8 / DRAIN COOLANT AND FLUSH
Before you open the waterblock, flush it with water first. This will
ensure that any coloured coolant is removed and doesn’t find its way
onto stainable surfaces. Tap water will be fine for this step, as long as
you dry the block within a few minutes of opening it, but otherwise, use
deionised or distilled water.4 / USE THE RIGHT CLEANER
For nickel-plated waterblocks, a chrome polish works best. It’s far less
abrasive than standard metal polishes, as chrome plating is similarly
delicate. We’ve used Autosol’s liquid chrome cleaner in this guide.
5 / USE PLASTIC BRUSHES
Fine coolant channels and fins can be tricky to clean, but a small plastic
cleaning brush can usually get into the grooves to clean them. We’ve used
an OXO Good Grips Deep Clean Brush Set, which costs £6 from Amazon,
and includes a brush with a micro plastic blade.
7 / REMOVE WATERBLOCKS
Now go ahead and remove the waterblocks you want to clean. If
you’re using a pastel coolant, the aesthetic benefits of cleaning will
be minimal, unless you can see areas of metal or acrylic that have
blemishes and look unsightly.6 / DRAIN YOUR LOOP
For a full clean, you’ll need to remove the components from your loop. Start
by draining your loop, so you can remove the components without spillage.
9 / REMOVE TOP COVER
Most waterblocks use hex screws to secure the top section to the
lower metal plate, so make sure you have the right tool ready. It’s also
a good idea to have a container ready to hold the screws while you’re
cleaning the block.