How do you clean the little golden metal pieces on the SD card?

I put my SD card in the slot, and the light that's supposed to go on when the card can be read, won;t turn on. The pictures can't be read by the computer. Should I clean it?

How do you clean the little golden metal pieces on the SD card?
I would try a different card reader before messing with card. If it works in camera then it should work in reader.
Reply:soft dry cloth
Reply:Deffenetly don't touch the golden piece, it can wreck the card. I would get a new reader to start out with, there only around $15.00.
Reply:You can use a pencil eraser to clean it. I have also used rubbing alcohol and a Q tip. Just don't use to much and put the alcohol on the q tip not the card.
Reply:Sure, cleaning done correctly will do no harm. Have a close inspection of the contacts. They should all be a consistent orange-gold colour. You may need a magnifying glass to check, may be not, but if you can see variation in the colour of the contacts, it may need cleaning. Tarnishing or corrosion will appear as a darker shade on the contacts, a brassy colour.





The number one offender for this is the fats and acids in your sweat, or residue from soft drinks/sodas.





If the contacts are corroded or dirty, wipe it with a cotton bud or clean cloth moistened with a few drops of methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol. If this doesn't shift the contamination, rub lightly in one direction on the contacts with a pencil eraser, then wipe clean. Be careful not to wet the card with the alcohol, as it can very easily seep between the joins on your card.





BUT, if the card contacts do not appear to be dirty or corroded, the problem might be your card reader. Try another SD card if you have one, or try a friends reader. If it is your reader, you can buy contact cleaners for card readers from some camera stores, and from computer stores. Or alternately, a new USB card reader would be very cheap.





Is the SD card still working in your camera? If you can still delete, and take pictures, there is probably nothing wrong with the card at all.