Can Alcohol Swab Clean Thermal Paste?
As you’re reading this post, you know how important thermal paste is in keeping your PC performing well. However, applying and removing thermal paste could be a tricky job for first-timers. If you’re about to clean up an old thermal paste from your CPU or GPU, and don’t have a proper thermal paste remover at hand, you might be wondering what to do.
Ideas like, “I should just use an alcohol swab” often come to mind. But can you actually use something like an alcohol swab to clean up thermal paste?Let’s find out.
Is it necessary to clean old thermal paste before reapplying new paste?
Absolutely, yes.
You must clean up the old thermal paste before applying a new one. Why? Well, if you don’t, the new paste won’t perform as effectively as it should. At the time you’re replacing the old paste, it has already lost its thermal conductance performance. Furthermore, it might have dried out as well.
If you apply the new paste on top of the old one, the residues of the old paste won’t mix up that well with the new paste. Plus, as the old paste is partially still there, the overall thermal conductance will suffer.
So, yes, it’s necessary to clean the old thermal paste before applying a new one.
Can I use an alcohol wipe to clean off old CPU thermal paste?
The short answer is, “Yes” — you can use an alcohol swab to clean up the thermal paste. But there are some things to keep in mind.
You cannot use your typical drinking alcohol for this job. You need a special kind of alcohol, commonly known as “rubbing alcohol”.
Getting a bit technical, you should look for alcohol with more than 90% concentration.
Why? Well, the higher the concentration of alcohol, the better for your computer components. Higher alcohol concentration equals lower water concentration, and as you might know, water and computer components don’t do that well together. Higher alcohol concentration is safer for your computer, plus it’s better as a cleaner, too. Higher concentration alcohol also evaporates faster, which makes it even safer to use.
You also need to make sure you’re using a suitable piece of cloth to clean the paste. If you use something like tissue paper or toilet paper, it might leave behind lint on the CPU or GPU — and trust us, you don’t want that to happen. The safe bet is to use a soft-touch, microfiber cloth or lint-free paper towel for the job.
Is there any better choice to clean thermal paste?
Yes, there is.
We recommend using a professional, dedicated thermal paste remover for this job — and Kooling Monster has just the thing for you. Kooling Monster KLEAN-01 is a special product made specifically for you to clean thermal paste.
So, what’s the difference between KLEAN-01 and typical rubbing alcohol? Well, unlike alcohol, KLEAN-01 is made for only one job: to clean up the thermal paste. It has all the right ingredients to easily cut through the dried-out thermal paste and melt it down with ease. It’s formed in such a way that even a tiny bit of residue isn’t left behind.
Furthermore, dealing with alcohol is a pain. First, you have to find the right concentration of alcohol. Then, you have to find a suitable piece of cloth. Then, you have to apply the right amount of alcohol to the cloth, and so on.
On the other hand, dealing with KLEAN-01 is as easy as it gets. The package comes with 20 cleaning wipes, and each of them has pre-applied cleaning liquid on it. That means you don’t have to apply chemicals to a piece of cloth, KLEAN-01 comes pre-applied.
Plus, KLEAN-01 also comes with convenience tools in the package. There’s a pair of gloves in the package, which makes sure you don’t have to touch unwanted chemicals during the process. There’s also a spatula and a spreader included, which help you apply the new paste with ease.
All in all, KLEAN-01 is a bliss to use.
How to remove thermal paste quickly and cleanly?
So, how do you clean thermal paste when you’ve got KLEAN-01 or rubbing alcohol with you?
Simply follow the easy steps below.
Open your computer casing and remove the heat sink from the CPU or GPU. If you have a water-cooled PC, that would be the water block.
Now, open up the KLEAN-01 package and wear the protective gloves. If you’re working with rubbing alcohol and don’t have KLEAN-01, we recommend you get a pair of gloves from your nearest store.
Wipe off the thermal paste from your CPU/GPU, as well as the heatsink with a cleaning wipe.
Now, take another wipe and polish the surface of the CPU/GPU and heatsink with it to remove all the remaining thermal paste.
Wait a few minutes for it to dry.
Now, you can apply a new thermal paste and put the computer back together.
Want to learn about the process in detail? Read “How to Clean Thermal Paste off CPU [2022 Beginner Guide]”
The bottom line
It’s imperative to effectively clean the old thermal paste before you apply a new one. Otherwise, the performance of the new paste will suffer. But — removing the old paste could be a disaster if you don’t use the right materials and don’t follow the instructions.
Luckily, after reading this post, you’re fully prepared to take on the job. You know which products to use and how to clean the paste.