Best way to remove old thermal paste?

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I'm thinking of using rubbing alcohol like nail polish remover but don't know. What do you guys and gals use?
 
98% isopropol alcohol and lint free wipes. Do several times with clean wipes.
 
I had some stock hard paste on my NB that wouldn't come off so I used acetone and it melted away. I have never seen anything like it.
 
Don't use nail polish remover. The acetone in some of kinds can damage parts, and the fragrances and oils in most of them will leave behind a residue that's hard to get off.
 
Alcohol and nail polish remover are two very different chemicals.

Yes to almost-pure alcohol. No to nail polish remover.
 
rubbing alochol, q-tips and lint free cloth FTW!!!!!!!! just did this on my 360 i fixed the bad boy and traded it in towards the new 360..
 
By the way, if you are looking for thermal paste to use, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend IC Diamond 7. I just recently put it on my Cooler Master TX2, and now my Athlon II X4 635 generally idles at only 8-10 degrees centigrade above the ambient temp in my room.

Here is my full review, if you are interested. Sadly, no before/after speedfan comparisons, since I didn't think to do them prior to changing the heatsink out...and I really don't want to put the stock heatsink back on there :)
 
Coffee filters are lint free. Other than that anything that will get it off and not leave a residue.
 
ryan_975 said:
Don't use nail polish remover. The acetone in some of kinds can damage parts, and the fragrances and oils in most of them will leave behind a residue that's hard to get off.
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Yeah I'd only recommend acetone for paste that doesn't come off with normal alcohol.
 
pojut said:
By the way, if you are looking for thermal paste to use, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend IC Diamond 7. I just recently put it on my Cooler Master TX2, and now my Athlon II X4 635 generally idles at only 8-10 degrees centigrade above the ambient temp in my room.

Here is my full review, if you are interested. Sadly, no before/after speedfan comparisons, since I didn't think to do them prior to changing the heatsink out...and I really don't want to put the stock heatsink back on there :)
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Better than the shin etsu stuff?
 
gigatexal said:
Better than the shin etsu stuff?
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I've never used shin etsu personally, but from the various forum posts I found while researching, people generally report anywhere from 0-2 degrees centigrade lower temps using the IC Diamond 7 compared to the etsu.

YMMV, naturally.
 
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pojut is right about the arctic silver stuff. It's called Arcticlean, and I always have a few bottles for cleaning up cores. It even dissolves those hard wax/rubber thermal pads as well as 5 year old dried up rock hard thermal paste. It may seem a bit pricey, but those two tiny bottles last for a ridiculous number of uses. I usually end up losing my bottles before using them up.
 
Another vote for 95% or higher isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to get some of the baked on compound off, but it works nonetheless.
 
goo gone & isopropyl 90%+... seems to be the same stuff in the arcticlean, I've used both and they provide equal results. Not to mention the full bottles of goo gone & isopropyl are about the same cost as the two tiny bottles in the arcticlean set.
 
That AKASA CPU and heatsink ceaner stuff! I works like the other ones and doesn't make you smell like a solvent abuser (it smells orangy). oh, IT SMELLS ORANGY.
 
Some fine cognac and then dry with baby seal chamois. :p This is the best way but, 91+% alcohol and a paper towel will do. I find that a straight razor will get rid of the goo, then a cleaning with alcohol, makes it a little less messy.
 
The Artic Silver purifier works well. I have cleaned heat spreaders with Iso Alc until they were spotless then I have used the A S cleaner and I have seen more residue come off. A small bottle will last for years so it is cheap per use and works very well.
 
paul-e-wog said:
pojut is right about the arctic silver stuff. It's called Arcticlean, and I always have a few bottles for cleaning up cores. It even dissolves those hard wax/rubber thermal pads as well as 5 year old dried up rock hard thermal paste. It may seem a bit pricey, but those two tiny bottles last for a ridiculous number of uses. I usually end up losing my bottles before using them up.
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Another vote for ArcticClean 1 and 2.
This stuff works very well and will remove almost any gunk from a heatsink no matter how poorly applied or cheap it is/was.

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/arcticlean.html

60cc kit will last a long,long time. I think I just bought replacements after 4 years or so.
Has a nice citrus scent too.:D
 
slickmitch said:
Some fine cognac and then dry with baby seal chamois. :p This is the best way but, 91+% alcohol and a paper towel will do. I find that a straight razor will get rid of the goo, then a cleaning with alcohol, makes it a little less messy.
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cognac isn't 91% alcohol is it? It be gurly drink. Your going to need high grade absinthe or low grade meth if your going that route. Yes clean it with absynthe! it won\t really work, but it will smell liqorishy.
 
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DeathPrincess said:
cognac isn't 91% alcohol is it? It be gurly drink. Your going to need high grade absinthe or low grade meth if your going that route. Yes clean it with absynthe! it won\t really work, but it will smell liqorishy.
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I tried using Everclear once but I can not remember what happened.
 
high purity isopropyl alcohol and a paper coffee filter works wonders. everclear just gets you shit faced :O
 
ryan_975 said:
how so?
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You remember when you went out drinking?
...you don't

"The symptoms of ingestion occur within 30 minutes, with GI complaints of pain, vomiting, and hematemesis being predominant. Central nervous system effects include headache, muscular incoordination, ataxia, confusion, and coma. The initial excitatory phase that is well recognized with ethanol intoxication does not seem to be present with isopropanol ingestion. Pupil size may vary, but it is not uncommon to have miotic pupils. Should the eyes have direct exposure to isopropyl alcohol corneal de-epithelialization has been reported. The patient may have a distinct odor of acetone. With very large doses cardiovascular effects include myocardial depression and severe hypotension. Less common presentations include renal tubular necrosis, hemolytic anemia, acute myopathy, and hypothermia."
 
everclear is grain alcohol, isopropyl is different...
 
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