🚀 go-pugleaf

      We covered this last month.  There are good commercial flux removers.
They are far better than raw alcohol for this specialized job.
Here in Silicon Valley, they are available at your neighborhood electronics
supply store, such as Zack's, Fry's, or Hamilton/Avnet.  For those in 
backward areas, mail order may be necessary.  

      Miller-Stephenson Heavy Duty Solvent Flux Remover (MS-190-HD) is
very effective.  It comes in a spray can.  Cautions: skin irritation,
not flammable, CFC propellant.  I've been very pleased with this.
Miller-Stephenson HQ is at 203-743-4447; ask them for a dealer near you.

      The Zack Electronics catalog has a good selection of defluxing
products.  (415-626-7976, VISA/MC accepted).  Order a catalog.  The
Zack catalog has several pages of defluxing products, including those
of Ersin, the well-known solder manufacturer.  They even have a biodegradable
solder flux for board washing.  (In a PC board manufacturing plant, the
board passes over a wave of molten solder and then through a machine much
like a dishwasher.  The components that can't take this treatment, if any,
are added later, and they are usually such things as speakers.  If you
do this yourself, use distilled water; you don't want to leave a mineral
residue.)

      This is a totally solved problem if you use the right tool for the
job.

					John Nagle