Few questions about SNES cleaning/maintenance

[DOMINATOR912]

I just started to get back into my SNES, so I figured I'd clean it and give it as much care as I can before I start up with it again. It has NEVER had any sort of cleaning or maintenance since I first got it back in 1991, so I figure I should do the best I can before I use my now ugly mustard-colored console. So here are just a few questions I have:

1. I just bought an official SNES cleaning kit off eBay, should I use anything ontop of it to clean the console?
2. Should I even bother trying to clean it up so it's not yellow anymore? In any case, will the yellowness affect the systems performance or is it purely cosmetic?
3. Will cleaning out the game cartridges themselves damage them to the point that any gamesaves are lost or they just wont play anymore?
4. My AC adapter dropped and split open back when I was about 8 years old, so I just wrapped it up with electrical tape and kept using it for another bundle of years (only stopped playing it because I got an N64). It never seemed to give me any sort of problem, but should I get a new AC adapter or just give the original one some fresh electrical tape and keep on going?

Thanks for the help

 

[Chuplayer]

1. Maybe get a can of compressed air. I'd get the special security bit to open the console up and give the cart contacts a thorough cleaning with Radio Shack cleaner/degreaser and then blow it all dry, but that's just me. If you do decide to do that, it's easy because the can comes with a nozzle that has a brush on the end. Just jam the brush in there and go to town.

2. It's purely cosmetic. The plastic used for the SNES is infamous for its tendency to yellow. (Mine has never yellowed in the slightest. Go figure.)

3. Cleaning cartridges is always a good idea. Short of a really nasty static electricity shock, the cartridge will only benefit from being cleaned.

4. It's probably just the enclosure that's damaged since you continued to use it successfully for years after the drop. I'd get another one just to be safe, but it will probably work okay.

 

[WanderingAesir]

1. I used the cleaning kit for the original nes for years, and it kept my console working... so yes, besides the canned air, I can't think of anything else.

2. Agreed with Chuplayer.

3. Yes, always a good idea. I know some people like to use rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean the connections. I prefer a cleaning solution like Windex. I've brought many a cart back from the grave with that stuff.

4. Also, agreed. A lot of online stores carry replacement adapters these days. And for not too steep a price.