Clean Pots with houshold Chems?

[MetalEd]

Not neccessarily a Mod, but it is Technical. I use my detectors and electronic probes in the rain/mud a lot (I usually plastic bag the probes). So the controls get dirt in them after some time no matter how much I protect them. It is really noticable in the electronic pinpointer (White's Bullseye pinpointer). I have 8 of them that are in varying degrees of operation... Most need the power switches replaced again, but my main concern is the sensitivity control (Pot style Variable Resistor? like a volume control dial). Moisture and dirt get in there (feel/hear grinding from sand and dirt inside) and you can feel it is hard to turn and eventually stops working or erratic operation until it is cleaned out. I normally purchase a spray cleaner for cleaning circuit boards and controls from the local electronics hobby store... Spray a bunch inside using the included straw, while repeatadly operating the dial control, try to let as much drip back out (taking the dirt with it) while holding it upside down before it evaporates. It normally works, but can take quite a bit of it if the moisture and dirt has hardened onto the inside parts. An area I cannot access. (it evaporates/dries in a second!)
Now it is getting very hard to get this product, hardly ever stocked any more and I was hoping there was something better that could be used. Does anyone know? How about rubbing alchohol, put it in a syringe and spray it directly into the control.. using the same method to remove the liquid and dirt... it should evaporate, but not as quickly as the spray electronics cleaner. Will it clean it without damaging the parts (plastic too). Will it evaporate completely without leaving any residue? I also thought of acetone since it would evaporate cleanly in a while and is used as a cleaning solvent (disolving oils, rinsing out the dirt and moisture)... but I have had it desolve some types of plastics! (melted a plastic drinking cup once!).
So other than not getting them dirty, is there a way I can clean the inside of the "pot" controls (can't be opened).. Hopefully with household chemicals that don't cost a fortune. I think liquids would work better than a spray since it is a closed cotrol and most of the spray will never get to the area it needs too.
Any suggestions on these or any other methods I could try?
Thank you so very much!
Ed - MetalEd

 

[megadivers]

Radio Shack still sells TV Tuner Cleaner. Works perfect for this application and lubricates Pots as well.

 

[Sandpiper]

I have the older type whites pin pointer, it has a trim type vari-resistor not a closed pot for sen. setting. I would use a spray type contact cleaner made for that. Do not use acetone, as you well know what will happen. Alcohol contains a fair amount of water and will leave a residue, not good. Denatured alcohol is uses for cleaning circuit boards and the solder joints during Assembly, but would not use for the what you mention. The old contact cleaner was mainly trico 111 for short, I don't know how to spell the full name of the chemical. It was used for dry cleaning, cutting grease on parts and so for. I think the use of it was banned or restristed. Get the spray contact cleaner like megadivers mention, also not sure but I think Lowe's may have some in their electronic department.