Clean the insides

[neilm]

How would I go about cleaning the inside of a computer? It has become pretty dusty in there and now, yes after all this time, want to do something about it.

What's the best and recommended approach?

THanks.

 

[neilm]

Nevermind.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Can-O-Air is your friend.

 

[pkypkypky]

I know this terrifies some but try a vacuum cleaner.

 

[Fardringle]

I would definitely recommend that you not use a vacuum cleaner. Besides the fact that if the vacuum has enough suction you could pull components off of the motherboard, most vacuums create a LARGE amount of static electricity and you could easily damage or destroy components in the system if you get a static discharge from the vacuum.

 

[blodhi74]

Just cleaned my today with compressed air.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: blodhi74
Just cleaned my today with compressed air.

Been doing this for many years. Lots of warnings about it being the wrong thing to do too.

 

[jadinolf]

I use an acid brush, compressed air and just a few drops of elbow grease.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: boomerang

Originally posted by: blodhi74
Just cleaned my today with compressed air.

Been doing this for many years. Lots of warnings about it being the wrong thing to do too.

Too much pressure can be like using a vacuum as it will remove items from the electronics. I've used canned air for years with only one problem. Once I blew dust into the fan bearings on two fans and ruined them. This is RARE though and isn't the case with quality fans.

 

[amdskip]

I use an air compressor and I am just careful about it. I try to blow out every computer I work on before brining it inside. No sense blowing all their dust around.

 

[boomerang]

Originally posted by: amdskip
I use an air compressor and I am just careful about it. I try to blow out every computer I work on before brining it inside. No sense blowing all their dust around.

Likewise, although I've had a number of them that were so clogged up I had to take the Shop Vac to them first. I had one that was so full of pet hair that there were wadded up balls of fur you could remove by the handfuls. That was one for the Shop Vac.

I can usually tell when a computer is left on 24/7 from how much it needs a cleaning.