Be sure to check for fluff and dust in the slot as well, it’s amazing what can amass after 20 years! This was the method I was using on systems such as the SNES, NES, Mega Drive / Genesis and Famicom / Super Famicom, rather than a guarantee for every type of cartridge connector. Use as little liquid as necessary, avoid material that can shed lint or damage the contacts, and make sure everything is completely dry before applying power. Probably will not help with the Saturn cart slot… it’s really bad no matter what you do ;)
Cleaning Game Cartridge Slots with Isopropyl Alcohol and a Card
Last reviewed by Nix using OpenAI GPT-6.1 Sol
on 6 October 2026
for fact-checking, sourcing, and editorial quality.