Spilled Thermal Paste in CPU and (a little) CPU Socket

[IMSSUP]

Hi guys,

I was assembling my first PC and, when applying thermanl paste (AS5) I followed a friend's advice and distributed thermal paste all over the CPUs surface and, as many before, I thought I had to apply all of the paste that was in the packet. So, unsurprisingly, some of the thermal paste spilled over the CPU and (Even worse) a slight amount of it is in the border of the socket (Pictures below). Does anyone know how to clean this mess? How much screwed am I?

Ive found some posts about it, but answers are incongruent

In case it is needed:

Thermal Paste: Arctic Silver 5 (Which I've heard is capacitive, not conductive. Don't know the implications of that)
Motherboard: MSI H97 PC Mate
CPU: Intel Core i5 (Not relevant, I suppose)

 

[sammy sung]

Best suggestion is to take a coffee filter(not tissue or paper towel) apply isopropyl alcohol 90% and gently try to remove the paste.

 

[IMSSUP]

Best suggestion is to take a coffee filter(not tissue or paper towel) apply isopropyl alcohol 90% and gently try to remove the paste.

Thank you very much for your response. In that case I have one more short question, Does 96º ethanol work?

 

[sammy sung]

If that's what you have on hand, it should be fine. Ethanol is alcohol. Just more expensive. Isopropyl alcohol is cheap and very easily found at your local drug store, or somewhere like walmart/target.

 

[IMSSUP]

If that's what you have on hand, it should be fine. Ethanol is alcohol. Just more expensive. Isopropyl alcohol is cheap and very easily found at your local drug store, or somewhere like walmart/target.

Thank you very much, really. I think you just saved me from a heart attack!