# 3D Printing > 3D Printing in Education > Teachers & Professors >  Prusa i3 surface cleaning

## icj

Hi all, 

I have a Prusa i3 and I am hoping for some advice for how to keep the "bq" surface plate clean.
Having the usual problems with the filament attaching, then keeping attached to the surface, prior to the inevitable detachment

Using ABS but feel it would the same regardless of filament spec.

thanks in advance for any advice

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## curious aardvark

well first you are incorrect in assuming abs is the same as any other filament. 
It is a relative nightmare to get it to stick reliably to any surface, particularly on a printer with an unenclosed print volume. 
The best thing to clean most smooth build plates is  a little acetone on some kitchen paper and just wipe it. 

For best adhesion with abs. the bed temp needs to be around 90-95c and enclosed so that the entire build volume is around 60-70c
This stops the abs shrinking, which is what causes it to detach from the printbed. 
Using abs paint on the bed also helps it stick. Mix abs filament with acetone to a thin paste and paint the bed with that. 

But the best advice i can give you is stop using abs and try pla, petg, or any of the alternative filaments. I - personally - have never noticed any drawbacks to using pla over abs. In fact my pla prints have always been stronger and more durable than my abs prints were. 
That said I know a helluva lot more about 3d printing these days, than I did back when I was daft enough to be using abs.  

But I will never use abs again.

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## icj

HI, thanks for your reply, 

Oops... schoolboy error :-(

It was an unlabelled reel, I thought it was ABS, it is in fact the PLA, so guess your comment about using acetone is the key to it but I'm in a school so am not sure about being able to use it. 

That said, the open environment of the printer is something for consideration too (we also have a Witbox). Time acclimatising to it would be a bonus, but priorities have been elsewhere! my predecessor managed fine with it, so at least that's a indicator of it working.

Cheers






> well first you are incorrect in assuming abs is the same as any other filament. 
> It is a relative nightmare to get it to stick reliably to any surface, particularly on a printer with an unenclosed print volume. 
> The best thing to clean most smooth build plates is  a little acetone on some kitchen paper and just wipe it. 
> 
> For best adhesion with abs. the bed temp needs to be around 90-95c and enclosed so that the entire build volume is around 60-70c
> This stops the abs shrinking, which is what causes it to detach from the printbed. 
> Using abs paint on the bed also helps it stick. Mix abs filament with acetone to a thin paste and paint the bed with that. 
> 
> But the best advice i can give you is stop using abs and try pla, petg, or any of the alternative filaments. I - personally - have never noticed any drawbacks to using pla over abs. In fact my pla prints have always been stronger and more durable than my abs prints were. 
> ...

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## curious aardvark

if it's pla and not sticking - check your calibration. Pla generally sticks to everything if the calibration is tight enough. 
Enclosed print volume totally unnecessary for pla. 

If you can't get acetone, then rubbing alcohol will also work. 
You could also try computer screen cleaning wipes. As long as it clears the grease and oils from people touching the bed, it should work :-)

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