General Cleaning Questions

[Watwazat]

Hey, guys. I'm just curious about some things.

1) How often do you deep clean your PC? Meaning, more than just a quick spritzing with the canned air.

2) What sort of tools do you use for a deep clean? If you use a brush to clean dust off of hardware, what kind do you use?

3) Do you run filters on your intake and/or exhaust fans? My front intake has a filter, but that's it, and I'm considering filtering the other (side) intake as well.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

1) Major hardware upgrades when I have to disassemble it anyway. (Every 2-3 years.)
2) Canned air, paper towel with some windex sprayed on the towel.
3) Front filter.

 

[giantpandaman2]

Hey, guys. I'm just curious about some things.

1) How often do you deep clean your PC? Meaning, more than just a quick spritzing with the canned air.

2) What sort of tools do you use for a deep clean? If you use a brush to clean dust off of hardware, what kind do you use?

3) Do you run filters on your intake and/or exhaust fans? My front intake has a filter, but that's it, and I'm considering filtering the other (side) intake as well.

Unless you smoke or have a strange environment I don't see a need to ever deep clean. Take computer outside and blast the dust out is all I ever do and all I've ever needed to do. Once a year dusting (usually in spring as the weather improves). Filters every month or so.

 

[bryanl]

It's best to limit cleaning to dusting off the heatsinks with a vacuum or compressed air, but hold fans still so they aren't damaged by spinning fast from the air. WIth more extensive cleaning you may accidentally unplug cables, knock off tiny soldered surface mount components, or destroy chips through static electricity from air flow or brushes.

 

[jana519]

Hey, guys. I'm just curious about some things.

1) How often do you deep clean your PC? Meaning, more than just a quick spritzing with the canned air.

Once every two years or so.

2) What sort of tools do you use for a deep clean? If you use a brush to clean dust off of hardware, what kind do you use?

Usually just an old toothbrush.

3) Do you run filters on your intake and/or exhaust fans? My front intake has a filter, but that's it, and I'm considering filtering the other (side) intake as well.

I don't use filters.

 

[chusteczka]

I use an old toothbrush on fan blades and heatsink fins, along with a vacuum. I first make sure to unplug the PSU, then make sure that I hold the case with one hand. A vacuum quickly builds static electricity, which can very easily spark and ruin components. But I haven't had a problem because I always make sure to ground myself on the case.

For dirty or dusty environments, such as a smoker's home or dogs and cats, I buy air conditioning filters, cut them up, and place them over fan intakes into the case. They are light enough to allow air flow while being an added filter to help keep the inside of the case and heatsink fins clean.

Those in warm southern climates tend to vacuum their case out each month.

 

[bononos]

I use an old toothbrush on fan blades and heatsink fins, along with a vacuum. I first make sure to unplug the PSU, then make sure that I hold the case with one hand. A vacuum quickly builds static electricity, which can very easily spark and ruin components. But I haven't had a problem because I always make sure to ground myself on the case.
......

Why is it necessary to unplug the psu when keeping it plugged grounds the case?

 

[corkyg]

I tape Swiffer sheets across air intakes. That filters a lot of dust. Once in a long while, maybe annually, I wipe down fan blades and internal surfaces with a Swiffer sheet. I never blow dust around with canned air - it eventually has to settle somewhere, and I prefer not to recycle it.

 

[Cerb]

Hey, guys. I'm just curious about some things.

1) How often do you deep clean your PC? Meaning, more than just a quick spritzing with the canned air.

More than that...um...when it dies, and I'm trying to see if I can get it going again, before ordering upgrade parts . Basically, never. Even when I had to do regular dusting, with negative pressure (up until around 2005-06), I never did more than a canned air blast, or light fully-powered-off heatsink fin vacuuming.

2) What sort of tools do you use for a deep clean? If you use a brush to clean dust off of hardware, what kind do you use?

I don't. I use positive pressure, with 2 120mm fans, running at minimal RPMs (<350 RPM idle, <1000 RPM around 70C CPU and GPU) no vents right at the floor, intakes baffled/indirect (like on the sides for a front-facing intake fan), and now, finally, a filter. Also, Dupont house AC filters at worst, but preferably 3M, swapping in one of the fancy ones every 2 or 3 changes.

3) Do you run filters on your intake and/or exhaust fans? My front intake has a filter, but that's it, and I'm considering filtering the other (side) intake as well.

