Clean with dry cloth or coffee filters: Take a lint-free cloth or a clean coffee filter and wipe away the remaining thermal paste residue from the CPU and cooler surfaces. Apply gentle pressure and use circular motions to lift off the paste. Repeat this process until the surfaces appear clean and free from residue.
Isopropyl Alcohol - When you need to remove stickers or clean anywhere on your PC that cannot be exposed to moisture, isopropyl alcohol is perfect. The potent liquid dries without leaving residue and dissolves even the peskiest buildups of grime.
It's OK, you can clean the CPU surface with anything form handkerchief to toilet paper, even with water, just make sure it's dry before you put it back to your rig.
Just use paper towel and wipe clean. You don't need ipa. Thermal paste isn't some kind of glue that need vigorous rubbing and chems. It's handy to have but that's it.
Please don't do that. We use Iso because it evaporates and leaves nothing behind. Hand sanitizer has additives that will be left behind on the CPU.
From lint-free cloths to coffee filters, cotton swabs, scraping tools, and mild soapy water, there are various household items and techniques that can effectively clean thermal paste residue from CPU surfaces.
If there are greasy streaks or fingerprints on the glass panels, you will need a microfiber cloth. It will help remove the streaks and make the glass perfectly clean. The main thing is not to use wet wipes. They will leave even more streaks.
Moisten a lint-free cloth with isopropyl alcohol. Avoid soaking the cloth; it just needs to be slightly damp. Gently wipe the surface of the CPU and the cooler with the alcohol-dampened cloth. Use circular motions to lift and dissolve the remaining thermal paste.
Nail polish removers can have tons of chemicals that don't do well with computer components. If you use a nail polish remover, it can leave behind a sticky, impure surface — which is unfit to apply new thermal paste on. So, never ever use a nail polish remover to clean thermal paste.
Water exposure can cause serious damage to your computer, especially if it reaches the internal components. If you spill liquid on your laptop or desktop, don't panic. There are some steps you can take to diagnose and replace faulty components and save your data.
Other cleaning chemicals are very harsh and will damage surfaces. Avoid using any of the following chemicals or products containing these chemicals: Any chlorine-based cleaner, such as bleach. Peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide)
Your CPU sits in what can be considered the “core” of your computer, so you might think it doesn't need to be cleaned. Not so.
Water is not recommended for cleaning off thermal paste as it can leave moisture, potentially causing corrosion or damage to electronic components. Low-quality alcohol may leave impurities or stains on your CPU, which can negatively affect the new thermal paste's heat transfer efficiency.
The general recommendation is to replace thermal paste approximately every 3-5 years. However, this can vary based on your computer's usage patterns and the quality of the paste used. High-performance or gaming computers that run at higher temperatures may require more frequent replacements.
Power down your laptop before unscrewing the bottom panel. While cleaning, remove the battery inside. Use a can of compressed air to blow short bursts of air at the internal parts of your computer. Make sure you're blowing the dust out of the computer and not just moving it around.
Hydrogen peroxide proves to be a fierce opponent due to its potent disinfecting components and that it holds an attractive position among the alternatives to isopropyl alcohol in various wound cleaning applications but also makes room for surface disinfection.
Simply put, no. You should never use toothpaste in place of thermal paste. While toothpaste and thermal paste may share a similar texture and consistency, this similarity is only superficial. The key role of thermal paste is to conduct heat away from your CPU, ensuring it remains cool during operation.
Acetone is okay if you're using it on a CPU. Just like the post above, acetone will go through ANY finish,paint on the surface. I've used acetone on cleaing up cores (CPU and GPU) when I ran out of alcohol. Just don't use it too often and when using it be very careful.
The above section illustrates first and foremost why too much thermal paste isn't good – it spills. Thermal paste can spill and, depending on its conductivity profile, can possibly brick your PC. Even if it doesn't, it can drip into the pins on your CPU and cause various malfunctions.
Glass cleaner is not recommended for cleaning electronics like laptops and flat-screen TVs due to chemicals that can damage anti-glare and anti-static coatings. Damage from glass cleaners often appears gradually as a yellow tint or fogging on the screen and can make the screen more brittle.
The answer is no–unlike household wipes, diaper wipes shouldn't contain disinfectants like alcohol, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. Because these wipes are meant to wipe your baby's tender and sensitive skin, they shouldn't contain any harsh chemicals.
The bottom line
No application method is technically better than the others, and we have proven that by performing the extensive case study we discussed above. The goal is to get a smooth and thin layer of thermal paste, it doesn't matter which pattern you use to get that.
Always dampen the cloth, cotton swab, or magic eraser and use that to clean. It should only be damp enough to just know that it is not dry. Water, or liquids, and electricity do NOT mix. Water and most liquids are excellent conductors of electricity, so even the smallest amount of it will conduct electricity.