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Is this a bad way to remove thermal paste?

Beastattack
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I'll probably use paper towels to remove most of the older thermal paste, then use q-tips dipped in 70% icyprophyl alcohol to remove the rest. Is this bad?

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I'll probably use paper towels to remove most of the older thermal paste, then use q-tips dipped in 70% icyprophyl alcohol to remove the rest. Is this bad?

 

Isopropyl alcohol is the proper way of removing it I don't see a problem with that and using a Q-tip.

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That will be fine, but you might get fibers everywhere. Coffee filters or a microfiber cloth is optimal. And from personal experience 70% alcohol can be a pain in the ass to use.

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Isopropyl alcohol is the proper way of removing it I don't see a problem with that and using a Q-tip.

I've heard that you should use a coffee filter, I'm wondering if paper towels will still be fine.

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That will be fine, but you might get fibers everywhere. Coffee filters or a microfiber cloth is optimal. And from personal experience 70% alcohol can be a pain in the ass to use.

Will the fibers mess anything up? Or just be a pain?

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I use cotton balls which leave behind fibers but do an excellent job removing thermal paste with minimal fuss.  The fibers are no big deal, I just shoot a blast of compressed air once the alcohol dries to get rid of them.

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I've heard that you should use a coffee filter, I'm wondering if paper towels will still be fine.

 

It's mainly just the fibers or dust from the paper towel but as long as it's not coming off and getting everywhere it's not a huge problem.

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I've heard that you should use a coffee filter, I'm wondering if paper towels will still be fine.

They are better, but paper towels are decent if you don't have coffee filters.

 

Will the fibers mess anything up? Or just be a pain?

If they get between the CPU and heatsink, they can reduce performance.

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I've always been told to use 99% icyprophyl alcohol as it evaporates faster, and the q-tips will be fine, although coffee filters do the job "better" if you have some nearby.

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I mean based off of #advantagerag and the side of the box there isn't a super terrible way to clean it off. You are probably fine with your method.

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Paper towels to get most of the gunk off. Q-tips to get the outer edges. Coffee filters to clean the die with 91% or greater isopropyl alcohol.

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They are better, but paper towels are decent if you don't have coffee filters.

 

If they get between the CPU and heatsink, they can reduce performance.

My parents don't drink coffee, but I just found really old coffee filters.
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