How to remove old/hard/stubborn thermal paste delicately?

[m0k]

My laptop is running warmer than i am comfortable with.

I was able to remove and clean the CPU with ease + was able to clean the GPU die surface as well.

HOWEVER - surrounding the GPU are very small resistors that im worried about breaking

So i left the old paste around the core alone, and noticed my temps in general on the cpu dropped on idle, but both cpu and gpu run 2-3 warmer under the same stress now.

 

Now im worried that the old paste i  left around the gpu core may be insulating the gpu and as a result is causing more heat to build up within the laptops small cooling system /heatpipes.

Any suggestions on how to remove the old and hardened paste around the gpu core delicately?

im considering picking this up but not sure what kind of DIY tools to use to avoid breaking the resistors 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0007TOR08/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A28VADU4WUGJ11&psc=1

[bellabichon]

Q-tips and isopropyl alcohol should almost always work. The resistors could be quite fragile, but if you're careful, you'll be fine. 

[givingtnt]

get a credit card
and go around the resistors

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, mok said:

My laptop is running warmer than i am comfortable with.

I was able to remove and clean the CPU with ease + was able to clean the GPU die surface as well.

HOWEVER - surrounding the GPU are very small resistors that im worried about breaking

So i left the old paste around the core alone, and noticed my temps in general on the cpu dropped on idle, but both cpu and gpu run 2-3 warmer under the same stress now.

 

Now im worried that the old paste i  left around the gpu core may be insulating the gpu and as a result is causing more heat to build up within the laptops small cooling system /heatpipes.

Any suggestions on how to remove the old and hardened paste around the gpu core delicately?

im considering picking this up but not sure what kind of DIY tools to use to avoid breaking the resistors 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0007TOR08/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A28VADU4WUGJ11&psc=1

Soak it with some isopropyl alcohol for a few mins before using some Q-tips to remove as much as possible. I've use toothpicks and plastic scrapers before just be aware of the location of the resistors and to go at it gently. 

[iamdarkyoshi]

Alcohol does nothing on thermal paste.

 

WD40 will do a drastically better job.

[Snipergod87]

C4

[AskTJ]

Say fuck it and use it like that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(don't)

[Pyramiden]

4 hours ago, iamdarkyoshi said:

Alcohol does nothing on thermal paste.

 

WD40 will do a drastically better job.

You are joking, right? Why would you use a petroleum based product that leaves residue for cleaning? A residue is exactly what you don't want.

[ScottWood]

Try using a toothpick to go around the resistors then use rubbing  and picking out the stuck bits, then alcohol to get the larger parts.

[m0k]

i used the arcticlean product from amazon and it worked perfectly. 

the first bottle is the Thermal Material Remover and it does exactly what it says, it emulsified the hard thermal paste into liquid. all i had to do then was soak up the liquid with a paper tower, didnt even have to wipe or scrub it off.

[Razor Blade]

For delicate components I need to use a pick to clean, I use those surgical scrub nail picks you can find them on Amazon. Here is an example of what I'm talking about

 

https://www.amazon.com/Medline-MSC9204-Nail-Cleansers-White/dp/B00OMFXEIO/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1530996504&sr=8-1&keywords=medline+nail+pick

 

They're soft plastic so less chance to damage things. You still should have a solvent to help though.

 

Edit:Looks like Amazon doesn't have them available... I haven't needed to reorder them in a long time.

Edited July 7, 2018 by Razor Blade

[iamdarkyoshi]

On 7/5/2018 at 1:47 AM, Pyramiden said:

You are joking, right? Why would you use a petroleum based product that leaves residue for cleaning? A residue is exactly what you don't want.

Nope. After the WD-40, you can use alcohol to get rid of the WD-40.

[m0k]

14 minutes ago, Razor Blade said:

For delicate components I need to use a pick to clean, I use those surgical scrub nail picks you can find them on Amazon. Here is an example of what I'm talking about

 

https://www.amazon.com/Medline-MSC9204-Nail-Cleansers-White/dp/B00OMFXEIO/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1530996504&sr=8-1&keywords=medline+nail+pick

 

They're soft plastic so less chance to damage things. You still should have a solvent to help though.

 

Edit:Looks like Amazon doesn't have them available... I haven't needed to reorder them in a long time.

yeah the arcticlean solvent i linked in the original post ended up doing 99% of the hard work for me, turned the hard thermal paste into liquid