Intake, yes, exhaust, no. Only one intake, as well.

That's with 3 cats, two being short haired. 10 years ago or so, with just one cat, I'd need to go at it with canned air fairly regularly. Low airflow (and thus not sucking in a bunch of cat hair and dust that otherwise falls to the ground), with positive pressure, and keeping the house air moderately clean, all work to protect the PC innards, before the filter, and apparently allow the filter to go quite a time before needing cleaning.

 

[chusteczka]

Why is it necessary to unplug the psu when keeping it plugged grounds the case?

You make a good point. Maybe I should rethink my process. I tend to unplug the computer before going inside of it, to ensure that I do not inadvertently damage any of the components. But maybe there is no reason for this extra safety precaution. I assume the case is large enough to ground any static electricity generated by the vacuum without increasing the electric potential of the case or internal components.

I tape Swiffer sheets across air intakes. That filters a lot of dust.

I am going to have to try that. Sounds better than the relatively thicker A/C filter that I use.

 

[mirageracerx]

since my main rig is a rackmount, they typically come with filters over the fans. clean them out every time they get crudded up. i havent had to clean the inside for 6 months. usually past then some dirt gets in there. compressed air and a small vacuum only for the bottom of the case, never on the boards themselves. I really should get a metrovac so i dont have to spend cash on compressed air all the time.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I take the side panel off a couple times a year and blast some dust around with canned air

 

[aigomorla]

Hey, guys. I'm just curious about some things.

1) How often do you deep clean your PC? Meaning, more than just a quick spritzing with the canned air.

2) What sort of tools do you use for a deep clean? If you use a brush to clean dust off of hardware, what kind do you use?

3) Do you run filters on your intake and/or exhaust fans? My front intake has a filter, but that's it, and I'm considering filtering the other (side) intake as well.

1. Well my Deep clean is taking my PC outside with a DATAVAC and hosing it down with Air. I use a DATAVAC as its as powerful as a compressed air can and is virtually unlimited.

Typically once every 3-4 months as i do accumulate a LOT of dust inside my PC.

2. The DATAVAC pictured above, and a cheap Antistatic brush. I heard ur never to use a costmetic brush, as those generate static.

3. I use DEMCI filters on all my radiator intakes.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=36_463_500_514

Micromesh + Fridge Magnets on the sides makes it easy to pull off clean and apply back on.

 

[mfenn]

Why is it necessary to unplug the psu when keeping it plugged grounds the case?

When you're working on a computer, having the case at the same potential as your house (which hopefully is true earth but maybe not), isn't important.

What is important is that your body and the case are at the same potential. This is accomplished by grounding yourself to the case, either with a ground strap or simply touching it. Having the case be tied to your house's potential doesn't offer any additional protection and may in fact be harmful to components if you forget to turn off the +5VSB.

 

[VirtualLarry]

When you're working on a computer, having the case at the same potential as your house (which hopefully is true earth but maybe not), isn't important.

What is important is that your body and the case are at the same potential. This is accomplished by grounding yourself to the case, either with a ground strap or simply touching it. Having the case be tied to your house's potential doesn't offer any additional protection and may in fact be harmful to components if you forget to turn off the +5VSB.

And even more importantly (say, in the case of an AC outlet that was mis-wired), keeping the PC plugged in while working on it, may present a hazard to human life.

 

[mfenn]

And even more importantly (say, in the case of an AC outlet that was mis-wired), keeping the PC plugged in while working on it, may present a hazard to human life.

:thumbsup: Completely correct.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I use a paintbrush with China bristles to knock dust loose, with a vacuum in the other hand to suck it up. It's a long-bristled brush - the type you'd use to paint a wall. For cleaning between heatsink fins I use a pipe-cleaner

I try to dust every year.

 

[ArtShapiro]

I take the desktop outside a couple times a year and have at it with a leafblower.

When I do this for a friend who has a big, constantly-molting bird in the same room as the PC, the insides are heavily coated with white feather dust. The leafblower will quite literally cause an impressive mushroom cloud over the neighborhood.

Art

 

[toughtrasher]

I take the desktop outside a couple times a year and have at it with a leafblower.

When I do this for a friend who has a big, constantly-molting bird in the same room as the PC, the insides are heavily coated with white feather dust. The leafblower will quite literally cause an impressive mushroom cloud over the neighborhood.

Art

Does he care for his PC? No way I let that bird in my room.