Model A1286. Cleaning CPU Thermal Paste With Rubbing Alcohol. That means when it dries (In like seconds) it leaves no residue behind. @thekingcameron. However, after breaking down the PS4 all the way to the shell, I was able to determine that all it needed was a thorough cleaning, replacement of the thermal pads, cleaning the old thermal paste off with isopropyl alcohol from the CPU and spreading the new thermal compound with the included spatula. All these tips will assist you by making you aware regarding how to clean off thermal paste. Isopropyl alcohol is esterified to give isopropyl acetate, another solvent. A 70% isopropyl alcohol solution dissolves their lipids and is effective against most bacteria and fungi and many viruses, but is ineffective against bacterial spores. The tissue wipes contain 70% isopropyl alcohol. First Aid Measures Inhalation: Move to fresh air if effects occur and seek medical attention if effects persist. ISO dries rapidly and is quite safe for your CPU, but put only a small amount on your cloth. This is due to isopropyl’s solvent characteristics, allowing it to break down the thermal paste so it can easily be wiped away. If applicable, isopropyl 90% alcohol is recommended to ensure a clean surface. @davchun. Isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol), also known as isopropanol or IPA, is the most common and widely used disinfectant within pharmaceutics, hospitals, cleanrooms, and electronics or medical device manufacturing. Isopropyl Alcohol 99% is pure isopropanol and Isopropyl Alcohol 70% is pure isopropanol diluted with 30% purified water by volume. Apply the product, for example by applying a drop in the center of the chip. 3 Long story short, thermal paste is on my 3600’s cpu pins. Only take out small pieces of paste at a time. TR Staff. Use ISO, if the thermal paste is old it probably isn’t going to come off easily. With the chip in the socket of the dead Motherboard, use cotton balls or facial tissues wet with the alcohol and rub off the paste. Using 99% results in quick dry times (simply blowing on it will result in relatively quick air dry), while 70% can take a little longer, though not to any substantial degree. JavaScript is disabled. After all traces have been removed, repeat this step once more to get the surface ready for a new application of thermal paste. The isopropyl alcohol (90%+) will work great to take out the old thermal paste. 2) Cleaning materials such as cotton swabs/balls damped with Isopropyl Alcohol. 70% alcohol is fine. Isopropyl alcohol is esterified to give isopropyl acetate, another solvent. So I recently bought Diggers Isopropyl Alcohol from Bunnings Warehouse and the amount of Isopropanol in it is 100%. Before you start applying the thermal paste, make sure the rest of your CPU cooler is ready to install. Aha, it seems like the soaking with IPA is VERY slowly starting to have effect (on the chip at least). Standard isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol 90% will work to clean the thermal paste off the top of the CPU. Would bounty paper towels work as a lint-free cloth? @thekingcameron Yes, Isopropyl Alcohol will help to remove remaining residue, though I'd remove as much of it as you can using a lint-free cloth or similar before using it so you're not spreading the thermal paste or compound around and making a mess. Go to solution Solved by mariushm, November 23, 2016. If you need to remove or replace thermal paste from your heatsinks or processor boards, then these wipes are also for you. You can use these IsoPropyl alcohol wipes for cleaning your motherboards, electronic chips, consoles , processors and so on. Hi Guys, I recently purchased what i believed to be 99.8% pure Isopropyl to remove thermal paste from my cpu/cooler, however on further inspection at the ingredients i have found that the liquid is actually '99-100% ethanol'. This post wi… Attach the heat sink to the processor, then reconnect the CPU fan wire to the motherboard. Does anyone know how to remove this kind of thermal compound? Remove the CPU. I've always CAREFULLY used either automotive brake cleaner or carb cleaner applied to a cleanroom wipe to get stubborn thermal paste off CPU/GPU dies and heatsinks. With the chip in the socket of the dead Motherboard, use cotton balls or facial tissues wet with the alcohol and rub off the paste. Buy Isopropyl Alcohol Pad Thermal Paste Remover for $0.29 with Free Shipping Worldwide (In Stock) CaviWipes™ Date Prepared: 7/14/2015 Page 2 of 6 4. Luckily.. Noctua makes these handy little thermal Paste removal wipes. Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used for cleaning eyeglasses, electrical contacts, audio or video tape heads, DVD and other optical disc lenses, removing thermal paste from heatsinks on CPUs and other IC packages, etc. Refectio - Mail-in Micro-Soldering Repairs & Data Recovery. If you need one but are not sure what would be an appropriate item to use, you can use a clean coffee filter to do this. that how i used to handle that pink bubble gum crap. 2:21. That should do, anything above 90% is good enough. Don’t try to pull or push out large chunks because the force will be enough to snap a pin in half. @jtittle. 