How to Clean and Fix Nintendo 64 Games

Pour a small amount of lighter fluid onto any stickers or dirty patches on the cartridge. Let the fluid soak in for a minute or two. Use this time to wipe off any fluid that has come into contact with the cover art.

Gently ease the razor blade under the edge of the stickers to remove them. If you are removing stickers from the cover art, take care not to remove the art itself. Use a dry cloth to wipe off any dirty or sticky residue left by the lighter fluid.

Dip the Magic Eraser in water and use it to clean the cartridge. Do not rub the cover art, as the Magic Eraser can remove or damage it.

Liberally wet the end of a cotton swab with lighter fluid. Slide the swab into the space protecting the gold cartridge contacts. Rub the swab back and forth along the contacts, cleaning the back and front of the gold surface. The cotton swab should become blackened as years' worth of dirt are removed from the contacts; when the swab becomes dirty, switch ends or use a new one. When you have removed all the blackened dirt from the cartridge contacts, the cartridge will boot up far more readily and will no longer freeze during game play.