Are you intend to clean your CPU that you haven’t clean for a while? You heard about cleaning a CPU with rubbing alcohol, but you are concerned about using it. So you are looking for a convincing answer.
Well, you have just landed in the right place.
I have been building computers and working on DIY projects for a long time. I can provide the exact information you are looking for.
Stay with me and read the full article to know everything about CPU cleaning.
Can you Use Alcohol to Clean a CPU?
Yes, you can use rubbing alcohol to clean your CPU. It is absolutely safe to use. In fact, this is the best way to go for CPU cleaning. Rubbing alcohol is used primarily for clearing the thermal paste from the IHS.
And it is very good at removing thermal paste than other thermal paste removal methods. Interestingly enough, you can clean the CPU with methylated spirit as well. But it’s only viable when you are missing rubbing alcohol.
What is rubbing alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is a liquid substance made from Isopropyl Alcohol or Ethanol. This is mainly used as a topical antiseptic. But you can use them to clean your computer as well. The reason behind this is that rubbing alcohol dries very quickly. And it is crucial to keep your computer components always dry. 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is best in this business.
How to Clean a CPU with Rubbing Alcohol?
If you feel that your PC is slowing down, then there is a high chance that your CPU has become dirty. Or your CPU thermal paste is dried out. So you need to clean the existing thermal paste from the CPU.
Here is how you can clean the CPU with rubbing alcohol:
- Turn off and unplug the computer from the socket first.
- Then, get a cotton bud or any soft and lint-free clean cloth(microfiber cloths are the best).
- After that, soak it in the rubbing alcohol.
- Then remove the CPU cooling fan. No need to remove the CPU from the socket.
- Now, gently clean the surface of the CPU.
- At last, wipe the surface of the CPU with a cloth that is clean, dry, and soft.
Can you Clean Other PC Components with Rubbing Alcohol?
Yes, you can clean the other PC components with rubbing alcohol. It is a very safe approach to cleaning. Isopropyl alcohol can easily clean any dust from the components. For example, you can clean your GPU with rubbing alcohol.
However, you should avoid the connecting ports(pins) that connect components to the motherboard. It can create a short circuit in the worst-case scenario. You should use any air blower or soft cloth to clean those connecting parts.
You can use 99% Isopropyl alcohol to clean the components. As it is the purest alcohol, you can get. So be absolutely stress-free and use rubbing alcohol to clean the computer components. It won’t damage your System.
How to Clean CPU with Alcohol with Safety?
Reading the article this far, you have already known the fact that rubbing alcohol is very good at cleaning your system CPU. But you need to be very careful while using any Isopropyl alcohol liquid.
Here are the precautions you need to follow while cleaning the CPU using rubbing alcohol:
- Make sure not to spill the rubbing alcohol on other components. As it is a liquid substance, any more significant amount can damage the entire system.
- Isopropyl alcohol, as known as rubbing alcohol, is very flammable. So make sure to cut all the power from the system. And stay away from any kind of ignition sources.
- Keep your eyes and any other external vital organs while cleaning the CPU with rubbing alcohol.
- Use gloves to avoid any kind of skin irritation while using rubbing alcohol to clean the CPU.
Can you Clean a CPU without Rubbing Alcohol?
Yes, you can clean a CPU without rubbing alcohol. But it is good to use rubbing alcohol. However, in some cases where rubbing alcohol is out of your reach, then you can use other elements to clean the CPU.
Here are some other methods to clean the CPU:
- You can use an air blower to clean your computer. Make sure to use the right amount of air pressure to clean. If you use high pressure, it can damage the small motherboard components.
- You can use a silicone blower to clean your CPU. It is a cheap alternative to the air blower. It is commonly available in every household. It is a safer approach than an air blower, as you can not accidentally blow a higher pressure air.
- You can use simple, clean water to clean the thermal paste from the CPU. But you need to be very careful. You need to remove the CPU from the socket before doing it. Otherwise, water can create a short circuit in the motherboard. Which eventually can kill the system.
- You can use hand sanitizer or nail polish remover as an alternative to rubbing alcohol for cleaning the CPU. It is a cheaper option compared to rubbing alcohol. And you can find these everywhere as they are very easy to get.
- There is another way of cleaning the CPU, especially the thermal paste from the CPU. That is using a sharp razor blade. I won’t recommend this method. Although, if you really don’t have any option other than this, then use a razor blade to clean the thermal paste from the CPU. Be extremely careful while using it. Any excessive pressure can damage the metal cover and even kill your CPU.
FAQs
Is 70% alcohol enough to clean the CPU?
You can use any percentage of alcohol substances to clean the CPU. They all work completely fine. But higher percentages of alcohol like 70% or above can dry out very quickly. That’s why it is recommended to use 99% alcohol as it dries out the fastest. So yeah, you can use 70% alcohol to clean the CPU.
Can rubbing alcohol damage your CPU?
No, rubbing alcohol does not damage the CPU. However, the rubbing elements can damage your CPU. Anything like paper towels, hard clothes, or lint from clothes can damage the CPU.
Can I use rubbing alcohol to clean the GPU?
Yes, you can. You can possibly clean any computer components with rubbing alcohol. Cleaning the GPU is similar to the CPU cleaning process. And it is safe to clean the GPU with rubbing alcohol.
Can I use vinegar to remove the thermal paste?
You can clean the thermal paste from the CPU with anything. It can be vinegar, soap, charcoal lighter, etc. But make sure that you don’t chip it.
IS Isopropyl alcohol safe for electronics?
You can clean personal computers and electrical equipment with Isopropyl alcohol 99%. It is both safe and effective. 99% Isopropyl alcohol is the purest one available. And any percentage of Isopropyl alcohol is safe for the electronics.
Final Thoughts
To summarize the whole article, all I can say is that you can use rubbing alcohol to clean the CPU. It is safe and widely used by users. Just get any Isopropyl alcohol and start cleaning without any doubt in mind.
Thanks for reading this article. Hopefully, you get all the information that you were looking for. If you need any further information, then contact me without any hesitation. I will come back with an appropriate reply.
