Cleaning CPU pins and socket of thermal grease!

[luismenendez]

Hi guys,

I removed a heatsink and a CPU from a system that unfortunately had too much paste applied and got spilled into the socket and CPU pins (B550 and 5600X).

What would you advise to clean it properly? it is not a huge amount but enough to leave it there and risk ruining the parts!

Many thanks

PS: could I use acetone?

 

[Glanza]

Any pics?

 

[mickyflinn]

Isopropyl alcohol and a soft toothbrush.

 

[luismenendez]

Any pics?

how to? I have never done it!

I've tried with Imurg but it doesn't accept the link!

 

[Thekwango]

how to? I have never done it!

upload pics to somewhere like imgur - then copy the bb code and paste into the forum. not that you need to upload pics.
as posted above, isopropyl alcohol and a very soft toothbrush and just take your time.

 

[luismenendez]

Thanks guys, I will get some isopropyl alcohol!

 

[darael]

OcUK used to sell Akasa TIM Clean, which is I what I use. Although I find it cleans the thermal paste better than alcohol, I like to finish off with pure alcohol afterwards for the best clean possible.

 

[Drumroll]

OcUK used to sell Akasa TIM Clean, which is I what I use. Although I find it cleans the thermal paste better than alcohol, I like to finish off with pure alcohol afterwards for the best clean possible.

Same here. Have one bottle for ages. Almost finishing now, but I’ve been using since the 2700k.
Just make sure the toothbrush is very soft and be very gentle to avoid damaging anything. You can then let it dry.

 

[andy_mk3]

OcUK used to sell Akasa TIM Clean, which is I what I use. Although I find it cleans the thermal paste better than alcohol, I like to finish off with pure alcohol afterwards for the best clean possible.

I still have some of that, smells of lemon, its awesome stuff.

 

[mattyfez]

What solvent do they use in it? its probably just IPA with some lemon fragrance in it.

Lab grade 99.9% pure IPA is £4 to £8 per litre depending if you get a 1 litre bottle or a 5 litre bottle.

 

[LePhuronn]

Although I find it cleans the thermal paste better than alcohol, I like to finish off with pure alcohol afterwards for the best clean possible.

That's the entire point of the lemon-scented 2nd bottle, it's a full surface sanitiser.

 

[Raiden85]

I managed a long time ago to get some paste into a 3770k socket, was only a tiny amount but I used electrical contact cleaner at the time to remove it and that worked great.

 

[mattyfez]

I managed a long time ago to get some paste into a 3770k socket, was only a tiny amount but I used electrical contact cleaner at the time to remove it and that worked great.

So pure IPA then?

Why buy specialist PC 'TIM cleaner' when its just re-labled IPA with a 3000% profit margin? You can buy a 5 litre drum of IPA for less than a tenner (lemon fragrance not included) and you'll have a lifetime supply of contact cleaner.

It's a bit like buying a tiny bottle of 'muc-off' specialist bicycle cleaner for a tenner when a bowl of warm water and a squirt of fairly liquid will do the same job...

 

[darael]

That's the entire point of the lemon-scented 2nd bottle, it's a full surface sanitiser.

I'm not using Artic Silver's ArctiClean (link) which has two 30ml bottles, I'm using Akasa TIM Clean (link) which has one 125ml bottle. I use my own bottle of pure alcohol.