What do you use to clean the dust out of your case?

[cbn]

Canned Air?

Electric duster?

Air pump with nozzle?

Air compressor?

 

[GrumpyMan]

I use a giant blush brush, the kind women use to apply blush makeup, to gently brush all the inner components off even fans and then get canned air to blow it all out. Also use that brush for the keyboard and outer components, it's very gentle and made of horse hair or something along those lines I do believe and some if them are giant with longish 8" or 9" handles.

 

[Furious_Styles]

Canned air. But make sure if you use it or anything really powerful that you block your fans from spinning otherwise it's easy to damage them.

 

[Paperdoc]

First let me echo Furious_Styles' reminder - do NOT let what you do make the fans spin fast!

People always sat do not use a vacuum cleaner becasue it can cause static chrges to build up that can damage solid state components. I do use a vacuum in a specific way WITH an artist's paint brush that has semi-long, soft bristles. I do NOT touch any of the computer with the hose end or tools. I just put it close to parts so that there's an air flow sucking into the hose. Then I brush over parts to loosen the dust and release it to the air stream.That way stubborn dust bits are dislodged, and they do not merely fly about the case and room.

 

[Gt403cyl]

Canned air usually and or an air compressor (regulated low pressure) and yes a vaccuum with caution.

 

[Gt403cyl]

Canned air. But make sure if you use it or anything really powerful that you block your fans from spinning otherwise it's easy to damage them.

Not true.

Theory 1: By spinning the motor with air you generate reverse voltage and damage occurs. NOPE, you cannot generate enough voltage to damage anything, try it your self with a multimeter.

Theory 2: by spinning the fan with air you can damage the bearings. Nope if your bearings are making noise they were bad before hand.

I’m sure there are more theories but those are probably the main ones.

 

[Furious_Styles]

Not true.

Theory 1: By spinning the motor with air you generate reverse voltage and damage occurs. NOPE, you cannot generate enough voltage to damage anything, try it your self with a multimeter.

Theory 2: by spinning the fan with air you can damage the bearings. Nope if your bearings are making noise they were bad before hand.

I’m sure there are more theories but those are probably the main ones.

I've always heard you can either damage the fan itself or the motherboard fan header by spinning it way beyond what it was designed to do. Maybe that's not true. I might have to conduct an experiment myself.

 

[Rayman30]

Been using a Metro DataVac for years, solid as a rock!

 

[ao_ika_red]

I usually use 1" brush and clean rag.

 

[troisanh]

Been using a Metro DataVac for years, solid as a rock!

^----- what he said.

 

[Stuka87]

I've always heard you can either damage the fan itself or the motherboard fan header by spinning it way beyond what it was designed to do. Maybe that's not true. I might have to conduct an experiment myself.

This is maybe possible with very small fans, like 25mm. But as a fan gets larger, it takes a lot more airflow to get them up to 'unsafe' speeds because of the blade spacing and drag. As the fan spins, it will pull air like normal, and the compressed air has to be able to overcome this. The higher the CFM the fan can move, the more self limiting it will be. This is why its possible to overspin a tiny fan, but not the 80-140mm fans found in PCs.

 

[Furious_Styles]

This is maybe possible with very small fans, like 25mm. But as a fan gets larger, it takes a lot more airflow to get them up to 'unsafe' speeds because of the blade spacing and drag. As the fan spins, it will pull air like normal, and the compressed air has to be able to overcome this. The higher the CFM the fan can move, the more self limiting it will be. This is why its possible to overspin a tiny fan, but not the 80-140mm fans found in PCs.

I see. Mainly need to be careful around laptop fans then.

 

[Gt403cyl]

Not really, don’t ignore the fact that it’s all relative.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Been using a Metro DataVac for years, solid as a rock!

^----- what he said.

What they said!

 

[WilliamM2]

I use a portable air tank filled to 125 psi from my air compressor.

I hold the fans in place when I clean them, the dust comes off the blades much better when they are NOT spinning.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I hold the fans in place when I clean them, the dust comes off the blades much better when they are NOT spinning.

Probably true. I just like watching them spin, like a little pin-wheel on crack!

 

[aigomorla]

I use a portable air tank filled to 125 psi from my air compressor.

I hold the fans in place when I clean them, the dust comes off the blades much better when they are NOT spinning.

watch out as compressed air can also spit out moisture, and end up frying your PC.
That is why they have moisture traps for compressed air spitters.


I personally use a electric duster like a metro vac, or a data vac.
I got tired of burning though can'd air, and having to suffer from frostbyte as you tried to warm the can up so you could spray some more.

 

[WilliamM2]

watch out as compressed air can also spit out moisture, and end up frying your PC.
That is why they have moisture traps for compressed air spitters.


I personally use a electric duster like a metro vac, or a data vac.
I got tired of burning though can'd air, and having to suffer from frostbyte as you tried to warm the can up so you could spray some more.

Like I said, I use the compressor to fill a 5 gallon portable air tank, I don't spray directly out of the tank. No moisture problems in almost 20 years. I always drain the tank and compressor after each use to remove moisture and prevent rust in the tanks too.

I also have a Metrovac, this model: https://www.metrovacworld.com/product/DataVac_Pro_Series/overview It doesn't clean the dust out of the computer nearly as well as compressed air. It was a waste of money IMO, I have case fans that move more cfm.

I agree about the canned air though, never enough in a can to do a good job. And if you tilt the can, it will spray all kinds of frost/moisture on your components.

 

[BoomerD]

Probably true. I just like watching them spin, like a little pin-wheel on crack!

WhiiiIIIZZZZZZZZZZ!

 

[robertsmith314]

Most of time i use brush and clean rag to clean dust from case.

 

[pcgeek11]

Air compressor at a distance. And a small brush when needed.

 

[Rifter]

canned air and a shopvac with a hepa filter.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Air compressor. Not concerned with the little bit of moisture my air compressor has in it. Canned air seems to build up moisture much worse than my compressor.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I just use a regular home vacuum and/or a brush. Sometimes just a cloth.
I feel inadequate you guys appear to clean much more thoroughly than I do.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I just use a regular home vacuum and/or a brush. Sometimes just a cloth.
I feel inadequate you guys appear to clean much more thoroughly than I do.

Be careful with some brushes and cloth because static. If everything is attached to a ground plane, no big deal I guess, but still.