03/13/2018 by If you want to spend the time 'tape cleaning' a CPU, by all means go right ahead. Avoid using rubbing alcohol, which is just 70% IPA. Using something like Q-tips or tissues can leave behind small hairs or fibers. Been trying to use q tips, isopropyl alcohol, and the ends of flossers (I have the ones that have the toothpick like end) to get the thermal paste off. Different solutions, purity grades, concentrations, and alcohol types yield beneficial cleaning and disinfection properties when applied correctly; or dangerous consequences when used improperly. It has zero effect at all... Again, I don't think this is alcohol based... IPA has zero effect on this... scrap it off with a spudger and then soak the residue with iso. Coffee filters leave nothing behind. Long story short, thermal paste is on my 3600’s cpu pins. I've always CAREFULLY used either automotive brake cleaner or carb cleaner applied to a cleanroom wipe to get stubborn thermal paste off CPU/GPU dies and heatsinks. Wet one with either rubbing alcohol or a cleaner specifically designed for thermal materials. After a lot of patience, soaking with cotton pads and rubbing, here is the result: You must log in or register to reply here. This is what it looks like! Add Tip Ask Question Comment Download. I know it says rubbing, but would it still work since it's above 70%? 70% alcohol … The q-tip dipped in the alcohol can remove the significant portion of it. Thermal paste is a compound that is used as an interface between your computer’s CPU and the heat sink attached to the CPU cooler. ISO dries rapidly and is quite safe for your CPU, but put only a small amount on your cloth. Regular ‘rubbing’ alcohol, often shown as 71% or less, doesn’t remove thermal paste very well, it also contains other items, such as water, which could cause corrosion if not completely cleaned up. Now that you have the heatsink out, there is nothing stopping you from getting the … It should look as shiny as the day you bought it when you’re done. The higher the percentage of alcohol the better. Intermediate. These are the same wipes I use for cleaning RAMS, CPU Processors and GPU Chip boards. It may not display this or other websites correctly. X Research source Then use the wet end to moisten, loosen, and remove the old paste. … For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Try not to get it anywhere but the die itself when cleaning the actual card. Before we begin how to clean thermal paste off cpu, we will tell you that what we are going to say is perfectly applicable to both the processors and the GPUs of the graphics cards, only that it is much more likely that you will do it more times with your processors than with the graphics. Terms — The alcohol seems to evaporate almost instantly but since it is not pure I wondered if one should wait a certain amount of time before applying thermal paste. Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used for cleaning eyeglasses, electrical contacts, audio or video tape heads, DVD and other optical disc lenses, removing thermal paste from heatsinks on CPUs and other IC packages, etc. 70% solution is enough but the higher the percentage the better. I'd also shoot for 99% (or as close you can get), however, I've used 70% in the past and it works just as well though. Cameron Torres. For LGA CPUs, cleaning the CPU itself is … You can find the isopropyl alcohol at a pharmacy or grocery store in the pharmacy area. Get the coffee filter damp with solution and wipe the thermal paste. You are using an out of date browser. I also use nail polish remover wipes because they’re lint-free and clean really well, © 2021 iFixit — Licensed under Creative Commons — Privacy — How to remove thermal paste without isopropyl alcohol? Will rubbing alcohol remove thermal paste? While that's most likely not going to be enough to cause damage, I prefer to stick with what works and ensure the surfaces are free of lint, dust, or debris. 5:38 Buy Isopropyl Alcohol Pad Thermal Paste Remover for $0.29 with Free Shipping Worldwide (In Stock) Kerry56 Ars Tribunus Militum Although the basic thermal paste would be enough to do the job. It will take about any thermal compound or glue right off, especially the gummy pink stuff that was used alot in the Pentium III era. Alcohol will evaporate without messing up anything. If there is, carefully remove the old paste from the lid of the CPU with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth or paper towel that doesn’t shed, and let it dry before continuing. and when you don't have any.. good luck finding it cause every store is sold out. By revraw November 23, 2016 in CPUs, Motherboards, and Memory. 03/13/2018 by I like to use KimWipes as they leave very little lint. Not sure how to get the paste off of the pins of the CPU. Wipe the remaining thermal paste and reapply the alcohol as needed. Does anyone know how to remove this kind of thermal compound? Repeat as needed with fresh filters, cloths, or q-tips. Rubbing alcohol designated 90% or higher can be used. Use ISO, if the thermal paste is old it probably isn’t going to come off easily. Forums. Try not to get it anywhere but the die itself when cleaning the actual card. https://i.imgur.com/UIpBr07.jpg Will this work? And there you have it. - YouTube Watch at (4:30 to 6:10) He has a list of items that worked & not worked as good on the left side. Microfiber tends to work best, though coffee filters can do the job as well. Install the heatsink. Intermediate. I'd also shoot for 99% (or as close you can get), however, I've used 70% in the past and it works just as well though. I'd recommend microfiber. Menu. 2 Answers. You're already going to be using it to remove thermal paste and its relatively non-toxic for topical use. Have a lot of it off, but was wondering if just dabbing a bunch of isopropyl alcohol would simply dissolve the thermal paste? Jonathan Tittle Some of us here have been using rubbing alcohol for 20+ years to clean old thermal paste off of CPUs. 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