Is Hand Sanitizer a Good Thermal Paste Remover?

Thermal paste is a vital component of any PC build. It fills in the imperfections and air bubbles between the CPU and your heatsink and keeps your entire system cool. But what happens when your thermal paste dries out and needs changing? Is hand sanitizer a good thermal paste remover, or are there better ways to get the job done?

Can I Use Hand Sanitizer To Clean Thermal Paste?

Hand sanitizer is not a good alternative to high-quality paste removal wipes. Simply put, it can damage your hardware.

Hand sanitizers typically have a high alcohol content (usually above 60%), which makes them effective cleaners with a wide range of uses. The problem is that they often also contain water that can, of course, damage a system and cause shortages. It won’t come as too much of a surprise that applying very wet cleaners to your system can cause water damage. When cleaning off paste especially, moisture can easily get into a CPU socket or even penetrate the motherboard and cause a shortage.

To protect your expensive and important hardware, it’s a good idea to use specially made thermal paste removal products, especially when they’re fairly inexpensive compared to the cost of having to fork out for new components. Many people do still try to use DIY alternatives, but it's not recommended when it comes to maintaining expensive equipment.

What is the Function of Thermal Paste Cleaner?

Before any new thermal paste is applied, all old pastes must be removed to ensure any new applications actually function as they should and effectively transfer heat between the CPU and heatsink. Removing existing thermal paste isn’t too difficult a task, and it shouldn’t need to be done too often.

Knowing when your thermal paste needs changing should be easy enough to spot. Thermal paste, over time, becomes dry and degrades. When this happens, the paste is no longer transferring heat as efficiently as it once was, and, therefore, is not cooling your system properly.

Thermal paste remover will clean off the old, dried compound from the CPU and make the whole reapplication process simple, without damaging any of the electronic components of your PC. There are products, like KLEAN-01 that are designed specifically for removing thermal paste (or you can take more of a DIY approach if you’re willing to risk it.)

Common Ways To Clean or Wipe Out Thermal Paste

There are many different ways to clean the thermal paste from your CPU, and whilst hand sanitizer isn’t really a good option, there are plenty of other choices that are affordable and easy to get hold of.

Specialist Thermal Paste Cleaning Wipes (Recommended)

 Thermal paste cleaning wipes are an easy favorite for those who like to keep their PC systems in top condition. They will typically offer a superior clean with no residue left behind.

Wipes mean you don’t have to get your hands on numerous materials and it can be a less expensive way to clean paste from the CPU if you don’t already have things like cloths and isopropyl alcohol for cleaning lying around.

Dry Paper Towel To Remove Thermal Paste

If you’re looking to use a dry paper towel to remove the thermal paste, you might be better off instead using a microfiber cloth or even a coffee filter. The reason for this is that it can collect and remove the paste without leaving any lint behind that could impact the system.

It's not uncommon for this method to leave a residue behind because there is no real cleaning agent. For the new layer of paste to be effective, the old one must be completely removed so it’s very important that the surface is completely clean. Typically, you’ll want to use some sort of (non-water based) solution to ensure a clean surface.

Alcohol & Isopropyl Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol could be an option. You can combine a cloth with some sort of alcohol based cleaning agent (not hand sanitizer) to help you get rid of that residue, but a normal rubbing alcohol will not be as effective as isopropyl alcohol.

Isopropyl alcohol has superior solvent qualities to regular rubbing alcohol. It works well to break down the thermal paste and allow it to be wiped off. Isopropyl alcohol and a clean microfiber cloth is a popular way to remove expired thermal paste, but often for the cost of having these items, it will be worth investing in some specialist wipes for the same sort of price.

The problem with these at-home alternatives is that you will also need to have a cotton swab or cloth available to make it a viable option and getting hold of multiple products can be a lot less convenient than simply buying a single cleaning kit.

How to Remove Thermal Paste From CPU

The removal and reapplication of thermal paste is rather simple. If you've noticed a drop in the performance of your PC and chosen to change your paste, here are the main points to remember.

Step 1: Remove your cooler (also called heatsink) first.

Step 2: Remove the previous thermal paste application with the KLEAN-01 thermal paste removal kit or a good, old-fashioned isopropyl alcohol + cloth combination. Ensure both your heatsink and CPU are completely clean of any paste and there are no fibers or remaining residue.

Step 3: Let both surfaces dry for a few minutes.

Step 4: Apply a small amount of thermal paste on the CPU only (about a pea-sized amount).

Step 5: Replace the heatsink and tighten any loose screws. Look out for any spillages or overspill. You should be able to wipe these off with a cloth.

Read more in our detailed guide to cleaning your CPU of thermal paste.

Conclusion: Alternatives to Hand Sanitizer for Cleaning Thermal Paste

Hand sanitizer does not make a very effective cleaner for your CPU, in fact it can actually cause a bit of damage because of the water contents. Fortunately, there are other options that are both affordable and easy to get hold of.

The best (and probably most affordable) option is a KLEAN-01 removal kit or specialist removal wipe, but if you have clean fibre-free cloths and isopropyl alcohol available then that might be a good alternative.