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ForumsComputers have moving parts such as fans on their CPU’s, Power Supplies, Video Cards and in some cases, on the case itself. Each fan is important for the smooth operation of the computer because they keep the system cool. Should Dust, Cigarette Smoke (which forms a paste when in contact with dust) or Pet Hair clog up one of these fans and prevent it from spinning, can cause those parts of the computer to overheat and become damaged.
In light of this, cleaning a computer is something that should be done every 6 months to a year. In this article, we’ll show you how.
We personally recommend using a compressor if you take a few safety steps which we will mention shortly. To begin cleaning the computer, you will need a Phillips head screwdriver (+) and a pencil or pen. The screwdriver is to open the computer case and the pencil or pen is to stick into the fans to prevent them from spinning up to insane speeds by the compressed air which can damage their tiny brushes.
It is best if you do this outside to prevent the dust form going all over the room. First shut it down and unplug it from any power source.
Open the case by using a Phillips head screwdriver to unscrew the screws on the back of the computer and slide the panel towards the back of the computer. Typically, if you are looking at the front of the computer, you will want to open the left panel because this provides the best access. Some brand name computers such as Dell, Compaq or HP may have hidden screws and clips elsewhere which will need to be found and released before you can open the computer.
To begin, we will clean the CPU fan. If you are using a compressor, first give it a test spray of air because sometimes they can collect moisture and spray water onto your computer which is something we definitely don’t want. After, place the pen or pencil in between the fans blades to prevent it from spinning and blast the dust away from the fans blades.
Next, you will need to get the dust out from the computers CPU heatsink just below the CPU fan. A good blast from a low angle facing towards the back of the case should get most of the dust out from in between the aluminum grills.
Hi, I am using this battery powered mini vacume cleaner to clean the dust from a case, but i find its not very powerful.
Are you able to recomend a good portable compressor for this job? Id prefer if it was battery operated.
thanks
Sorry, I don’t have anything portable to recommend. I typically take computers offsite back to my place where a big chunky compressor resides. Sometimes if I am far from base I’ll goto a petrol station and use theirs. Your best bet for some recommendations would be our forums.
http://www.technibble.com/forums/
Why not use a can of compressed air.. about $15 aussie dollars.. i use them all the time at work. I have no idea what brand you would use in other contries but the brand i use is “fellows” they make shredders n other such office things
Ben, personally I found compressed air too weak to get off dust that is “caked on” (as mentioned in the article). Perhaps it was the brand I was using?
That’s funny, I didn’t see you mention putting the case in the dish washer…Hi All,
Instead of a compressor, try a regular electric leaf blower. It will definitely work. I do it all the time. Make sure there is no water in the leaf blower of course. I have had temperatures drop over 10 degrees after a cleaning.
Dr. John
personally I found compressed air too weak to get off dust that is “caked on” (as mentioned in the article).
First off, if you clean up your case regularly the dust won’t “cake on”. However, if you find yourself in this situation, one thing I tend to do is take a medium-sized (clean!) Paint-Brush to scrub off these places.
Be careful though. Some brushes can build-up a static charge from all the rubbing. So you should mind the brush’s material. You should as well be careful around sensitive areas of the case. I usually screw off the fans before going to work with the brushes so I don’t accidentally scratch anything. But, the hardware is not *that* sensitive that it will break just by touching it with the brush. It can stand quite some treatment.
After you have scrubbed it all clean, go ahead and use your air-compressor/can to blow off the dust.
I find it practical to have a brush for dusting. It’s great to clean up many things on the PC. Even keyboards and such. You should keep in mind that you use the brush solely for this purpose though. You don’t want any alien dirt in your PC like color residue and stuff…
Why not use a can of compressed air.. about $15 aussie dollars
It’s a waste of money and resources. You can get a small compressor for less than 100$. And you can use it over and over and over and over again
Also, if the can is still quite full you have to hold it straight so none of the fluid air comes out, which is highly impractical.
Personally, I’ve always cleaned my machine with a vacuum cleaner. A nice powerful one like a Dyson normally does the trick.
For heatsinks and fans, I attack them with a cotton bud and get the dust off - much cheaper than a compressor or can of air and surprisingly theraputic! Just keep the vacuum handy near the part you are cleaning and the dust will just fall into it.
I also have fan filters on some machines which remove the need to clean them too much.
In more extreme cases, I have been known to take bits apart, especially PSUs - I had one that was cutting out, a quick clean of the insides did the trick - another 3 years of use expected!
I use a vacuum cleaner and compressed air. Think of it like a dentist’s office if you will. Just like they use the water squirter and the sucker to remove everything in your mouth (nasty thoughts I know) anyways, use the vacuum to suck out most of the dust bunnies and combine that with compressed air, that way, you won’t blow all that dust in your face. It works really well, plus you have strong suction, and the compressed air blowing to get as much dust out as possible. Just be careful that you don’t bump any of the capacitors with the vacuum hose. Hope this helps!
Vacuum Cleaner and an old tooth brush for stubborn dust always works just fine for me!
I agree with Dr John above, leaf blowers work great! I’m a network admin at a steel mill, talk about heat, dust, smoke and dirt.
Has anyone thought about static? The last thing I want to be doing is firing some industrial strength air compressor or leaf blower at my PC. A grounded air-line on a compressor is a must but I don’t think I would even chance that on my PC.
The only thing I use on my PC are the anti-static compressed air cans (which are a tad expensive tho).
This article is going to cause a lot of people to ruin their computer. Sure, you’re gonna say that you’ve been doing it yourself for a while now but I ain’t gonna roll the dice.
