How To Clean Oxidized Solder Iron Tip
Like other posters have said to make the tip last longer leave a blob of solder on the tip when you are done.
How to clean oxidized solder iron tip. There are solder tip activators for sale which are to clean oxidised solder tips. Heat the iron up to temperature. Wrap the wetted sponge around the tip.
Good soldering process is important. If that does not work use the Hakko FS-100 Chemical Cleaning Paste. Adjust the temperature of the soldering iron to a typical work range about 300C.
A soldering iron tip is beyond any hope of effective cleaning or repair if any part of the iron tip no matter how small has worn all the way through. If you clean off the rust and spot a hole in the iron coating recognizable by the copper color showing through from the inside or if any part of the tip appears hollowed out its done. Reply 1 on.
You will find that both a damp sponge and a wire cleaner will be effective for cleaning a tip. Sandpaper is used to remove this layer of iron oxide which restores a tip that would otherwise have to be thrown away. Take either a wet sponge or wire wool.
This is a mixture of a more aggressive flux than usually found in solder and powdered solder. Please note that the FS-100. Once the re-tinning product melts around the tip hold it for several seconds and then clean the tip using dry cleaning methods like brass wool or an automatic tip cleaner.
Use Hakko 599B Cleaning Wire to remove the surface oxide. Each time you clean the soldering iron and put it away apply a fresh solder to the tip. If the tip is still not clean and shiny then use a tip cleaner.