Cleaning Thermal grease

[GNEP]

I use acetone-free nail polish remover.

Seems fine; have used it for ages with no ill effects and it leaves no residue.

Ingredients:
Ethyl Acetate; Isopropanol; water and a little bit of glycerine.

[Brian R.]

Carburetor cleaner followed by rubbing alcohol.

There are at least three types of isopropyl alcohol-based rubbing alcohol. There is one that is something like 76% IPA/26% water. Another is approximately 96% IPA/4% water, and another that is scented. The 96% IPA version is the best solvent and evaporates quicker.

(What is the British word for carburetor?)

GNEP - If you really care, the glycerin will remain on the part and not evaporate - so there is a residue. It is probably inoccuous.

[GNEP]

That's what I thought but I can't see/feel anything - it's the last ingredient so I doubt there's much glycerine in the stuff. Anyway it was cheap and readily available at the time...

[TnT]

Originally posted by Fat Tone
IPA applied using cotton buds (I think called q-tips in the USA).

What's a good tool for removing the crap paste that comes on retail HSFs?


PS Paddy - what a waste! And at only 5% max, prolly not very effective

Don't you get little cotton threads coming off?

[Fat Tone]

Sometimes maybe, but they are obvious and lift straight off.

[schmosef]

I once bought some AS and AS remover from e-compuvision.com. Both worked really well. Can't find the vials now though...

[Fred H]

Originally posted by GNEP
I use acetone-free nail polish remover.

Do you mean oil-free acetone nail polish remover?
I used pure acetone to remove and clean both cooler and CPU.
Isopropylalkohol works fine too.
Chemical pure (oil free) gasoline works fine too.
Just keep in mind: don't use the original bottle for repeatedly moisten the cleaner rag (risk for pollution of the cleaner fluid)
Fred H

[Wombat]

No, acetone can do nasty things to the CPU packaging.

[rugger]

Acetone is fine for cleaning off the thermal interface pads. I wouldn't suggest soaking it for long periods of time, but the 5 or 10 minutes of cleaning with it should not pose a problem.

I have used it more then once to clean my athlon CPU with no i'll effects.

For normal heat paste/silver heat paste though, I just use metholated spirits. Yes, its rough stuff, but I don't clean my cpu every second day, so its not a big problem.