Cleaning components with Alcohol

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netbrad

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
Messages
151
Hey folks,

Can you use 91% Isopropyl alcohol on motherboards, memory, etc without an issue? For example, can I spray those components with the alcohol and let it dry? Will it discolor copper on heatsink fins?

I've already tried air cans but have some really stubborn residue.
 
I'm not sure about other components, but it's great for cleaning the gunk off of IHSs/cooler plates, I've also used it for cleaning the contact points for pci/e, ram, sata, usb. I'm not sure if I'd use it to clean the silicone board it's self though, probably best to use compressed air and lint-free material like coffee filters.
 
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If you don't wipe it off there's no point in spraying. Even if your gunk dissolves, once the alcohol evaporates the gunk will be left behind.

Kind of curious - just what kind of residue built up inside the chassis that's so hard to clean off?
 
I had planned to wipe it off once I sprayed, I was concerned about the alcohol's impact on soldered joints and such. The computer was stored in a house where there were smokers present. I'm just trying to get it extra clean so I don't have to deal with the smell when the components warm up.
 
The only problem I could see is if you soaked the caps for like weeks in alcohol it could have a bad effect on the rubber. But for the 1 min that the alcohol will be on the board nothing will happen.
 
netbrad said:
I had planned to wipe it off once I sprayed, I was concerned about the alcohol's impact on soldered joints and such. The computer was stored in a house where there were smokers present. I'm just trying to get it extra clean so I don't have to deal with the smell when the components warm up.
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Oh yea that crap is a :eek: to get off. The gunk is only the first part - the smell gets into the plastic itself, including into the fans, and never really comes out.

Alcohol is safe enough on the exposed silicon and metal inside a computer, I'd just be judicious about it and quick about cleanup. Try dipping a q-tip in a cup and running the surfaces rather than spraying. Spray patterns tend to be harder to clean up after than direct application.
 
I use 99%, but the concept is the same: alcohol evaporates in its entirety and is soluble with anything you throw at it. Discolor copper, yeah maybe, but not to the point where it's gonna cause you any trouble.

So yeah, wipe whatever it is off with alcohol, if it takes more than 1 application I wouldn't worry about it. Once you've cleaned the whole mess off, if it took a while, damp a cloth and wipe down the whole general area of the board one more time. With 99% it'l only need a few minutes to dry, with 91% give it maybe 30. Once dry, enjoy your clean stuff.

Keep in mind alcohol is an excellent conductor, and if any spot is still wet when you turn that PC on, that board, and quite possibly any component attached to it, is done.
 
they used to soak motherboards in alcohol to get the excess flux off
a very friendly liquid for computers
 
jiminator said:
they used to soak motherboards in alcohol to get the excess flux off
a very friendly liquid for computers
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When I was in school for electronics (early 2000s) we used acetone because alcohol took longer to evaporate or something. Someone once used alcohol and waited just a couple of minutes before applying power and the alcohol shorted the board out.
 
I've used 91% Isopropyl alcohol a lot of times to clean up motherboards and other electronics and never had an issue... just let it dry thoroughly.
 
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99% just evaporates faster. It's not all that much more effective as a cleaning tool.
 
i use Isopropyl alcohol all the time to clean stuff.,but never the bottom of the cpu.
i guess mine have never been dirty down there:D
 
netbrad said:
Hey folks,

Can you use 91% Isopropyl alcohol on motherboards, memory, etc without an issue? For example, can I spray those components with the alcohol and let it dry? Will it discolor copper on heatsink fins?

I've already tried air cans but have some really stubborn residue.
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Mix it 50/50 with deionized water. I'd also remove the bios battery and let it sit for awhile just to make sure it's completely dead.
 
MrWizard6600 said:
Keep in mind alcohol is an excellent conductor, and if any spot is still wet when you turn that PC on, that board, and quite possibly any component attached to it, is done.
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Yes, it's a good idea to hit the board with compressed air after cleaning, especially aiming the air underneath any surface mount chips. I once had a board that wouldn't power up until I blew a bunch of alcohol out from under the southbridge (I was lucky, it didn't damage anything).
 
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