How To Clean A Dirty Soldering Tip
If the tip loses its tin you want a product called tinning salts or sal ammoniac to restore wettability then re-tin with your usual solder.
How to clean a dirty soldering tip. This step will coat the iron in a mixture of flux and solder. Cleaning the iron is usually done with either a damp sponge or brass turnings. Dedicated tip cleaning mesh is the best thing Ive found for that but the traditional damp sponge works fairly well.
A simple dab on the tip should do the job. This method is advisable as a last resort. How to clean a soldering iron tip depends on the level of oxidation and contamination on its surface.
Cleaning the solder irons tip while it is in use will result in better soldering work. Dont worry too much if the whole tip isnt nicely covered in solder. You put the tip into the receptacle with the sand and turn it around.
If the tip is a little too dirty you can apply a cleaning paste and a tip tinner. Apply some solder to the wire tip and make the soldering. Cleaning the glass and solder with a flux remover and warm soapy water is a great start.
If there are some solder spots on your clothes use ethyl alcohol withwithout a little acetone to clean. With the iron tip cold use a polishing bar. Be careful not to over-tighten the locking nut.
A polyurethane foam bar with embedded abrasives which is used to polish the working end of the tip to remove surface oxides. Then immediately re-tin the tip with rosin core solder. Wipe off the irons tip between strokes.