Arctic Silver ArctiClean

[W1zzard]

To read this review go to: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/A...er/ArctiClean/

[Mussels]

Good review w1zz, i was going to do one myself on this stuff.

as you tried near the end, the trick is to do 2 tries with solution 1, then another with solution 2... some of yours werent as clean as i've got out of my kit here.

oh and kiddies, use a lint free cloth to wipe it up. tissues and toilet paper work fine, but if they're too rough they scratch the CPU/GPU/Mobo Chipset/Heatisnk

This product is a stupid waste of money. This is my first time at this site and this review alone will ensure that I never come back.

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This product is a stupid waste of money. This is my first time at this site and this review alone will ensure that I never come back.

mmm.. then you obviously haven't had to deal with a bunch of dumb thermal pads...

Come back when you have a real opinion and xsomething to backup your accusations, please.

Btw, w1z, try using "goof off" it may not be available in europe.. it works fantasticly.. its basicly paint thinner tho.. lol (acetone like)

[wazzledoozle]

Originally Posted by Dippyskoodlez

mmm.. then you obviously haven't had to deal with a bunch of dumb thermal pads...

Come back when you have a real opinion and xsomething to backup your accusations, please.

Btw, w1z, try using "goof off" it may not be available in europe.. it works fantasticly.. its basicly paint thinner tho.. lol (acetone like)

Goof off is the best remover of gunk. I had a radeon 9200SE where the heatsink was factory glued to the chip, and I almost tore the chip off the card trying to get the heatsink off. Dabbed a sheet of paper in some goof off and slid it between the heatsink and chip. It was like slicing butter.

[bikr692002]

Great review w1zz I think I'm going to get some for my new build

[PVTCaboose1337]

Good review... Lots of examples. Why in the world did you taste it? LOLOL

[Steevo]

Yar, goof off. Then a final cleaning with Xylene.

Or I get some electrical cleaner at work that leaves no reidue, but smells terrible and is highly explosive.

[HookeyStreet]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This product is a stupid waste of money. This is my first time at this site and this review alone will ensure that I never come back.

What a total loser! IMHO this forum is the best tech forum on the net and the reviews are outstanding.

[MZ3692]

Unregistered, you are a total fool. As for techpowerup...

[W1zzard]

if you have doubts about arcticlean, go buy a package, try it, and if it cant get off your thermal pads/paste (proof please), i'll paypal you the price.

[Frogger]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This product is a stupid waste of money. This is my first time at this site and this review alone will ensure that I never come back.

this JERK prob never had to spend mega time lapping sinks back to mirror finish after some fool scraped off pad with a knife..the fact is it's user friendlly and work for $6 bucks and don't damage the PCB makes it worth the $$

[Snakey]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I was doing some research about this ArtiClean.
I just bought the kit and I used to clean my Heatsink and CPU. The Heatsink was rather easy, looks very clean!

To clean the CPU, I removed it off the socket, put a few drops and waited. The whole liquid thing started going around the sides (I have a Intel 775 processor, e.g. X6800). Eventually it actually went around and to the bottom of the processor. Not to the actual little chips under, but to the "golden" connectors all around those little chips. I eventually dried it up, final touched it with the 2nd bottle and it looks pretty good. I just have very little residue of paste on the little vains around where you're supposed to put all the paste but I don't think that will affect any contact with my new heatsink.

The big question is if the material on those 2 bottles would affect in any way the connectors (golden ones..) under the processor. I haven't put it on my new motherboard yet because I wanted to make sure it's completely dried out, but is the processor OK still even after a little bit of the solution got to it?

The reason I ask before even trying is because I'm installing the CoolIT Freezone and I don't want to be removing the heatsink again once it's in its place... So just wondering if that affects the processor in any way..

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Snakey

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and I was doing some research about this ArtiClean.
I just bought the kit and I used to clean my Heatsink and CPU. The Heatsink was rather easy, looks very clean!

To clean the CPU, I removed it off the socket, put a few drops and waited. The whole liquid thing started going around the sides (I have a Intel 775 processor, e.g. X6800). Eventually it actually went around and to the bottom of the processor. Not to the actual little chips under, but to the "golden" connectors all around those little chips. I eventually dried it up, final touched it with the 2nd bottle and it looks pretty good. I just have very little residue of paste on the little vains around where you're supposed to put all the paste but I don't think that will affect any contact with my new heatsink.

