Best way to clean thermal paste off a cpu?

J

jarablue

[H]ard|Gawd
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May 31, 2003
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What is the best way to clean off old thermal paste on a cpu to get it ready for a new heatsink? I was using the H50 water cooler and am upgrading to the H100 and want to make sure I get off all the old paste on my i7 920.

Thanks.
 
I don't know if it's the best way, but I went to CVS, got some 95% isopropyl alchohol, and a big box of q-tips and used the q-tips dipped in the alchohol to pull my thermal paste off when I moved up to school. It seems to break up the paste somehow.

/Warning: You'll go through a ton of q-tips.
 
99% is better, but 95% will do the job just fine. You'll end up with a very thin film of residue but it's nothing to worry about.
 
99% Isopropyl alc, can be found anywhere really, i just picked up a bottle from Safeway. And also get coffee filters and use those, they work perfectly and are lintless
 
Get a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol (same stuff that is in windscreen washer fluid). In my opinion, it is really the best, safest and easiest way. Just use cotton swaps, and it will come right off. Just be thorough and then let it fully dry for 15 mins or so.

You can probably get it at a place like Boots, a pharmacy or similarly. In Denmark, where I live, it's quite easy to come by. And if you get like half a litre, you will have enough for a lifetime of CPU cleaning.

EDIT: Wow - I take too much time to write these replies. It must be getting late.
 
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Actually Acetone will rip through the really nasty stuff much faster than alcohol though alcohol alone is plenty most of the time. Just make sure to clean off the acetone with alcohol to remove any residue afterwards.
 
fingernail polish remover is diluted acetone. cleans much better than alcohol, and doesn't have that slippery residue that regular acetone does.
 
A paper towel? I haven't ever found a need to use a liquid to remove paste, A micro fiber rag will clean it to a shine.
 
i use a paper towel to get the majority of it off them switch to lint free coffee filters
 
mannyman said:
A paper towel? I haven't ever found a need to use a liquid to remove paste, A micro fiber rag will clean it to a shine.
Click to expand...

Did the micro rag thing just a couple of weeks ago when I switched to my h60. Worked like a charm. /shrug
 
Neb said:
Some thermal paste can be very stubborn.
Click to expand...

This is true.


Oh also, when in your first electronics class and working on a stick vacuum, don't grab the tub of hs compound and use it to lube the bearings on the motor.



Bad bad things happen.
 
Isopropyl alcohol is good. Though for extra power, if you really need it, you could use Aceton first to remove thermal compoind and then use Isopropyl to remove any aceton residue that is left behind. But mostly strong isopropyl alone is good enough.

There are cleaning kits too, like Arcticlean but I think that is just overpriced aceton+isopropyl kit, no?
 
I have been using this kit for the last couple years. Before that I used 99% isopopyl. Dont use a regular paper towel as it leaves particles. You should use a lint free static free towel.
 
I just grab the q-tips and the wife's fingernail paint remover. Works great.
 
Salon fingernail polish remover. Don't get that pure 100% acetone stuff, get the watered down one or the pure acetone will melt right through the motherboard if you drip any on the plastic. Then clean it up with some 99% alcohol to help dry it off.

Also Goo-Gone works well, which is basically what Arctic Silver Thermal Paste Remover is made of, citrus extract.
 
Ruoh said:
I just grab the q-tips and the wife's fingernail paint remover. Works great.
Click to expand...

Works great, but not recommended alone as it leaves a thin residue which hurts heat transfer, being acetone based and all. Some fingernail removers contain oils too, making the residue issue worse. So alcohol/isopropyl is recommended to remove those left over residues.
 
Another good method is using the alcohol wipes in the same aisle as the liquid. They make it easier to wipe compared to Q tips and go a little farther.
 
I used 100% ethanol, worked great. I took it from work, might be hard to find. Isopropanol/methanol should work fine too.
 
thegtproject said:
99% Isopropyl alc, can be found anywhere really, i just picked up a bottle from Safeway. And also get coffee filters and use those, they work perfectly and are lintless
Click to expand...

This.

Been doing it this way for several years and it seems to work quite well.
 
NickJames said:
Salon fingernail polish remover. Don't get that pure 100% acetone stuff, get the watered down one or the pure acetone will melt right through the motherboard if you drip any on the plastic. Then clean it up with some 99% alcohol to help dry it off.

Also Goo-Gone works well, which is basically what Arctic Silver Thermal Paste Remover is made of, citrus extract.
Click to expand...

Is the goo gone safe to use? That is something new!
 
I use Naphtha (aka lighter fluid.) It is a really clean solvent and dries without residue.

Acetone is good too but the fumes from the pure stuff are nasty and doesn't always "cut" through the TIM because it evaporates too fast.

99% iso is decent and easy to find but requires a lot more wiping to remove and once it desolves the TIM it doesn't really "release" it from the surface as good as Naphtha IMO.

It also can leave a film behind unless you wipe with a microfiber or a swab.

I use something like this http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?PartNumber=200-025

Iso is probably good enough but I'm used to cleaning off OEM TIMs when doing repairs or upgrades and after 5 years of cooking under a factory HSF sometimes ISO wont budge the mess but Naphtha never failed me.
 
I use 3M Wax and Grease remover from the local body shop supply store followed with iso alcohol afterwards. Works great.
 
non-chlorinated brake cleaner on a coffee filter. Works awesome. No residue. Cheap can from autozone is $0.99.
 
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