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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWhy Clean the Print Bed?\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It may seem obvious, but plastics stick better to clean surfaces. If you have poor bed adhesion, your printing quality may suffer. To get the best adhesion, remove any buildup of filament, oil, dirt, and dust. \n<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nPlus when you have a clean 3D printer bed, you might not need to use hacks like glue sticks, painters tape, and hairspray to improve adhesion.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Safety First\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As with anything involving chemicals and electricity, a little common sense will go a long way to protect yourself and your property.\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Never mix chemicals. You may end up inadvertently creating toxic and dangerous substances. Specifically, never mix acetone and isopropyl alcohol. It forms a toxic chemical, peracetic acid, which can cause chemical burns or worse. \n<\/p>\n\n\n Don\u2019t use any of these products in a confined space, and make sure you have good ventilation.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also remember that acetone and all kinds of alcohol are highly flammable. All it takes to start a fire is a spark from the electronics or heated bed. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Only a few cleaning products are effective and safe to use to clean the bed surface.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n IPA or rubbing alcohol at a 90% concentration or higher is an excellent cleaning solution. Anything above 90% will be hard to find at a drugstore, but you can easily find it on Amazon. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a pinch, you can use 70%, but keep in mind it won\u2019t remove as much oil from the build surface, and it may contain chemicals other than just alcohol and water. When alcohol and water dry, they might leave a thin film of other, unknown compounds on your bed. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our experience, 70% isopropyl will do a great job on beds that are already fairly clean. If you see fingerprints or smudges on your build plate that don\u2019t come off with 70% isopropyl, you may need something stronger. We\u2019ve found 90% isopropyl to be the sweet spot between price and effectiveness. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In theory, ethyl alcohol is also a good cleaning solution. However finding it in a strong enough concentration is difficult, and in some U.S. states it\u2019s illegal to purchase over the counter. \n<\/p>\n\n\n Everclear is a brand of ethyl alcohol that you can buy at a liquor store. Everclear is 190 proof, which means it\u2019s 95% alcohol. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the whole, though, ethyl alcohol is more likely than isopropyl alcohol to have impurities, and it\u2019s more expensive. For these reasons, we recommend isopropyl over ethyl alcohol. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might already have some acetone in your home. It\u2019s the main ingredient in some nail polish removers. Read the label, because not all nail polish removers contain acetone. You can find 100% acetone at hardware stores, and it\u2019s a relatively inexpensive solvent.\n<\/p>\n\n\n Acetone is extremely good at removing oil, and it evaporates very quickly. It has a very strong smell and is highly flammable. It can also dissolve some plastics like ABS and acrylic. For that reason, be very careful about what you\u2019re putting acetone on. Prevent damage to your skin, your 3D printer, floors, and furniture by avoiding contact with any other surface besides the bed.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though it\u2019s extremely good at cleaning the build plate, we don\u2019t recommend using acetone regularly. In fact, it may damage beds that have a PEI coating.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol and acetone, though they can take off grease, aren\u2019t good at removing glue sticks, which some people use to help with first layer adhesion. Dishwashing soap and water work well to remove both grease and glue stick. It\u2019s easier to use dish soap and water if you have a removable bed because you can take it to your sink. \n<\/p>\n\n\n Remember, soap and water mixtures are conductive, so don\u2019t get any on the electronics on your 3D printer. It might cause a short, or, worst case, a shock.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n All in all, soapy water may be the best mix because it can remove all types of contaminants. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glass surface cleaners like Windex aren\u2019t just for cleaning glass. They can act as release agents too. Windex will remove some oil from the bed as well as some other water-soluble contaminants, but it will also leave its own film behind. That might result in less adhesion\u2014which isn\u2019t always a bad thing. \n<\/p>\n\n\n In some cases\u2014like when printing with PETG onto a PEI-coated printing surface\u2014your prints<\/a> may stick so well that they can pull up the PEI coating when you try to remove them. If you\u2019re having that problem, consider using a window cleaner to clean your bed, or just spray some on to help reduce adhesion, even if your bed is perfectly clean. Just remember to clean it again if you switch to a filament type that doesn\u2019t adhere as well, like PLA or ABS. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The steps for cleaning the bed of a 3D printer are largely the same, whether you have a glass bed (like the Anycubic Kobra Max), a metal bed (like the Voxelab Aquila<\/a>), a magnetic bed (like the Anycubic Vyper), or a PEI-coated bed (like some Ender 3 printers). \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s really only one exception. You shouldn\u2019t use acetone to clean PEI sheets because it might damage the PEI sheet over time. With that in mind, follow these steps for cleaning beds of different materials. \n<\/p>\n\n\n These are the steps for cleaning with isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, acetone, or Windex:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you see any remaining smudges, fingerprints, etc., repeat the steps above until they\u2019re gone.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n When using soap and water to clean the bed, follow these steps:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to have a clean bed is to not get it dirty in the first place. Avoid touching the bed at all, if possible. Thoroughly clean your hands if you do need to handle the bed. Better yet, wear clean gloves. Nitrile or latex gloves work great. \n<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nCleaning Solutions\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)\n<\/h4>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nEthyl Alcohol\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nAcetone\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSoap and Warm Water\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nGlass Cleaner\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow to Clean Your 3D Print Bed\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
\n<\/li>
\n<\/li>With Soap and Water\n<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n<\/li><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
\n<\/li>
\n<\/li>Keeping Your Bed Clean\n<\/h2>\n\n\n\n