Suggestions for cleaning hundreds of socketed chips?

My take on this: On 10 Sep 2008 at 21:11, Randy Dawson wrote: I've found that stuff stored for a long time builds up a coating of dust and gunk (oil, grease?). Better to use a solvent cleaner on the chips and sockets than shove the crud back into the socket. I wouldn't use a screwdriver--take some scrap steel or aluminum sheet metal and use it to make an "L" shape. The length of the horizontal part of the "L" should be nearly the length of the chip and about 2/3rds the width of the chip between pins; the vertical part should be long enough for you to use it as a handle. Slip the leg of the L under the chip and gently rock it from side to side using the vertical handle until the chip pops out. You're much less likely to bend the chip pins this way. If you have to use an eraser, use a gum-rubber one without the "grit" most pencil erasers have. Better just to wipe the edge connectors with a contact cleaning solution. My .02 anyway, Chuck