Would it be ok to clean my thermal paste without alcohol?

ShySnorlax · Apr 23, 2016

I was wondering if i could remove my thermal paste without Isopropyl Alcohol,as the only place i can get it is the internet,but i don't want to wait a few days to get it,I've seen some people say it MUST only be remove with Isopropyl Alcohol and a coffee filter,on the other hand some people say it's fine to do it without,would it be ok to clean it with some kitchen roll/paper towels? or a microfiber cloth? i don't care if the cpu will be a few degrees hotter,i really need to get my new cooler on as soon as possible,as my cpu is overheating. thanks

Inkiad · Apr 23, 2016

It is not required. Just find a clean cloth or tissue and clean with that.

EDIT: you may need alcohol if the old paste has dried. But i have gotten away by using my after shave couple of times in this case, by the way main ingredient of after shaves are also alcohol.

Pinhedd · Apr 23, 2016

ShySnorlax :

I have a hard time believing that the only place that you can get isopropyl alcohol is the internet. It's a standard feature at every drugstore and pharmacy.

Ethanol works well too, but denatured ethanol is much harder to find commercially than isopropyl alcohol.

Failing that, non-lubricating electronic contact cleaner also works well.

USAFRet · Apr 23, 2016

ShySnorlax :

Required? No. Whatever you have on hand, that will not leave any dried deposits behind.

Isopropyl is just the easiest and fastest.

Ecky · Apr 23, 2016

To be totally honest, I have, in the past, just wiped the bottom of the heatsink and the IHS with an old scrappy (but clean) tshirt. It's going to make practically no difference in temps.

Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163 · Apr 23, 2016

If the thermal paste is gone to your eyes, then you will be fine. If you can see stuck thermal paste still on the heatspreader, then you need to remove that.

huvik · Apr 23, 2016

Isoproply is easy to find at any drug store, and do not use aftershave, or "whatever you have on hand" those are both terrible suggestions. Just go buy Isoproply, you just spent hundreds of dollars on a rig don't cheap out now....

USAFRet · Apr 23, 2016

huvik :

Leaving off the second part of that statement:
"Whatever you have on hand, that will not leave any dried deposits behind."

Vodka to dissolve the old paste, water to wash off the vodka remains.
In some locales, isopropyl is not readily available.

huvik · Apr 23, 2016

If isopropyl is not available in your area, then order it, like you just did for all your (very expensive) PC parts.

I don't think moderators should be telling people to clean sensitive electronic parts with vodka and water, not very responsible.

Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163 · Apr 23, 2016

They are making sure people know that there's more than one way. I don't find that to be an issue at all.

USAFRet · Apr 23, 2016

huvik :

Sometimes, you have to improvise. Obviously, being careful as you do.

Just like cleaning a keyboard.
Spill a can of Coke in it. How to clean?
Take it apart, and put it in the dishwasher. Top rack, no heat, no heat dry.

OMG!! That is so wrong!!

For the thermal paste, isopropyl is highly recommended, but NOT the absolute one and only last word.

ShySnorlax · Apr 23, 2016

Shout out to the people who actually read all of my post

gondo · Apr 23, 2016

You can use a razor blade to scrape it off. Just don't scratch the surface. Even if you do it's not a big deal that's what the compound is for in the first
place.

The bit of haze left over is easily cleaned with alcohol. But it that absence I'd try hot water. Just let the cpu dry for a bit....hot water will evaporate quickly. Just use a paper towel...that compound makes a mess and is hard to clean off your fingers, etc.... so a few paper tower that are disposable is nice. Also people who think paper towel will scratch the surface must be smoking something, it's made of metal. Paper towel won't be removing shards of steel

This need for alcohol and coffee filters, etc... it's funny. I used to work as an electronics engineer and you know how we cleaned that stuff in a lab. We'd scrub it with special cleaner (or ISO alcohol) and a toothbrush to loosen up the gunk. Then under running water to rinse all the residue off. You think we'd sit there with coffee filters cleaning every part 1 at a time shining and going through thousands of filters? Running water and rinse the thing fast. Let it dry. It's not like it's under water while plugged in.

So razer blade the excess off. Then hot water and wet a corner of paper towel (not soaked), and just scrub the surface clean. Reinstall once dry. I figure with hot water it would dry in under 20 minutes easy. You actually drying it with paper towel so no biggie.

gondo · Apr 23, 2016

Pinhedd :

Isn't contact cleaner or flux cleaner basically just 99.9% ISO alcohol with a propellant or spray to get it out of the can? The reason 99.9% alcohol is used is because it's very volotile (evaporates quickly), and it only has 0.01% water in it. 70% alcohol is 30% water by comparison. I thought contact cleaner was 99.9% alcohol in a fancy spray can. It may be a bit different formula, but basically the same thing.

USAFRet · Apr 23, 2016

gondo :

The only real difference between paper towels and coffee filters is the potential lint fibers left behind.
As a LOT of people have coffee filters handy, just use those. If not, use something else.

Either way...as long as it is clean, no worries. No matter what you use.

Pinhedd · Apr 23, 2016

gondo :

Not that I've ever seen.

There are a number of different electronic contact cleaner solutions available. Some of the older (and best) ones are based on HCFC solvents, specifically Trichloroethylene, or TCE. However, since HCFCs are being phased out, these are becoming increasingly hard to find. Newer solutions based on bromopropane are functionally similar, but I haven't tested them myself.

non-lubricating contact cleaners can be found in the automotive sections of most hardware stores. However, unlike isopropyl alcohol, some contact cleaners may disolve some plastics. I've never had an issue with electronic contact cleaner attacking the plastics on a motherboard or any add-in card, but I have seen it attack the plastic frame of a controller. If you do go with this route, please use the cleaner outside only.

gondo · Apr 23, 2016

Pinhedd :

gondo :

Not that I've ever seen.

There are a number of different electronic contact cleaner solutions available. Some of the older (and best) ones are based on HCFC solvents, specifically Trichloroethylene, or TCE. However, since HCFCs are being phased out, these are becoming increasingly hard to find. Newer solutions based on bromopropane are functionally similar, but I haven't tested them myself.

non-lubricating contact cleaners can be found in the automotive sections of most hardware stores. However, unlike isopropyl alcohol, some contact cleaners may disolve some plastics. I've never had an issue with electronic contact cleaner attacking the plastics on a motherboard or any add-in card, but I have seen it attack the plastic frame of a controller. If you do go with this route, please use the cleaner outside only.

Also isn't contact cleaner a water displacement making it different than Alcohol. I guess I'm thinking more flux cleaner than contact cleaner. It's juts to dissolve the gunk when brushed on, not sprayed like contact cleaner, and in this case Alcohol works similarly. Also note that Alcohol seems to dissolve thermal compound good so it works good to clean a CPU.

ShySnorlax · Apr 24, 2016

Thanks for your help everyone

Would it be ok to clean my thermal paste without alcohol?

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