I was wondering if anyone had any tips on cleaning remote control push button contacts. It seems like when the remotes get older, the buttons don't work so well anymore, first with a few buttons then with others.

Any suggestions?

Jim, almost every remote I've ever disected used rubber buttons (or a single membrane with buttons) that had little conductive blocks under each button. When pressed, the block makes contact with, and connect, a pair of copper pads on the printed circuit board.

Remove the battery and try to locate the screws or molded-in edges that hold the case together. You can use either contact cleaner or alcohol to gently clean the face of the block and the copper pads, or in a pinch, a dry abrasive like a pencil or pen eraser.

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com

Sometimes it takes a fair bit of force to separate the two halves of the remote, but I haven't had one break on me or any of the little tabs break that hold the remote together.

An old remote can become "new" again with a good cleaning!

If a good cleaning doesn't do the trick ...

In some cases the problem is that the conductive coating on the bottom of the button membrane has worn off. (In fact, you might just accelerate the process with your good cleaning.) Folks have reported success here by renewing this coating, using the conductive "paint" sold to repair automotive rear window defroster lines. Loctite makes such a product, and you can find it at auto supply stores.