by: Marc Bennett January 5, 2006 11:24 AM PST
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Staff pick
How often do you physically open your computer to clean it?
by Marc Bennett 
- 1/5/06 11:24 AM
How often do you physically open your computer to clean it?
Once a month (wow, why so frequently?)
Every other month (what's your method?)
Every six months (what's your method?)
Once a year (what's your method?)
Every other year (say hello to the dust bunnies for me!)
When the ants start building a home inside (tell us more!)
I never have (why not?)
I don't know how (look to the forums for help!)
What does a notebook owner do?
by cgpetroski - 1/6/06 5:07 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
According to some sources the notebook segment of the computer population has expanded tremendously. What do we do to clean our computers??
It depends on the environment and location of t he computer.
by judidandy46 - 1/6/06 5:36 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
As a computer service engineer for over 35 years, keeping the inside of a computer is very important to me. Of course my experience is more related to the commercial mini-computer and main-frame types. They had many fans and required an air conditioned environment. Most of the machines back in those days had scheduled downtime just for cleaning, replacing defective fans and light bulbs on the display boards, etc.
With the Personal Computer, some of this depends on what you have and where you have it. Many people in recent years have the tower type case, and is ideal for placing on the floor next to the computer desk. It's also ideal for collecting dust since dust settles to the floor, and that's where the airflow sucks it into the computer. Many times I have opened a computer that is 6 months and older and find dust and cobwebs inside.
As for opening the case, some are easier than others. It depends on the manufacturer, and you may even find a label that indicates not to open the case because "there are no user servicable parts inside" or may even void a warrenty if you do. Some cases have have simple latches, some have several screws that have to be removed, and some have hidden locks that prevent the average consumer from gaining easy access to the inside.
Generally speaking, I've used a vacuum cleaner with an exhaust port and a narrow nozzle to blow the dust out of the case, instead of vacuuming it out. You could always buy a can of compressed air, which is also good for cleaning those keyboards!
It's also a good idea to occasionally check that the fans are actually working, and have not frozen up over time. Most simple computers will have at least one that pulls air thru the power supply to keep it cool, and a second one directly over the CPU chip. Additional fans may be in the front of the case, and sometimes on specialized video adapters, etc.
Checking the power supply fan can be done by checking for airflow at the back of the case when it's turned on. Newer computers actually have sensors on the fans and can be checked by utilities that will tell the internal temperature and fan speeds. Many will even shut down the computer if there is a slowdown or failure of a fan or temperature increase
computer house cleaning
by jojo2430 - 1/6/06 5:56 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I clean the inside about once a year or sooner. I use a very soft long handled paint brush. The bristles are medium strength, not too soft, to dust the fan and the inside componants if they appear to need it. I use a soft damp rag( like old t-shirt)to wipe down the flat surfaces inside the case. Does it well for me. I Shine a flashlight in the vent every so often to check when it might be necessary to open to clean.
cleaning the Bots
by lovie94 - 1/6/06 6:38 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I just take it outside open it up use a wetdry vac on the blow method and let it have it it blows all the dust away from the fans and boards with out moist air that could cause problems it self but I do not have to touch anything you know static electricity is still a concern of mine. Thanks all
Frequency of cleaning my computer
by RichM - 1/6/06 7:07 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I open the computer up for cleaning on the average of twice a year. Before I knew the risk, I used to just vacuum the dust bunnies. Now I use clean compressed air to blow the dust of the components and use a vacuum cleaner to gather the dust flying off the components.
Regards,
Rich Montoya
http:\\paisano44.modblog.com
easy way to clean your pc
by GINGER - 1/6/06 7:11 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
i found an easy way to clean your pc, use a air compresser to blow all the dust out of your pc, and no damage to any parts,(dont forget to unplug it from the mains first)
canned air
by DocQ - 1/6/06 7:12 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
get a bottle of compressed air and just blow away. i don't have much room in my computer to do much else. i have a ShuttleX
Whenever I'm doing an upgrade
by bdhufnagel - 1/6/06 7:26 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I check the air filter and clean it. I don't have that much of a dust problem. Then again, I don't have a 110W CPU or 60W GPU. Hmm... I wonder why Intel hasn't mandated a giant HEPA filter in addition to giant foam and fiberglass pre-filters for the BX case. All the extra filtration might help quiet the box.
On the other hand, the HDD on my PS2 failed a while back and I sent it in for repair at Sony (it was under warranty). Their report said they noted there was a lot of dust inside the box (not the HDD) so I thought to myself, 'How am I supposed to clean that dust out without breaking the factory seal?'
computer dust bunnies
by Diana Pepin - 1/6/06 7:36 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
In yesteryear typewriters came with dust covers so I purchased or made dust covers for my computer gear amd its accessories. The only trick was getting everyone to replace the covers after sign-off. I've only cleaned the inside with an art brush and the Dustbuster if I'm inside the PC to upgrade some hardware card or some other task. And that's not often. That Dell works just fine on WIN 98SE and keeps the younger set happy.
never have (why not?)
by pierrino - 1/6/06 7:38 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Dell's got a 300.00 computer that's much better than my dottering, senescent 5 year old, better dump my old one than clean it.
