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zippo lighter fluid to clean cpu?

chilicheeseburger

I read you could use lighter fluid to clean the thermal compound off your cpu in some posts, on here and elswhere on the internet. Now I have literally no idea about chemistry and all that so I can't tell if that's a good alternative or not.

Most commonly people will recommend isopropyl alcohol but it's expensive and I'd have to go to a pharmacy to buy some. And they'd go on and on for 15mins about how you're not supposed to drink it and what not. I can't stand pharmacies here in Germany because whatever you're trying to buy they treat you like a drug abuser. Ordering it online will take too long.

So I read about using lighter fluid instead.

I figured I could just put a small amount of zippo lighter fluid on a coffee filter and then just rub the thermal paste off, then wipe it with another coffee filter and let it dry.

Has anybody done that and can confirm it actually works? Thanks in advance for your help and replies!

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Ummm, I wouldnt

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That doesn't sound like a great idea

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Most commonly people will recommend isopropyl alcohol but it's expensive and I'd have to go to a pharmacy to buy some. And they'd go on and on for 15mins about how you're not supposed to drink it and what not. I can't stand pharmacies here in Germany because whatever you're trying to buy they treat you like a drug abuser.

No just get some isopropyl alcohol... it's not even a big deal it's not a drug it's used to disinfect/clean things in hosiptals. I don't know why anyone would even think about drinking 99% alcohol.

It's not even too much it's like 5-20$ or pounds probably.

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It takes too much time to evaporate compared to isopropyl alcohol or even ethyl alcohol so no, I wouldn't do it. But then again, isopropyl is actually a by-product of petrol but it's way more pure than regular zippo fluid.

Just go to your nearest pharmacy and buy isopropyl. That's what I did and nobody said anything to me or treated me different. 

You're doing nothing illegal.

 

 

No just get some isopropyl alcohol... it's not even a big deal it's not a drug it's used to disinfect/clean things in hosiptals. I don't know why anyone would even think about drinking 99% alcohol.

It's not even too much it's like 5-20$ or pounds probably.

Ethanol is fine to drink, propanol not really. It's actually toxic.

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Yeah, it will be fine. Zippo fluid is Petrol and Petrol is used quite a lot to clean things (such as clothes when you've murdered someone).

 

Use it with a bit of kitchen roll (or coffee paper).

Compatible with Windows 95

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I have in the past and not been a issue. Its mostly butanol which is similar to isopropyl/propanol.

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So the zippo lighter isn't expensive? I pay 3 euros for the 100ml bottle.It kinda is for this size

Don't you have that blue alcohol in your grocery store? It only costs 1,x euro here..

 

EDIT* I think it's called rubbing alcohol?

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Yep it will work just fine, another cheap alternative is nail varnish remover, thats what I use.

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It might work, but I wouldn't do it. it has additives and it will leave some form of residue. Best to use 99% alcohol

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Just use a paper towel with a little water. Water works perfectly fine as long as you don't put too much.

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So the zippo lighter isn't expensive? I pay 3 euros for the 100ml bottle.It kinda is for this size

Don't you have that blue alcohol in your grocery store? It only costs 1,x euro here..

I got a whole box, 16 bottles + some flints and wicks on amazon for less than 20 euros.

what do you mean by blue alcohol?

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I got a whole box, 16 bottles + some flints and wicks on amazon for less than 20 euros.

what do you mean by blue alcohol?

  • That's an insane deal
  • He may mean meths, yeah, don't use meths. It contains poison (so tramps don't drink it), so it is less pure than Zippo fluid

Compatible with Windows 95

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I got a whole box, 16 bottles + some flints and wicks on amazon for less than 20 euros.

what do you mean by blue alcohol?

 

Dayum..Well,use that instead :D

 

  • That's an insane deal
  • He may mean meths, yeah, don't use meths. It contains poison (so tramps don't drink it), so it is less pure than Zippo fluid

 

WTF?..

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  • That's an insane deal
  • He may mean meths, yeah, don't use meths. It contains poison (so tramps don't drink it), so it is less pure than Zippo fluid

not exactly sure about the price i paid but yeah it was an amazing deal.

So probably isopropyl is better but the lighter fluid can be used if I don't use much.

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WTF?..

What did you mean by blue alcohol then? (just out of interest)

Compatible with Windows 95

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Lighter fluid + extremely hot surface

Go ahead!

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he meant rubbing alcohol. I never hears of that tough :(

But rubbing alcohol is clear, it's Meths that is blue 

Compatible with Windows 95

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What did you mean by blue alcohol then? (just out of interest)

 

 

he meant rubbing alcohol. I never hears of that tough :(

Guys,idk what to tell you.I have those things here in my country and i don't know how they are called in english. It is 93% alcohol though and it's blue.Cleans the thermal paste like a dream and it's extremely cheap.It is also used for backpain problems sometimes way back in the days.

 

This is a picture of what i'm talking about.

fwtistiko_slideshow1.png

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Guys,idk what to tell you.I have those things here in my country and i don't know how they are called in english. It is 93% alcohol though and it's blue.Cleans the thermal paste like a dream and it's extremely cheap.It is also used for backpain problems sometimes way back in the days.

 

This is a picture of what i'm talking about.

 

 

Yeah, meths (sorry, aka Methylated Spirits, meths is kinda of slang idk), but yeah, has poison in it to stop tramps drinking it

 

brandspiritus.png

 

Either that or I am just too non-colloquial for this

 

EDIT: yeah, I am :( But you don't want to drink denatured Alcohol, it's poisonous.

Compatible with Windows 95

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Guys,idk what to tell you.I have those things here in my country and i don't know how they are called in english. It is 93% alcohol though and it's blue.Cleans the thermal paste like a dream and it's extremely cheap.It is also used for backpain problems sometimes way back in the days.

This is a picture of what i'm talking about.

fwtistiko_slideshow1.png

on the homepage it says denatured ethyl alcohol. Gotta take a look if something like this is sold here. I like how they also make ouzo :D

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Yeah, meths (sorry, aka Methylated Spirits, meths is kinda of slang idk), but yeah, has poison in it to stop tramps drinking it

 

 

 

Either that or I am just too non-colloquial for this

Yeah,i'm pretty sure that's not it. It is not poisonous. Anyway,too much hassle.I'll let it go!

 

on the homepage it says denatured ethyl alcohol. Gotta take a look if something like this is sold here. I like how they also make ouzo :D

Lol,that's a traditional Greek drink.

Must be that ethyl alcohol though.

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