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Removing old thermal paste

Flat Mop

Flat Mop

Member
Hey guys, I hear the best way to clean off old thermal paste from a CPU is to get some isopropanol (rubbing alcohol, surgical spirit) on a lint-free microfibre dishcloth and then just rub off the old paste. But is this really a good idea? If you remember junior school physics, rubbing things together creates a static charge and that's not really what I want on top of a >£100 Phenom II. Also, is the alcohol safe for this purpose? I have seen it specifically marketed for thermal paste removal and cleaning of sensitive electronics, but does anyone have any first-hand experience with this method?

Thanks.
 
ive used rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs everytime ive cleaned a CPU , q-tips also work. when you clean it you gently wipe , dont vigorously rub it
 
Dont use a cotten swab you might leave lint. I always use someting lint free like a coffee filter . Also I always make sure my rubbing alcohol is at least 91%
 
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I use:

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You won't create a static charge rubbing against a conductor. I myself just always use a paper towel + 99% isopropyl alcohol.
 
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pinkfloyd48 said:
Dont use a cotten swab you might leave lint. I always use someting lint free like a coffee filter . Also I always make sure my rubbing alcohol is at least 91%
Click to expand...

I've used this in the past and it works fine. Lately I've been using coffee filters and Arctic Silvers' ArctiClean thermal compound remover. Works extremely well even on the gunked on stuff.
 
IPA (isopropyl alcohol) always works well....have even used acetone, but no smoking around it and watch for drips with that stuff. Acetone will screw up some traces, mb epoxy, etc., from what I've read and heard.

Goof-off also works, and so does a host of other cleaners.
 
aphelion02 said:
You won't create a static charge rubbing against a conductor. I myself just always use a paper towel + 99% isopropyl alcohol.
Click to expand...


This... Isopropyl alcohol is like what, $.99cents at the store heh. You want to use paper towers, not cotton swabs. Cotton swabs are a good way to leave little lint all over the top of cpu.
 
pinkfloyd48 said:
Dont use a cotten swab you might leave lint. I always use someting lint free like a coffee filter . Also I always make sure my rubbing alcohol is at least 91%
Click to expand...
Make sure to do clean it in an ISO 1 cleanroom or else you might get a particle on top of the IHS!!!!

Its a heatsink, unless its part of a million dollar space probe, its not really a big deal. At worst you might increase your core temperature by 0.1*C.
 
Ben90 said:
Make sure to do clean it in an ISO 1 cleanroom or else you might get a particle on top of the IHS!!!!

Its a heatsink, unless its part of a million dollar space probe, its not really a big deal. At worst you might increase your core temperature by 0.1*C.
Click to expand...

Pretty much. Same goes for thermal paste. Plus or minus a degree or two isn't going to make a lot of difference.
 
I used After Shave once. PC smelled nice afterwards and it removed the TP quite nicely. Probably coats the surface though, so I don't recommend it for Overclockers, but it seemed to work.
 
sandorski said:
I used After Shave once. PC smelled nice afterwards and it removed the TP quite nicely. Probably coats the surface though, so I don't recommend it for Overclockers, but it seemed to work.
Click to expand...

most after shave is nearly all alcohol


get the 97% kind, the lower %s don't work as well.
 
IPA 91% and either an old t-shirt or sock.

As mentioned above, acetone will work but not recommended as it can damage some components on motherboards.
 
Q-tip and alcohol. Then I wipe with a cotton shirt or a paper towel after all the crevaces are cleaned with the q-tip.
 
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