I got a reasonable offer for buying a 2011 motherboard today. The problem is that apparently there's thermal grease in the socket. Never had such issues myself, so I'm wondering if anyone here experienced these things and managed to save the board? Or, how much replacing a socket (ASUS) will cost?

You can run it through a dish washer to get it done.

Toothbrush and acetone. Works everytime

I read about the toothbrush, but it scares me for something like an Intel socket...

I read about the toothbrush, but it scares me for something like an Intel socket...

 

Yeah, no toothbrush for me either. Acetone would work but I avoid it because it melts plastics

 

 

Edited August 25, 20168 yr by GtiJason

I did it with toothbrush few times, works good.

Acetone would work but I avoid it because it melts plastics

 

So does alcohol and contact cleaner (contains acetone)

So does alcohol and contact cleaner (contains acetone)

 

I have a gallon of the Home Depot Klean Strip 100% Acetone, so using this is to save money is of no greater risk to plastics than the contact cleaner I use assuming I'm not pouring it on my motherboard of course. I've only been using this one since it says "Plastics Safe" on it but it runs out so fast. I guess I've always thought of acetone being used repairing boats or race cars since they are fiberglass.

 

Lots of good advice here, thanks Not sure if that off I have is valid, but might still be useful to know what works for later... Dang it, would've liked that Z9PE WS board for $150...

https://www.chemtronics.com/c-259-cleaner-degreaser.aspx

(check "application" section of that stuff, some are real miracles)

 

thats what we used to degrease at Sun Micro Server division back then (was part of the SunShine Cleaning Kit):

https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19065-01/servers.10k/806-5605-10/806-5605-10.pdf

https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19065-01/servers.10k/806-4561-11/806-4561-11.pdf

 

if the prices look like madness - you sometimes still find old sun e10k CPU cleaning kits online, they contain everything needed to clean a CPU or socket and few people know what they are worth.

Also notice that "request a sample" button. No Idea what they charge for that. You may want to ask their sales agent for a sample for that particular application. A bottle of that stuff is enough for a few hundred mainboards.

 

as a matter of experience: open the windows. that stuff is a pain in the lungs.

ive done it with a "soft bristle" tooth brush, not medium or hard, and with methylated spirits then blow it out with compressed air, and with intel as you know the pins sections face different ways, you dont go brushing the pins backwards when they face forwards, thats just looking for disaster no matter if you use a soft anything, we all know how easy it is for an intel pin to catch , next minute you got a bent pin or pins, a can of that tin stuff i reckon would cost $15-20, metho costs $5 a litre here in coles supermarket, it still dilutes the paste, the beauty of metho is it dries out and helps dissipate any moisture,(remember water in your fuel tank ? and you'd use metho to dissipate the water) doesnt hurt the board or electricals, doesnt melt anything, just a little slower to dilute the paste and or vaseline, ive poured metho all over my boards and no probs, nail polish remover works too, thats acetone, knock off your wifes or girls nail polish remover and comes with a soft brush, hahaha

What about actual grease? Would a heatgun be ok?

That QD contact cleaner is the real deal, cleans anything and everything.