Something to be careful with when using an air compressor is water content of the air. As you compress the air, the moisture in the air also compresses turning back into water. You can help prevent this by draining the tank periodically, or putting an air drier on the output air line. Water can be bad for computer parts. The place you REALLY have to watch out for this is at a filling station, if you use their shop air they also sometimes have automatic oilers on the air lines for the tools, don’t want that oil residue in your computer.
Using a industrial air compressor is fine. At the company I work for we have 700 small form factor Dell machines. We are building the eastlink freeway in Melbourne so all the PCs get extremely dusty as you could imagine, and just today I used an air compressor to clean out 20 computers. Yes, maybe sometimes we have had a dead power supply after a cleaning but that is very rare and they are still under warranty so we don’t care that much. It is a pain that sometimes the output of the air is a bit watery but even with that moisture, 99% of the machines are fine after cleaning, I’ve already cleaned every machine last year and now I’m cleaning them all again for sale to employees.
Is a hairdryer powerful enough? If not, then il buy the compressed air thing.
I will like to know if use of liquids like petrol to clean can be harmful to a pc?
I use compressed air too. BUT be careful! If the nozzle is positioned in a certain angle you might blast liquid (air) onto the fan/mob/..etc..
It will freeze/damage the more fragile parts inside your system. I am forever twisting and turning the can…on the ling run not an ideal solution. Would go down the route of a small compressor were I to be in a computer repair business.
For the occasional cleaning session, a soft brush, an anti-static wristband, a can of air and a (very carefully positioned) plastic nozzle of a vacuum cleaner will do the trick.
Good Information.
Keep it up.
You forgot to say how mad the customer gets when the dust gets blown all over there rug/desk etc.
Should have a little vacumn with you.
I found the compressed air leaves cold water on my computer, so I evaporate and warm it up with a hair dryer after, and get off the remaining dust.
I gotta agree with Akhenaten, you guys are using anything to clean you’re pc’s
I recommend compressed air, but on a related note what do you charge for a thorough cleaning of a PC ?
Toothbrush is a bad idea, and a regular brush will ruin your computer if it’s not the right type of material. Several posts about this, but the right and wrong materials were never mentioned!
Avoid polyester and plastic materials. These are the materials that build up a static electric charge.
Use animal hair brushes. Fox tail is a good, springy hair. The brush should be at least 1 inch wide for good coverage, and less than 8 inches long so you can fit it into tight spaces. If the brush it too long, just use your computer saw.
Hehe, just kidding. “Computer saw” - If you look around, you may also be able to find an air bulb which is essentially a bulb that you hold in your hand and squeeze. It’s not as effective as compressed air… but it is a lot cheaper, and it never runs out of air. The moment you stop squeezing it, it refills itself. Sometimes, old tech is marvelous compared to new tech.
Don’t use the rubber bulb from the store that’s for medical purposes, it makes too much static. Find one for PC techs that has a metal nose on it so it’s safer to bump a board or component.
@certifiedtech - Ummm…TAKE IT OUTSIDE, Duh!
compressed air works fine, avoid high pressure compressor systems there is the chance you will break things!
Keep in mind that components are soldered together with lead and or silver solder, which is fairly weak compared to the high psi that nozzle is going to the throwing out.
is it worth the risk?
I’d say not.
hmhm
Doesn’t blowing the dust out of your computer just blow the dust all over the inside of the computer? I would think it would be wiser to use suction to pull the dust out of it instead of blowing it around. Is there any reason a vacuum isn’t a good idea? Are the ones they sell for computers any good?
Kate, with the side open like in this picture and outdoors. The dust leaves the case so it isnt just blowing around inside it.
I realized after wasting Money on Canned Air, I browsed around on E bay and bought a “pancake” style air compressor , works like a charm and is easily enough to clean out at least 2 full ATX towers in one filling of air. Best Investment I ever made
Don’t waste money on $5.00 + a can for the canned air that will barely blow the dust off half the tower before you need to put the cold can down and wait for it to “warm” up Invest in a small Air Compressor! it is well worth it ! especially for us PC technicians !
also the Pancake Air Compressor is also very Portable too
look them up 
air compressor, so smart! Duster cans get expensive, even when you buy them by the case.
I generally take the small red portable Clarke compressor, or the one that you can get for nailguns (its made by Palmgren) that is on a belt and weighs about 6.6 pounds, its useful and portable.
I also recommend natural or specifically treated man-made brushes for static (CPC is where I get mine) sensitive items, and would also recommend a tweezers for people with animals because cat hair especially clogs fans badly and can give a massive 30 degree heat rise.
If you are concerned about grime build up on your keyboard, here are a few tips you can take to reduce its infectious potential. One, stop eating lunch at your desk! Crumbs encourage the growth of bacteria, millions of them. Two, improve personal hygiene and wash your hands regularly, especially, after using the rest room. Three, shake out all food crumbs, hairs, and dust and disinfect your keyboard with alcohol wipes. Lastly, wipe down surfaces with a soft, lightly dampened, lint-free cloth. But, be careful what you clean your keyboard with or you could wind up with blank keys. However, to be really sure that your workstation is safe, call a professional computer cleaning service like Auburn, Alabama based Tidy Tec, LLC (www.tidytec.com).
We have found two small shop vacs to be great tools one used as a blower and the other as suction. This way we can blow all the dust out from cracks and crevices .. and pull it into our other vac for disposal.
We also use Long Q-Tips with ethyl alcohol (drys super fast)for cleaning gunked up parts. Don’t saturate the area of course.
Grease and dust from garage or kitchen isn’t going to be removed with Air. We have also seen pet urine in systems (extra charge for this clean-up)
In the explication above i could simple see an picture from an open computer case with a easy to get the fan. That is NOT so by my PC. How to get more information to disassemblage the whole
contents??