Best way to clean dust out of a computer?

[Jhill]

What is the safest way to clean dust out of my computer? I noticed I have a ton of dust in my cpu fan, on my ram, and all over my pci cards. Not to mention my case fans are totally covered in it. Should I just take the whole thing apart and get some compressed air or is there a better or easier way to do it?

 

[xXgambitXx]

1.) there is no fast or easy way to clean all the crud out of a computer. take the time and take everything apart and spray that stuff away with some "canned" air.

2.) once you're done, i'd recommend taking a defensive approach to getting rid of the dust. put some filters on your intake fans, i use old dryer sheets and they work great, just make sure to replace them every now and then. they don't block ALL dust, there is still a very very light layer of dust inside but it DOES get rid of the dust balls that lurked in the corners before.

 

[Vegito]

I have one of those 1.5 hp vaccum, what I do is turn that one, take a can of spary. I spray from front to back and have the vaccum sucking it up.. dont forget your power supply too ! My friends ps had so much dust bunny, it heated up and blew out..

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: xXgambitXx
1.) there is no fast or easy way to clean all the crud out of a computer. take the time and take everything apart and spray that stuff away with some "canned" air.

2.) once you're done, i'd recommend taking a defensive approach to getting rid of the dust. put some filters on your intake fans, i use old dryer sheets and they work great, just make sure to replace them every now and then. they don't block ALL dust, there is still a very very light layer of dust inside but it DOES get rid of the dust balls that lurked in the corners before.

Yes, canned air seems to work about the best. However, just ensure that you do it outside so you don't recirculate the dust inside your house.

 

[corkyg]

I've done both - but the best solution I have found is to suck up the dust. Oreck makes a kit of adapters for vacuums which fit onto standard hose ends, and they are all very small wands and tubes specially designed for computers, keyboards, etc., etc. The canned air blows - but it just blows somewhere else and resettles. Also, Grab-It type wipes are very useful for smooth surfaces.

 

[Ausm]

I open up my window and take out the screen (critical step) then I take a can or two of compresed air and let it rip....also note i usually do it about 3:00 in the morning because I live in an apartment complex and I think it would really piss off my neighbors

Ausm

 

[Rayden]

i use a vacuum hose. stick i right on those fans, being careful not to touch, and vroom!
though someone said you aren't supposed to use a vacuum... not sure why and it hasn't affected my computer at all. what is the difference between blowing air and sucking air?

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: Rayden
i use a vacuum hose. stick i right on those fans, being careful not to touch, and vroom!
though someone said you aren't supposed to use a vacuum... not sure why and it hasn't affected my computer at all. what is the difference between blowing air and sucking air?

Using a vacuum cleaner could introduce static which wouldn't be so good for the components. With using the air dusters, the static is not introduced.

 

Garden Hose, works for me

I use my 10 horse Air Compressor, I just remove the side panel, put my foot on top of the case and blow away.

 

[DaFinn]

My godness,

Your computer must be very old to have dust in it? I would just change the processor and memory and vid card and coolers and HDDs and... anyway, thats how I get rid of dust. If its dusty, its time to upgrade!

Oh, and you can use water too! There was one thread of guy doing it... oh no wait, his machine was on fire.
Yeah, but maybe it too had dust in it!


-DaFinn

 

[Kelemvor]

All thsoe suggestions sure are a lot of work. Just use your Garden hose with a powerful stream. Should get rid of the dust prety quickly.

 

[Woodchuck2000]

I tend to use compressed air if available.

Failing that, a vacuum cleaner and a soft paintbrush works well - you hold the vacuum cleaner about 6 inches away from the dusty components and use the brush to disturb the dust. Works a treat.

 

[WhoDeeny]

Originally posted by: FrankyJunior
All thsoe suggestions sure are a lot of work. Just use your Garden hose with a powerful stream. Should get rid of the dust prety quickly.

LOL

Dammit, I was gonna say that!

 

[CurtCold]

Originally posted by: Roger
Garden Hose, works for me

I use my 10 horse Air Compressor, I just remove the side panel, put my foot on top of the case and blow away.

Rayden
Member

Posts: 128
Joined: Jun 2001
11/13/2002 3:11 PM (NEW!)



i use a vacuum hose. stick i right on those fans, being careful not to touch, and vroom!
though someone said you aren't supposed to use a vacuum... not sure why and it hasn't affected my computer at all. what is the difference between blowing air and sucking air?

-------------------------
AndyHui - The gamer industry is actually very small. (11/12/2002)


All this talk about Sucking and Blowing is putting my mind back in the gutter.....LOL

 

[jose]

Leaf Blower

Some of my customers computer were caked w/ 1/8" of dust, just make sure everything is secured.

Also do it outside .

Regards,
Jose

 

[Cybordolphin]

Scuba tank with air knozzle adaptor.

 

[TonyB]

NASA air tunnel facility could work.

 

[bfonnes]

I like to use a toothbrush to clean the dust off of any i/o cards when they get really dirty. Maybe not as good as compressed air, but my dad is a dentist, and the toothbrushes were free

Bfonnes

 

[mikable]

Do you use that new anti-dust Crest tooth paste with that? reduces dust between brushes!



I use intake filters to stop the major dust, and a can o' air for the fine work.

 

[Submit]

just buy a can of compressed air and blow out most of the dust. Put on fan filters, or old dryer sheets in front of the intake fans as xXgambitXx suggested.

 

[KF]

>Using a vacuum cleaner could introduce static which wouldn't be so good
>for the components. With using the air dusters, the static is not introduced.

You are kidding, I hope.

Never remove that protective layer of dust which takes years and years to develop. It could totally destroy the dicronification module.