What do you use to wash your heatsinks with?

[de.das.dude]

Generally i use normal clothes detergent. I tried the dishwashing stuff, but it seems to leave some kind of white residue on the aluminium of the heatsink


So what do you use?

[3870x2]

If you are using any more than air, you probably need to do maintenance more often. Unless you are talking about the heatsink contact, then I use a very small amount of dishsoap with hot water.

[lyndonguitar]

I use air, imo its enough, if you want to use liquid i suggest using some Isopropyl alcohol with a brush

[swaaye]

If it's gunked up with sludge from a nasty air environment, I use dish soap. Say for situations with weird pet dust goo or smoker homes. I've also seen corrosion/tarnishing from situations like strange sulfur air issues in basements but this is a real bitch to clean up.

[johnspack]

Heh, when I have to clean a smokers hs, I remove all plastic parts, and use a commercial degreaser... only thing that works. Clean as a whistle after!

[swaaye]

Originally Posted by johnspack

Heh, when I have to clean a smokers hs, I remove all plastic parts, and use a commercial degreaser... only thing that works. Clean as a whistle after!

I like the citrus cleaners for the worst messes but they have to be followed up by dish soap because they leave residue. But I happily accept that instead of using stuff like Xylene.

[Sasqui]

For dust, I use this:



For thermal compund I use this:

[brandonwh64]

Googone here. I spray it down and let it sit for about 5 minutes then I rinse down in the sink then let it sit to dry.

[swaaye]

Isopropyl doesn't always take off heatsink compounds. Waxes for example. GooGone Citrus and then Isopropyl.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by swaaye

Isopropyl doesn't always take off heatsink compounds. Waxes for example. GooGone Citrus and then Isopropyl.

True that, though I've been using AS5 for years and alcohol cuts it quite well. Also has worked well on just about every stock TIM I've used it on.

[Jizzler]

Originally Posted by swaaye

Isopropyl doesn't always take off heatsink compounds. Waxes for example. GooGone Citrus and then Isopropyl.

Yup. Especially that pink crap they use to use on a lot of motherboard heatsinks. While alcohol would eventually take it off it was 50 times faster to use Googone or even WD40, then clean it a second time with alcohol.

[TheMailMan78]

Originally Posted by 3870x2

If you are using any more than air, you probably need to do maintenance more often. Unless you are talking about the heatsink contact, then I use a very small amount of dishsoap with hot water.

He lives in a very industrial area of India. The build up can be rough no matter how clean he keeps it. Honestly its out of his hands. When I was in Pakistan years ago I saw people scrubbing car radiators once a week because of pollution in the air. I can only guess what India must be like.

DD. Use rubbing alcohol.

[de.das.dude]

let me show how bad it is:-

cleaned two days ago


there is an ongoing underground meto construction in the neighborhood.

[m&m's]

In two days it got dirty like this? Can you imagine all the shit you inhale?

[de.das.dude]

yup. i have a perpetual nose block.

[TheMailMan78]

Originally Posted by m&m's

In two days it got dirty like this? Can you imagine all the shit you inhale?

Welcome to central Asia.

DDD get some pantie hose and stretch it over your tower. No joke. It works like a charm.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by de.das.dude

yup. i have a perpetual nose block.

Wow man, get yourself a HEPA filter! That's not healthy and who knows what's in the construction dust.

[TheMailMan78]

Originally Posted by Sasqui

Wow man, get yourself a HEPA filter! That's not healthy and who knows what's in the construction dust.

Oh please, the only thing more resilient than an Indian is a cockroach. Not even nukes can stop their immune systems.

[james888]

Originally Posted by de.das.dude

let me show how bad it is:-

cleaned two days ago


there is an ongoing underground meto construction in the neighborhood.

Wow. It takes me about a week to get that bad without my air filter in the background. About 3 weeks with it on.

[RejZoR]

I always only clean my PC with quite usual 1800W Electrolux vacuum cleaner. Meaning i don't spread the dust all over my room, i don't use any solvents and it does the job just fine. Plus i don't have to wreck the PC apart just to clean it.

[suraswami]

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Oh please, the only thing more resilient than an Indian is a cockroach. Not even nukes can stop their immune systems.

Lol. Very True. The moment you move to this place so called USA even the smell of a rose your system can't take it.

[XL-R8R]

Originally Posted by de.das.dude

let me show how bad it is:-

cleaned two days ago
http://img.techpowerup.org/121219/20122012793.jpg

Cleaning your room as often as you clean your PC will no doubt clear up some of this crap.... and keeping your door/windows closed.


If that fails, you can always do the American thing and sue someone.

[Krazy Owl]

Goo Gone on a rag. Then I use a dry rag to make it dry.

[Morgoth]

vacuum cleaner

[de.das.dude]

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Oh please, the only thing more resilient than an Indian is a cockroach. Not even nukes can stop their immune systems.

lol. not a single cockroach in our house though we are very clean. infact most of the dust is from when my mom dusts the curtains and stuff everyday.