how do i clean thermal paste will 50% isopropyl alcohol work for cleaning termal paste off a cpu? i just sold mine and im gonna clean it for the guy but dont wan to ruin it lol just take a tissue and dip some on it and wipe it clean?
I use a solution designed just for cleaning thermal paste off. but I think I remember someone saying you could use Isopropal Alcohol.
The stuff I use is called "ArctiClean" Just a tiny drop of this stuff breaks up the paste and makes it so easy to get off. It only $3.99 a bottle.
directly from the arcticlean site "Why Not Just Use Isopropyl Alcohol or Acetone?" Put isopropyl alcohol or acetone on a thermal pad and 10 minutes later you will have... A thermal pad. Only with a lot of rubbing and scrubbing will you be able to remove the pad. While the alcohol or acetone may soften the pad, neither actually dissolves the pad. Although less visible, it is the same cleaning thermal greases with alcohol or acetone. ArctiClean 1 totally emulsifies thermal pads and thermal greases. The waxes, oils, and fillers of the thermal material are suspended within the ArctiClean 1 so they can be cleaned off completely. This emulsification allow ArctiClean to remove the thermal material in the microscopic imperfections in the heatsink or heat spreader that non-emulsifying cleaners cannot touch. The flash corrosion inhibitors in ArctiClean 2 then significantly reduce the corrosion layer on the copper or aluminum, improving the interface between the metal and the new thermal material and maximizing thermal transfer. http://www.arcticsilver.com/arcticlean.htm
All I know is that I have used both acetone and the Arcticlean and the Arcticlean works better. It seems like it gets more off with less rubbing. They also sell a Thermal surface Purifier that is applyed after removal. I use that too, it's good stuff and cheap.
Citrus based cleaners are best... ArctiClean, Akasa TIM-Clean, or just sqeeze a lemon on it... But seriously.. it does work..
Denatured alcohol FTW. Isopropyl, or rubbing alcohol, could cause "globbing". I made that word up. But you get my point, right? Denatured alcohol has much better solvent properties than isopropyl, and is also used to clean up laquers. If it works on laquers, it'll work on thermal paste. Try it, you'll love it.
you can use isoproyl alkie, for years i used it with no problems, 90% solution then i tried artic clean, it wasnt very good honestly, so i went back to alchol. but last month i ordered some new stuff by AKASA called Tim-Remover, it's a slight oil based with disstilates in it, citrius scent for heatsinks and CPU's, my god does this stuff work wonders, one little drop, and one wipe within seconds. no waiting like with artic clean AKASA tim cleaner, the best on the market
i use a solution called goo remover basically the same thing citrus cent and cheep as hell. found in any hardware store or cleaning section in canada
