Washing the PCB before testing is an important step in quality control. Failing to properly clean a PCB can lead to loss of durability, reliability, and the overall effectiveness of the circuit. However, when using large aluminum electrolytic capacitors in the PCB, the washing can become problematic. Aggressive washing of the PCB can force water underneath the insulating sleeve of the Snap-in or radial; usually this water evaporates during the remainder of the assembly process but if enough water is trapped, it can leak out onto the PCB later. One solution used during the assembly process is to protect the capacitor with a “hat” before the washing process; this method is costly as it adds an additional step to the manufacturing process. Other customers request Snap-in designs without the insulating sleeve which can lead to electrical connection risk. Another method would be to selectively solder after the washing operation, but this requires, again, expensive equipment and additional processes.