How do I clean my multimeter probes?

Question

I'm not so sure exactly what happened to them - I was doing a project on electrolytes, and I was using a multimeter for measurements of current and resistance. I put the probes in a solution of table salt and water, and I had two pieces of aluminum foil on either side of the plastic container the solution was in (these sheets of foil were serving as conductors, so I could figure out the resistivity of the solution). I had two copper wires connected to either terminal on a 6V battery. When I connected the copper wires to the aluminum foil, the solution started fizzing at the edges. I put the probes in and took some readings. When I pulled them out, the probe nearest to the conductor connected to the negative terminal had a copperish looking coating on it, along with some black coating. Also, the foil connected to the positive terminal had disappeared, like something ate at it (it had holes in it). I'm pretty sure this was a type of chemical reaction; any ideas on how to reverse/fix it?

Answer 1

Sand paper would be my suggestion.

Answer 2

why do u put them directly into the solution.why do not u

connect some copper wires to the probes. Actually at positive end of the probe chlorine gas is released and reacts with the metal(metal part of +ve probe) and will produse a substance

which will precipitate in the solution.That is why it disappered.

And a sodium coating  will be prodused at -ve probe .

you can't clean it. If the probes are conducting no problem.

They will conduct definitely because the coating is metal.

Try "easy of bang" solution to clean them.Hope it helps u.