Cleaning a cpu without Isopropyl Alcohol?

[BubbleSauce]

Hi, sorry if this seems like a silly question, but I need to clean the dust out of my heat sink and replace the thermal material on the cpu. I was wondering, what are the problems with cleaning a cpu with just a cotton bud or fibre cloth, and not using Isopropyl alcohol? You can't buy Isopropyl Alcohol over the counter here in the UK and I could always order it online, it'd just mean waiting a couple of days. Is using isopropyl alcohol or an equivalent substance vital? And if so why? (Just curious)

Thanks.

[Teufel9000]

Hi' date=' sorry if this seems like a silly question, but I need to clean the dust out of my heat sink and replace the thermal material on the cpu. I was wondering, what are the problems with cleaning a cpu with just a cotton bud or fibre cloth, and not using Isopropyl alcohol? You can't buy Isopropyl Alcohol over the counter here in the UK and I could always order it online, it'd just mean waiting a couple of days. Is using isopropyl alcohol or an equivalent substance vital? And if so why? (Just curious) Thanks. [/quote']

well. it would get messy if you dont use a cleaning solution. i once cleaned my AMD processor like 3 times by rubbing it on the rug to get it clean. (ruined my rug? lol whatever!>) its not really vital but i personally always use it.

You want to make sure to apply a clean slate when ur putting on your heatsink again for maximum thermal disperation and you dont have air pockets or whatnot.

[Dave :)]

You don't have to use isopropyl alcohol, but you can clean it with a microfibre - just know that you won't get all the compound off like you would using alcohol. Don't use water or another liquid. Lighter Fluid also works, but just apply it onto a microfibre cloth then wipe down. B the way, you can get isopropyl Alchohol off Amazon. :)

[dchen12]

You don't have to use isopropyl alcohol' date=' but you can clean it with a microfibre - just know that you won't get [i']all the compound off like you would using alcohol. Don't use water or another liquid. Lighter Fluid also works, but just apply it onto a microfibre cloth then wipe down. B the way, you can get isopropyl Alchohol off Amazon. :)

It's best to use a microfibre cloth because cotton swabs and tissues will leave behind fibres. Although I doubt it'll impact the performance if at all, just if you're picky about these things.

[Helltech]

I use 90 percent isopropyl Alcohol and coffee filters to clean my CPUs.

[IdeaStormer]

I ALWAYS clean my cpu's (that have thermal paste from a previous installation) with just a rough paper towel, no extra anything. If you can't get it clean with just a paper towel then you're doing something majorly wrong as in applying way too much thermal paste and now its just a freaking mess. If there is thermal glue (crusty stuff) I use a razor blade and shave the crusties off, then paper towel it clean, shave as in a very new sharp blade and angle it so no metal is shaved off.

[SubTract]

if you have a girlfriend/fiance/wife makeup wipes contain a high percentage of isopropyl alcohol and they don't break up and lose fibres so I use them to clean the thermal paste off. :)

[HarryOrson]

I ALWAYS clean my cpu's (that have thermal paste from a previous installation) with just a rough paper towel, no extra anything. If you can't get it clean with just a paper towel then you're doing something majorly wrong as in applying way too much thermal paste and now its just a freaking mess. If there is thermal glue (crusty stuff) I use a razor blade and shave the crusties off, then paper towel it clean, shave as in a very new sharp blade and angle it so no metal is shaved off.

So do you not use any liquids like water or anything? just a dry paper towel?

[IdeaStormer]

So do you not use any liquids like water or anything? just a dry paper towel?

 

Yup, no server has overheated so don't think its an issue. On the sticky pasty stuff that has gotten hard I use a razor blade, not the shaving type but from those box cutters, pops off those dried off bits very nicely. Some people go overboard and I'm surprised they don't autoclave the freaking CPU to clean it, it doesn't have to be surgically clean but just to be touching the metal parts in contact with the heat sink. Just imagine how much thermal paste will still be there if you could miniaturize yourself and sit in the same gap as the thermal paste, not much, the heat sink is forced and jammed to be as close as possible to the CPU metal cover.

[paulstung]

If I'm out of Iso, I go to the chemist, pharmacist and get the pre injection steri swabs, they are perfect, the Iso is only around 72% but do the exact same thing, if anything they're better cos it is basically lint free cloth pre infused with the iso.

[Queek]

@BubbleSauce

Your life will be much easier with isopropyl alcohol.  You can wipe it off, but it probably won't be the best clean.  Don't use most of the folk remedies out there (if someone says Vodka, don't listen).  See this thread for the reasons.  

Just order some online.  Can you really not purchase isopropyl from anywhere in the UK?  Why is it not available?  (It's a very common cleaner and used extensively for household first aid in North America.) 

 

 

If I'm out of Iso, I go to the chemist, pharmacist and get the pre injection steri swabs, they are perfect, the Iso is only around 72% but do the exact same thing, if anything they're better cos it is basically lint free cloth pre infused with the iso.

This is probably a really good idea.  Sterile swabs aren't likely to have anything extra in them beyond alcohol and water (you need to sterilize the cut, after all).  It will probably cost more in the long run than a bottle of isopropyl though, because they're prefabricated.  @paulstung could you look at the package for those and tell me what's in those sterile swabs?  I might add them to my list of recommended cleaning products.  

[Keith Anderson]

I have re TIM'ed my cpus many many times and had great temp results never using a solution. Ghetto tip..... Coffee filters.. And much re wiping and re wiping and re wiping

[Admire]

There are several other chemicals that would work but just get some.....You would be able to get something in just about any town, anywhere.

 

Mineral Terpentin can be used as well.

[CaptainRagu]

A lot of the time the paste has turned pretty solid. In most of the CPUs ive cleaned there was no way I could have gotten it off without alcohol.

 

90% is recommended because it evaporates faster and you don't want to reapply new paste with liquid still present. 70% will work just as well you just have to be more patient.

[worldwin]

Nice necro.

[MRL]

Personally, I don't think it's necessary as I've been using without them lot of time before and never had any temp issue... but it is actually nicer to clean it properly before applying a new one. It's not vital...