Correct solvent for thermal paste

[AxDragonxg]

I ordered the parts for my first build and I will be using an after market cpu cooler, so that means applying, and maybe removing thermal paste. Where I live I can get 70% isopropanol, however I have not seen 90 or above. I have also seen some non polar solvents at the local hardware stores, toluene, naptha, and I think xylene. So out of these which is the best to remove thermal paste, or is the 70% isopropanol good enough?

[Prastupok]

I ordered the parts for my first build and I will be using an after market cpu cooler, so that means applying, and maybe removing thermal paste. Where I live I can get 70% isopropanol, however I have not seen 90 or above. I have also seen some non polar solvents at the local hardware stores, toluene, naptha, and I think xylene. So out of these which is the best to remove thermal paste, or is the 70% isopropanol good enough?

 

I'd ONLY use alcohol. I use alcohol pads, they are cheap and work like a charm.

Do NOT use other solvents... good chance of not playing nice, and fumes in there.

[kainobean]

usualy the high 90's isopropyl alcohol is found in automotive stores atleast around here thats where i cna find the 99% but i usualy just use whatever i can from a store usualy 70-92% and its good enough atleast for me. though the 70% takes longer to clean with since it has a bit more water in it. so thats the only reason to go with the super high concentration. if you dry it off with a cloth you will be fine with 70%

 

thats just my 2cents hope it helps.

[TheRetiredSlave]

As long as it's clean, the difference between 70% and 90% isn't meaningful. Don't waste time worrying about things that don't matter.

[WolfDeville]

I wouldn't really recommend 70% Isopropyl due to the high water content but it should be okay as long as you don't get it on anything other than the CPU IHS

[AxDragonxg]

thanks for the help, I guess I was just worrying about nothing.

[ace mckane]

Get the Arctic thermal compound remover if you can. Two part solution, works a treat.

[Badger906]

I use methylated spirits or white spirit which ever I have to hand.

its not a case of what you HAVE to use, but which is best.

people recommend high percentage alcohol because it evaporates quicker and has less water content to alcohol percentage.

some people would call me every name under the sun for using white spirit as it doesn't evaporate and can leave a film, but if you take the time with a link free cloth you'll get it all off.

its just one if those situations where people so what they've always done so that makes it the right way.

[ThomasD]

I use methylated spirits or white spirit which ever I have to hand.

its not a case of what you HAVE to use, but which is best.

people recommend high percentage alcohol because it evaporates quicker and has less water content to alcohol percentage.

some people would call me every name under the sun for using white spirit as it doesn't evaporate and can leave a film, but if you take the time with a link free cloth you'll get it all off.

its just one if those situations where people so what they've always done so that makes it the right way.

 

Cloth will never entirely remove the film of a petroleum solvent.  But the amount remaining will be miniscule, might evaporate given time, or will certainly be negligible when it warms up and dissolves into the vehicle component of your new TIM.  So generally I wouldn't worry of you only use a volatile solvent.

 

(One caveat: don't use the 'scentless' version of white/mineral spirits / paint thinner because the reason they are scentless is that they have been rendered less volatile, so they will leave a heavier surface film, which when it melts into your TIM could change its physical properties enough to make a difference.)

 

If you are retentive like me you can -

 

First start with dry paper cloth, or a coffee filter and mechanically remove as much of the TIM as possible.  Then apply a small amount of spot remover (naptha) or mineral spirits to soften up the remainder.  Once that has been wiped clean with dry paper then give it a wipe with a coffee filter dampened with alcohol.  That rinses away the solvent film, with no particulate, and the remaining water/alcohol film will quickly and completely evaporate.

 

The surface will be as close to laboratory clean as you can do at home.

 

If you want to be super aggressive replace the first solvent with brake cleaning fluid, and the second with non-residue forming electronic contact cleaner.  But both products contain large amounts of volatile organics so would need to be done outside (for the safety conscious) and over a proper drain (for the ecologically conscious.)

[Queek]

I ordered the parts for my first build and I will be using an after market cpu cooler, so that means applying, and maybe removing thermal paste. Where I live I can get 70% isopropanol, however I have not seen 90 or above. I have also seen some non polar solvents at the local hardware stores, toluene, naptha, and I think xylene. So out of these which is the best to remove thermal paste, or is the 70% isopropanol good enough?

 

70% is just fine, just make sure that you allow for a few minutes of drying before putting on new paste (the other 30% is water, which evaporates more slowly).  

 

I can't believe I went to all the trouble of making a FAQ for this, and people still recommend other solvents.  http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/175677-faq-can-i-use-to-clean-my-pc-components-the-go-to-answer/

[Badger906]

Cloth will never entirely remove the film of a petroleum solvent.  But the amount remaining will be miniscule, might evaporate given time, or will certainly be negligible when it warms up and dissolves into the vehicle component of your new TIM.  So generally I wouldn't worry of you only use a volatile solvent.

 

(One caveat: don't use the 'scentless' version of white/mineral spirits / paint thinner because the reason they are scentless is that they have been rendered less volatile, so they will leave a heavier surface film, which when it melts into your TIM could change its physical properties enough to make a difference.)

 

If you are retentive like me you can -

 

First start with dry paper cloth, or a coffee filter and mechanically remove as much of the TIM as possible.  Then apply a small amount of spot remover (naptha) or mineral spirits to soften up the remainder.  Once that has been wiped clean with dry paper then give it a wipe with a coffee filter dampened with alcohol.  That rinses away the solvent film, with no particulate, and the remaining water/alcohol film will quickly and completely evaporate.

 

The surface will be as close to laboratory clean as you can do at home.

 

If you want to be super aggressive replace the first solvent with brake cleaning fluid, and the second with non-residue forming electronic contact cleaner.  But both products contain large amounts of volatile organics so would need to be done outside (for the safety conscious) and over a proper drain (for the ecologically conscious.)

i use lint free cloths as a paper towel is a very dusty product on a microscopic level its horses for courses i guess. like i said everyone does it their own way.

[AxDragonxg]

@Queek

Thanks for the link it cleared a lot up. I was worried about the effects of these solvents on the components, which your post nicely cleared up.