Thermal paste removal alternatives?

[Heke]

Im trying to revive my dads old pc but i couldn't get IPA because the store I was going to buy it from didn't have any in stock.

 

So, is there any good alternatives to IPA or do I have to wait for new stock?

 

Thx in advance!

[Wufflez]

I've heard people using nail polish remover but I'm not so sure if it actually works.

[ThatOneRussian]

Rub alcohol on it with a piece of tissue paper.

[KamiKatze]

Use whatever the hell you want, honestly. Everybody is whining about only using 99% IPA but that's nonsense! Use nail polish remover, even if it's scented. Use water, vodka, or maybe just spit on it!!

 

As long as you rub it clean with a cloth ofterwards it doesn't really matter. Especially not for a non-enthusiast PC like your Dad's (I'm assuming).

[Heke]

Thx for your replies. Im just worried im going to screw it up in a way or another because of my inexperience of installing heatsinks.

[ThatOneRussian]

Alcohol with tissue is enough

[Sharif]

You go through this Topic 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/383637-ghetto-replacement-for-isopropyl-alcohol/

 

I ended up using Isopropyl alcohol,as I didn't want to screw anything up either  

[daniellearmouth]

If you can't use isopropyl, use a can of deodorant instead.

 

I've used it before and it works surprisingly well.

[RedSphyxis]

just simple 70% ispropyl alcohol would do althoug youd need to scrub it off more. It's easier with nail polish remover and higher concentrations of isopropyl.

 

I usually use 90% isopropyl but stocks are very rare in my city so I ended up using 70% instead when I changed some coolers recently it  takes more effort but it will still do the job.

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Vinegar?

[CapricaBuccaneers]

I couldn't find IPA either so just bought some surgical spirits (rubbing alcohol) which were easy to find and cheap. Funnily enough it was 95% alcohol and cleans residue off very quickly.

[SpaceNugget]

Good ol quicker fixer upper elixer works pretty well. (vodka, I mean vodka)

[ThomasD]

The last three times I've had to remove old TIM I just used a couple dry coffee filters.

 

Most all of these products (excluding the exotic eutectic metals and such) are simply fine particulate matter suspended in some sort of grease.   So sure, there might have been a microscopic film of the old material left behind, but so what? 

 

It would be an incredibly small amount in comparison to the new material.  Once the heat spreader gets up to temp whatever is left behind will quickly melt into the new TIM and I doubt you'd be able to detect any difference in performance.

 

But if you are absolutely retentive about getting an ISO class level of clean then you would want to use a real grease solvent - like brake cleaner fluid, followed by alcohol.  Or you could use a detergent product like household/kitchen cleaner (e.g. Formula 409) followed by alcohol.

 

I would only do something like this if I were converting from grease based TIM to something like Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra, because I'd want the metal to fully wet the surface, and even a fine film of grease could inhibit that.