Hot take: I was cleaning thermal paste wrong for years

I always used a paper towel and a little rubbing alcohol, but a client brought in a machine with a weird white residue. Turns out I was using the wrong type of alcohol and leaving bits behind. Anyone else have a specific brand of isopropyl they swear by for cleaning CPUs?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert2751mo agoTop Commenter

Grab the 99% stuff every time. That lower percentage stuff is just water and gunk waiting to dry on your chip.

riley9561mo ago

I switched to 99% isopropyl from the drugstore stuff years ago. The higher purity leaves zero residue and evaporates completely clean. It's the only way to be sure you're not leaving a film behind.