"Rubbing" Alcohol commonly includes some oils and skin conditioning ingredients so you want to go for Isopropyl Alcohol 90+% ...
Denatured Alcohol - the paint thinner type (Usually 95% Ethanol and 5% Methanol) is the best I've found at the price ... try the local hardware store or paint store.
I've also resorted to using 100% Methanol ... leaves no residue whatsoever and dries incredibly fast.
Worst case scenario is that I use some Lighter Fluid to clean off any adhesive residues then use Alcohol.
DO NOT USE Acetone ... it is extremely hazardous. Vapors are hazardous as well, it is absorbed directly through the skin!!!
I always wear surgical gloves when I do this stuff. Two reasons:
1. Prevents the oils in my skin from compromising the heat transfer compound and surfaces
2. Protects me from whatever nasty compounds I use.
Beware that latex gloves do NOT stop acetone.
Also ... most nail polish removers are no longer acetone. Federal regulations prevent the sale of acetone for that use.
Windex contains some alkali components that can corrode the surface of the heatsink and/or metal surfaces of the CPU. Even on Athlon chips, there are exposed bridges and such.
Goop is petroleum based ... i.e. ... OIL ... case closed on that
Finally, I rinse the surface of the die with denatured alcobho, scrub around with a cotton swab then rinse it again with denatured alcohol. NO WIPING. I usually use a bit of canned "AIR" to hasten the evaporation of the alcohol, if necessary. Because I do not wipe, there is no possibility of any residue.
mondo