How to clean up the old, dried thermal paste?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
F

faraway

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
132
0
10,690
I read that you need at least 90 percent alcohol to safely clean the cpu surface. But i can't find a 70% or something let alone 90. So can i use something else or not risk it and just rub it off with paper towel?
 
Solution
4Ryan6
You cannot find at least 70% Isopropyl alcohol, you can get that from a drug or grocery store?

The alcohol will loosen the dried compound to make it easier to remove, just rubbing it with a paper towel will work but are we talking a CPU with a heat spreader or an older direct die mount CPU, I would not use dry paper towel on and old direct die CPU, as you could scratch the Die surface.
Sort by date Sort by votes
4Ryan6

4Ryan6

Champion
Apr 14, 2002
20,610
6
52,915
You cannot find at least 70% Isopropyl alcohol, you can get that from a drug or grocery store?

The alcohol will loosen the dried compound to make it easier to remove, just rubbing it with a paper towel will work but are we talking a CPU with a heat spreader or an older direct die mount CPU, I would not use dry paper towel on and old direct die CPU, as you could scratch the Die surface.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
F

faraway

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
132
0
10,690


It's an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
F

faraway

Honorable
Oct 22, 2013
132
0
10,690


I do have some purple colored Denatured alcohol. But like you said, it has additives in it and from what i've read about cpu surfaces, even your "finger oil" can cause problems. You sure this is safe?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom