hours - it will kill the smell / just make sure you put some protection on serial stickers if its on warranty or if you think you'll need it.

Would that not damage the chips/pcb for the chip? I sometimes debate removing the heatsinks so I can clean the m, I am waiting on some professional electronics cleaner from mg chemicals (superwash and superclean 2) that I was hoping it would work with. I can see splotches on the fins above the asic and heat pipes.

 

[CyklonDX]

It would damage color of the pcb, prints on chips, and stickers. Nothing else.
(and it depends for how long would it be exposed, an hour shouldn't really do all that much)

 

[BoGs]

So using alcohol did not help I have never had this before, reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with his car. Not sure I want to try the UV light as I do not have a UVC bulb and Canada is kinda finiky on mercury bulbs and a contraption to encapsulate the switch but not let the uv go outside.

 

[CyklonDX]

https://www.amazon.com/Sanitizer-Ultraviolet-Control-Disinfection-Kitchen/dp/B0CKHQ7XR5

this should do...

 

[pimposh]

This will do the job. Relocate your problem from bad smell to excessive smell.