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How to Clean a Compass

A magnetic compass can save your life when you are lost in an unfamiliar environment such as a forest, a national park or a cave. A compass needs to be well taken care of to resist the elements and have a long life. When it gets old, the liquid evaporates and foreign elements can get into the compass. Clean the interior of your compass to give it a new life and ensure its accuracy.

Things You'll Need

Water
Mineral oil
Rubbing alcohol
Glycerin
4 glasses
Syringe

Instructions

- 1
  In separate glasses, put a few drops of water, mineral oil, rubbing alcohol and glycerin.
- 2
  There should be a screw on the side of the compass. Remove it to empty the compass of its liquid. Keep some of the liquid to figure out what type it is to ensure you will be using the proper replacement liquid.
- 3
  Add a few drops of the compass' old liquid into each glass. Do not stir the liquids and let them sit for a while, no more than an hour. Observe the mix to see which substance mixes into the old compass liquid first. Usually the mineral oil will dissolve first, but depending on the age of the compass and its fabrication, the alcohol or glycerin could be the first to dissolve. The liquid that disappears first is the one you should use as a replacement for the old liquid in your compass.
- 4
  Empty your compass' old liquid and clean the interior by filling it with the new liquid and shaking it. Let it soak for an hour. To fill up your compass with new liquid, use a syringe that you can insert through the hole on the side where you removed the screw.
- 5
  Empty the liquid and refill the compass again. Make sure there are no air bubbles in the compass before closing it by tightening the screw.

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