I'm new to building PCs and was parting out an old prebuilt computer. When I got to the CPU, I realized I didn't know how to clean off the thermal paste. I don't have any alcohol wipes, but I do have anti-bacterial wipes and baby wipes. Are these okay to use, or should I just stick to tissue or paper towels? Any guidance would really help!
3 Answers
Honestly, anything with isopropyl alcohol will do the job best, but since you don't have it, a dry paper towel should work if the paste isn't too crusty. Just don't use those antibacterial wipes; they could leave a mess.
You can definitely just wipe off the thermal paste with a dry paper towel or cloth. You don't need to use anything special; alcohol is often recommended because it evaporates quickly, but if your old thermal paste isn't too thick, this should work fine. Just make sure it's clean!
Using baby wipes or any wet wipes isn't ideal since they might leave residues. Unless the thermal paste is solid, a simple dry paper towel will usually do the trick. I've done it plenty of times!
Right? I cleaned mine this way and it worked just fine.
Yeah, it's really not that big of a deal. Just get as much off as you can without overthinking it!