Cleaning CPU's

OCDStevo · 17 Feb 2011 at 19:42

El Jimben said:
Akasa TIM cleaner as it leaves your CPU lemony fresh

Was the first thing I noticed when I used it, not how clean the CPU and HS were, but the nice lemony fresh smell in my PC

bainbridge · 17 Feb 2011 at 19:57

I have a big can of contact cleaner which works really well but I don't know what it consists of, evaporates very quickly though.

bainbridge · 17 Feb 2011 at 19:58

bainbridge said:
I have a big can of contact cleaner which works really well but I don't know what it consists of, evaporates very quickly though.

It says 96% solvent on the tin.

iBSOD · 17 Feb 2011 at 20:36

ArctiClean = LEMON SCENTED!!! I must buy more! They clean 'em flawlessly. And smell like beaut!

Also are a lot cheaper than they used to be.

C64 · 18 Feb 2011 at 05:29

I was about to use nail varnish remover until I saw moisturiser on the label.

Don't think it makes much difference but I normally use the akasa stuff.

For now just use kitchen roll or toilet paper and am not gentle at all really.

Just wipe it off clean and reapply.

fk506 · 18 Feb 2011 at 05:39

C64 said:
I was about to use nail varnish remover until I saw moisturiser on the label.

Don't think it makes much difference but I normally use the akasa stuff.

For now just use kitchen roll or toilet paper and am not gentle at all really.

Just wipe it off clean and reapply.

Hear, hear. Kitchen rolls work for me too

gcaster · 18 Feb 2011 at 05:45

iBSOD said:
ArctiClean = LEMON SCENTED!!! I must buy more! They clean 'em flawlessly. And smell like beaut!

Also are a lot cheaper than they used to be.

+1, although I swear ArctiClean is orange scented. Either way, it smells pretty immense.

JBod · 18 Feb 2011 at 09:23

Am I the only one to dry rub with bog roll?

dekez · 18 Feb 2011 at 09:25

I use switch cleaner from a high street electrical components store

Bought a can when I first built my PC in 2009, and it's still going even with regular CPU / GPU block changes.

pcAnywhere · 18 Feb 2011 at 09:37

LiamC said:
I actually just used some Glens Vodka to remove mine around 30mins ago! ( Made sure the vodka was clearly wiped off before i put the new stuff on however!! )

40% vodka is good if you don't have a handy supply of meths, IPA or acetone.

Frozennova · 18 Feb 2011 at 09:42

Akasa TIM clean for me, not even used a quarter of a bottle even with swapping cpus, blocks, other peoples builds so it gets used at least one every week or two

Gates · 18 Feb 2011 at 13:48

Take it out and put it in the Vise. Then give it a good old rub with this

nshire · 18 Feb 2011 at 16:11

JBod said:
Am I the only one to dry rub with bog roll?

I do too or kitchen roll. with some akasa tim cleaner

powelly · 19 Feb 2011 at 00:37

Gates said:
Take it out and put it in the Vise. Then give it a good old rub with this

give it good old rub with a hotlinking is theft picture? kinda odd

i take it no one else uses the good old wd40 then?
gets it off in milli seconds

PCZ · 19 Feb 2011 at 05:39

JBod said:
Am I the only one to dry rub with bog roll?

No your not.

That or Kitchen roll.

The only time i use any form of solvent cleaner is when a standard heatsink has been used previously.
The thermal material on Intel and AMD stock heatsinks goes hard and needs some persuasion to come off.
Generally i use RS foam cleaner.

Also
I clean AMD CPU's in the socket if possible to avoid bending the pins.

Intel CPU's i clean out of the socket, often giving the pads on the bottom side a cleanup as well.

Ripshod · 19 Feb 2011 at 08:49

JBod said:
Am I the only one to dry rub with bog roll?

+1, but only when reapplying the same TIM

man_from_uncle · 19 Feb 2011 at 17:28

JBod said:
Am I the only one to dry rub with bog roll?

Nah. If i'm salvaging an old CPU then I might use a dab of white spirits as well just to get it resalable, but if it's just a reseat then i'll just use whatever tissue type thing I have to hand that looks the least likely to fragment.

Gelly54 · 20 Feb 2011 at 12:25

philtorrens said:
Go to a Chemist and get a small bottle of Acetone and use it along with a glasses cleaning cloth. Acetone is also found in Nail Varnish remover but the perfume they add to it may not be ideal for cleaning your CPU

This

metbandit1 · 20 Feb 2011 at 18:36

powelly2010 said:
give it good old rub with a hotlinking is theft picture? kinda odd

i take it no one else uses the good old wd40 then?
gets it off in milli seconds

iuse WD40! works like a charm

SouthEastBlue · 20 Feb 2011 at 19:41

Last time I couldn't find my girlfriends bottle of nail varnish remover, so I just used some Jack Daniels on a bit of tissue. No problems at all.