How should I apply the NT-H1 or NT-H2 thermal paste on the CPU and how can I remove it?

Applying thermal paste

Both our NT-H1 and NT-H2 are easy to apply and generally don’t need to be spread out manually on the CPU. However, our recommendations differ slightly from paste to paste and from CPU size to CPU size, so please refer to our product manuals for detailed recommendations:

CPU application recommendations chart by CPU size and type: 1 dot for small CPUs (LGA115x, LGA1200...); 4 smaller dots + 1 larger in the middle for mid-size CPUs (AM4, AM5, LGA1851, LGA1700, LGA20xx...); 9 smaller dots plus 4 larger dots for big CPUs(TR4, sWRX8, LGA4677...)

Removing and cleaning thermal paste

Whenever you take off the heatsink from the CPU, we recommend cleaning the CPU as well as the base of the cooler before re-applying thermal paste and re-installing the cooler. You can either just wipe the base and the CPU clean with a dry, lint-free tissue or, for more thorough cleaning, use a lint-free tissue moistened with a mild solution of washing-up liquid. Isopropyl alcohol or cleaning wipes such as NA-SCW1 can be used, but are not necessary.