The big question is if the material on those 2 bottles would affect in any way the connectors (golden ones..) under the processor. I haven't put it on my new motherboard yet because I wanted to make sure it's completely dried out, but is the processor OK still even after a little bit of the solution got to it?

The reason I ask before even trying is because I'm installing the CoolIT Freezone and I don't want to be removing the heatsink again once it's in its place... So just wondering if that affects the processor in any way..

I had the same thing happen to me. I put the first compound directly on the area of the spill-over on the under side of the processor, let it sit for a second, then blew it off with pressurized air. All the leftover thermal grease residue came out. I then used the second solution to make sure the residue from the first solution was gone, blew it off again, let it dry, and Presto! Good as new.


@W1z - Great review. I use this stuff religiously.

[Snakey]

Originally Posted by Wile E

I had the same thing happen to me. I put the first compound directly on the area of the spill-over on the under side of the processor, let it sit for a second, then blew it off with pressurized air. All the leftover thermal grease residue came out. I then used the second solution to make sure the residue from the first solution was gone, blew it off again, let it dry, and Presto! Good as new.


@W1z - Great review. I use this stuff religiously.

Sounds awesome! I figured the solution wouldn't damage or the processor or not many people would talk about it. I like the idea of pressurized air. I'm gonna give the processor another run with both solutions to make sure I can get the grease off the sides of the processor.

Thanks!

[Lazzer408]

Use brake-cleaner. $1.99 for a 19oz bottle. "articlean"

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

Use brake-cleaner. $1.99 for a 19oz bottle. "articlean"

Brake cleaner is far more dangerous to use than ArtiClean. Brake cleaner will happily eat anything in your computer that contains plastic.

[Lazzer408]

Dont use chlorinated brake-cleaner.

Try putting some articlean on plastic and lets see what happens. I've literally hosed down cpus and motherboards with brake-cleaner (or electronic parts cleaner works also) with no ill effects.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by Lazzer408

Dont use chlorinated brake-cleaner.

Try putting some articlean on plastic and lets see what happens. I've literally hosed down cpus and motherboards with brake-cleaner (or electronic parts cleaner works also) with no ill effects.

OK, fair enough on the non-chlorinated brake cleaner.

As far as ArtiClean getting on plastic, it doesn't do damage, so long as you clean it off fairly quickly. I have spilled it on plastic(clear plastic tablecloth), and it sat for about a min while I went to get a paper towel. Absolutely no damage. Although I'm sure letting it sit would've done something eventually.

There's also another advantage Articlean has over brake/electronic cleaners, the fumes. One whiff of brake or electronic cleaner and I have an instant asthma attack. Not so with the articlean.

[ktr]

Make sure you wash your hands if you acceditly get the cleaner on your hand...that stuff is slightly corrosive.

[tkpenalty]

Originally Posted by Mussels

Good review w1zz, i was going to do one myself on this stuff.

as you tried near the end, the trick is to do 2 tries with solution 1, then another with solution 2... some of yours werent as clean as i've got out of my kit here.

oh and kiddies, use a lint free cloth to wipe it up. tissues and toilet paper work fine, but if they're too rough they scratch the CPU/GPU/Mobo Chipset/Heatisnk

....

[W1zzard]

Originally Posted by ktr

Make sure you wash your hands if you acceditly get the cleaner on your hand...that stuff is slightly corrosive.

what information is this based on? i was told it is perfectly safe, i even tasted it ^^

[ARTOSOFT]

Originally Posted by W1zzard

what information is this based on? i was told it is perfectly safe, i even tasted it ^^

Is it vanilla or chocolate taste ?

Regards,
Arto.

[airspoon]

I know this is a really old review/thread -but I just wanted to know if there was something better in our more modern times? I picked up this kit a few months ago and while it worked, it worked just about as good as strong rubbing Alcohol. Also, unlike with Alcohol, I'm afraid that this stuff will drip down the side of whatever CPU or chip I'm trying to clean and either corrode the pins/solder, or short the electronics. Is there any reason that this stuff is better than alcohol or at least not a danger to cleaning chips?

[micropage7]

nice, i usually using cajuput oil to remove it
now i have another alternative