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Cleaning thermal paste

A

Alfie_dono

n00b
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
23
Just wondering,

what should I use to wipe off the thermal paste on a CPU/heatsink?

I see special bottles of stuff they sell at the computer shops, but I hear some people just use some sort of alcohol from the local supermarket.

What sort of alcohols should I be looking at, if I don't get those expensive bottles from the computer shops?

Thanks.
 
Yup, isopropyl alcohol. higher concentration if you can get it (like 90%). I also use coffee filters for scrubbing because they generally don't leave much lint (as opposed to paper towels).
 
Any opinions on Acetone? I use it because it eats through the paste like butter. If you can keep it away from plastics, it won't hurt the metal at all in my experience.
 
Artic Clean is so much faster than 90% alcohol and CHEAP too, this should last you a long time. Doesn't matter if the paste is dry, burnt on, or fresh. Simply add a few drops and wipe it off after about 4 seconds with paper towel, then do it again with some q-tips. Use a couple drops of the purifier to clean up the chemicals, wipe it off with q-tips, and any excess will dry in less than 10 seconds.

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php...91e3987110961b4ddbc714aa1c405ac48f6e7554c057f
 
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i just used that stuff for the first time this afternoon. whatevers in those bottles, it eats right through the thermal paste in no time.
 
I got some of the Arctic Clean stuff, it's a bit overpriced in my opinion. Better off just getting a bottle or two of isopropyl alcohol.
 
Alcohol 90%.I wiped might AS5 (a full year after application) easily with it,and it also made the CPU IHS looked shiny. :p
 
Alfie_dono said:
Thanks

Sounds like the thing to go for.. problem is, they don't seem to sell it "everywhere" in Australia :(

I need to look around a bit.
Click to expand...

Check pharmacies, generally its used for sterilizing things for medical related purposes. Could try dollar stores, if you have those.
 
I also use the Arctic Clean. It's a breeze. The stuff eats away at the paste residue very well.
 
90/91/93% isopropyl alcohol is so cheap and works well enough, I don't know why you'd want or need to pay more for any other product.
 
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