Streaks on GPU after cleaning

[spyguy]

I cleaned my gpu with some 91% isopropyl alcohol. Ive used it in the past and the card always works fine. There are just some small streaks left over on the back of the card. Will this hurt anything? I know the alcohol evaporates almost immediately. Its just slightly darker than the rest of the card. This is on the back where the pins and stuff are.

 

[mortemas]

Sounds like either some residue remains on the gpu or there's residue built up on the cloth. Try a fresh corner of the cloth with some more alcohol, or a new cloth.

 

[Eximo]

91% alcohol is 9% something else. Mostly water, but there may be other impurities. It also would have picked up stuff from the card during cleaning.

The residue shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[spyguy]

That's just weird though. I use a brush with soft bristles. If I go back over it some of the streaks disappear and appear in other places. Theres really no way to get it off that I know of.

 

[mgallo848]

That's just weird though. I use a brush with soft bristles. If I go back over it some of the streaks disappear and appear in other places. Theres really no way to get it off that I know of.

Don't clean it with bristles, use a clean lint-free cloth instead.

 

[spyguy]

The brush I use has purple and white bristles. I didn't realize the purple would come off a little bit with alcohol. I only just noticed when I looked at the protective cover it comes in and noticed some purple coloring on it. Im soaking the brush in alcohol now and hopefully it all comes off. I went over my gpu with cotton swabs and alcohol and got most of the streaks off. Hopefully whatever they use to color those brushes isn't conductive and wont ruin my card over time. Man what a joke this is.

 

[spyguy]

That's just weird though. I use a brush with soft bristles. If I go back over it some of the streaks disappear and appear in other places. Theres really no way to get it off that I know of.

Don't clean it with bristles, use a clean lint-free cloth instead.

My card had a small bit of corrosion on some pins at one time. That wouldn't get it off, so I had to use a brush with soft bristles based off recommendations from forum users. It works perfectly, especially when cleaning large parts of my gtx 1080, which seems to me to have a large surface area, plus Im a little ocd when it comes to my pc.

 

[mgallo848]

That's just weird though. I use a brush with soft bristles. If I go back over it some of the streaks disappear and appear in other places. Theres really no way to get it off that I know of.

Don't clean it with bristles, use a clean lint-free cloth instead.

My card had a small bit of corrosion on some pins at one time. That wouldn't get it off, so I had to use a brush with soft bristles based off recommendations from forum users. It works perfectly, especially when cleaning large parts of my gtx 1080, which seems to me to have a large surface area, plus Im a little ocd when it comes to my pc.

Corrosion?

I've never heard of a Video card getting corrosion before. Do you live near beach / ocean? Is your system (or any part of the system) water-cooled?

 

[spyguy]

Yea cards do sometimes get corrosion, from what Im not exactly sure, at least google brought up a few results last time I checked. My system has an aio, but it has never leaked of this Im sure. My suspicion was that when using compressed air some condensation leaked off the can without me realizing it, or it could have come like that, Im not sure. I had another thread about that issue specifically, which was resolved with the help of the brush and some 91% alcohol.

 

[mgallo848]

Yea cards do sometimes get corrosion, from what Im not exactly sure, at least google brought up a few results last time I checked. My system has an aio, but it has never leaked of this Im sure. My suspicion was that when using compressed air some condensation leaked off the can without me realizing it, or it could have come like that, Im not sure. I had another thread about that issue specifically, which was resolved with the help of the brush and some 91% alcohol.

If where you live is very humid (and you don't have air conditioning) you could probably look for a de-humidifier for the PC room.

 

[Peter Martin]

i have to ask... why spongebob.... whyyyyyyyyy do you clean a card? just blow it off with canned air.

 

[spyguy]

Thanks, its humid but I do have good cooling in doors. I think either it came like that and took me a while to notice or the condensation got on it, but I thought corrosion took a while to form. Im just watching it now, and if it comes back ill rma. I didn't last time because I had already cleaned it and if I sent it back, they would look at the card, hook it up and send it back because it works fine. So if it comes back I don't know that they would do anything besides clean it off.

 

[spyguy]

The brush is polyester/nylon. I wonder if the coloring is cause for concern. Ill look into the lint free pads as long as they are good for cleaning the pins and stuff. Cotton swabs certainly aren't.

 

[Peter Martin]

you can get solvents to clean electronics, and use clean toothbrush with white bristles. I used to use something called SafeSol

 

[spyguy]

i have to ask... why spongebob.... whyyyyyyyyy do you clean a card? just blow it off with canned air.

Did you read the thread?

 

[Peter Martin]

yeah. I can't understand why anyone would clean electronics with 91% alcohol in the first place. not necessary. get real electronics solvents if you have an issue or RMA it.

in all my days with all my computers canned air to blow it out and a vacuum maybe. you guys are weird. I don't have problems I try to solve people who do this kind of stuff's problems. my machines run like wild stallions and they are stable. no alcohol required for a long life either.

 

[spyguy]

That's what I meant, that's all in the thread. I said in other posts that I had corrosion on the card, possibly from condensation leaking off of compressed air can, and the reason I didn't rma it. You didn't read the thread. Sorry I don't mean that to sound rude, it just that the information is in the thread.

 

[Peter Martin]

well there are better solvents available that would be safer on your nice video cards and stuff. search for safe solvents
https://www.electrolube.com/products/cleaning.html

maybe you need the contact cleaner
https://www.electrolube.com/products/cleaning/ccc/solvent/

 

[spyguy]

well there are better solvents available that would be safer on your nice video cards and stuff. search for safe solvents
https://www.electrolube.com/products/cleaning.html

maybe you need the contact cleaner
https://www.electrolube.com/products/cleaning/ccc/solvent/

Thanks the kind I used it safe for computers, but the condensation isn't. Your not supposed to get it on the components, lol. Ive never head of the stuff you linked but it looks great, if the problem returns it may be something I need.