How to clean a heatsink

M

MC FLMJIG

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jun 20, 2005
Messages
4,516
I have a question.

Heatsinks have a tendancy to get a tad dusty after a while. How can we clean in between the ridges?

For example
picture0529yo.jpg


I've tried various things, Q-Tips, paper towels, etc, etc... They rip so I even tried a pair of socks but they don't fit in between the ridges... I'd like to clean it and am having a hard time coming up with an idea that wont take forever...

I know what ruins metal is salt... what if I used filtered or distilled water to clean it?
 
I'd imagine taking a paper towel or tissue and flossing between them would work out ok, but air would be the fastest and easiest
 
Air... helps but not a lot... floss with the towels... now there is an idea!

How do we get that new heatsink shine back now?
:D



Curious... why couldn't we use filtered or distilled water and quickly dry it?
 
If your talking just a metal heatsink, no fan attached I've put mine in the dishwasher.. Works wonders.

For removing the thermal paste I use nail polish remover.
 
yeah, some sort of purified water should work great. dishwasher sounds a bit overboard but hey, whateva!

just about any heatsink and fan should have some way to detach the fan, even the zalman 7 series and the thermaltake orbs. about the only heatsink I can think of off the top of my head that can't really have the fan removed is the gigabyte rocket coolers.

also, WOOT! for an mx310. best. mouse. ever.
 
Thanks everyone.

It's the SI you see there I'm speaking about... I no longer have the MX 310... have a 518 now... looked different in the pics... hate the way it looks but watever.

Wamt it looking shiny again. Let's try h2o and c what happens.
 
Yup compressed air is the fast and easy way to do it. Remember not to shake the can of air or turn it upside down. Oh and if you have allergies don't use it indoors, sometimes parts that look clean will have a ton of dust in them.
 
I use a paintbrush
926180_3.jpg


Works great
The longer the bristles.. the better.
Harder bristles are a plus.. but not many brushes have stiff bristles.
 
Go 80+ down the highway and hold it out the window.
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LOL. Hmmm. At that pace the price of the ticket I could buy 2 SI's!

I use a paintbrush
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Great idea!!!

Just run it under a fast faucet
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Problem with that is that faucet water has tons of salt and other minerals that would probably damage the heatsink... it's not copper so it wouldn't be to bad but ... don't think it's a good idea


Keep em coming!!! I'm sure this would help many!!!
 
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