P. Mascarino
Physically cleaning a desk top style PC
by dickstub - 1/6/06 7:50 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I actually take the entire system outside & use my shop-vac to vacuum it and/or blow all the dust out. Being careful not to physically come in contact with any of the electrical components. The purpose of being outside is that any dust which is blown, will not fall within the interior of our home.
brand new
by avallach87 - 1/6/06 7:53 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
my machine is brand new, hence my "never have" answer.
Compressed Air / Built-in Sponge Filters
by jglasser - 1/6/06 8:07 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Compressed Air is the ideal method and can be used in conjuction with a vaccuum to get rid of the dust. In my Desktop, I have various fans and filters with my Lian Li Aluminum case. On the front, I have dual 80s but in front comes a sponge-like air filter which captures a bulk of the dust. I just take it off and wash it in the sink.
How often do I clean inside of PC
by JDlady - 1/6/06 8:27 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I clean mine out every one to two months. I live on a farm, and with kids and the traffic in and out, I sometimes have to dust every day. My system cover is off and it is in a bookcase. Since I use an old IBM Aptiva, anything to help it work better is fine by me.
Clean machine
by grant grider - 1/6/06 8:46 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I usually clean the machine every month.Why?Because air is cheaper the computer parts.But in part because I have glass case and Iwant it to look good.
Cleaning Computer
by ejones37 - 1/6/06 8:53 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
The safest and most expeditious method is dust remover spray. (AKA canned air)
How often do you physically open you computer to clean it?
by John Fuentes - 1/6/06 9:12 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
On an average... I clean my computer about every six months. My Micron PC is easy to open and I use compressed air to blow it out. When I've used my vacuum
cleaner... I make certain not to make contact with any
internal parts. I usually don't have a big dust problem
because I keep my tower on my desk top and not on the
floor. I also tape a piece of Pledge Grab-it over the
front air vent on my tower. This electrostatic cloth
acts as a filter and cuts down on the amount of dust
pulled into the tower. Seems to work pretty good and
doesn't block the air intake.
Battling Dust Bunnies
by Angry Write Mail - 1/6/06 9:39 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
First, transport your tower to the local laudromat. Next,load it into an industrial strength washer, and set the control on "Delicate Garments". You haven't lived 'til you've seen your favorite desktop whirling around during Spin Cycle....
If you find the prospect of having your computer fall victim to static cling a bit unsettling, do what I do:
1) Clean the outside of the fan grill with a soft towel moistened with isopropyl alcohol. Then clean out those dreaded dust bunnies using a vacuum hose with a plastic tip. Just set the vacuum on Low, and be very careful not to touch any components. It works just fine.
Computer cleaning
by Nomad005 - 1/6/06 10:10 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Around New Years day I disassemble all my computers. I use a small paint brush to sweep all the dust from everything especially fans. I open the power supply & dust it out including the fan(s). Fans have to be removed from cases to get at both sides. After all this I use home heating vent filters (4x12x1/8 these can be cut to size with scissers & taped in place)I buy at Home Depot to cover the area air is drawn into the case on the side of the case cover, do not cover fan intakes. Replace the case cover & it's ready to go. If you are a smoker you might want to do this twice a year, janurary 1st & july 1st.
About every 6 mos or so
by dcgeneral - 1/6/06 10:14 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Have 4 Mac computers: Old iMac, G4 dual, G5 Towers and new iBook laptop. They are easy to upgrade and that's what I do when necessary. Each time I open one, I desensitize for static electricity and during the upgrade, carefully wipe away dust with clean cloth where I can and use spray can air in areas hard to reach. It is amazing how much dust accumulates - especially in the G5 which has a big fan assembly.
Macs are surprisingly sturdy and easy to work with for DIY'ers. My old iMac is 7 years old and still runs like it was new with a 40 GB HD and 1GB of ram, upgraded by me and I'm a 74 year old. Use it as a server now. Now that I'm a laptop owner, I'm going full wireless. Hot dog!
Cleaning process
by Edgar Carol - 1/6/06 10:32 AM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Gee, cleaning my 'puter is sooo simple! Why doesn't everyone do it? I just take my iMac to the Apple store and they open it, vacum it, clean the screen and give it back! All I do is brouse the game library. No charge.
Whenever the opportunity arises
by OldRusty - 1/6/06 2:22 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Disconnecting the cables and pulling my PC out of my workstation is a real pain, so I usually only clean the inside when I'm forced to do something to my computer.
Generally I use compressed air, Blow Off to be specific.
I also have a can of Electronics Cleaner (sold by the Blow Off people), so I clean the outside of the case as well.
I've read about a dozen of the posts under this topic, and no one has mentioned the dangers of Electro Magnetic Discharge. For that reason alone, I avoid vaccum cleaners and anything metalic and especially magnetic screw drivers.
Depends on where the computer is located.
by computerlegalexperts.com - 1/6/06 2:23 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
My wife has her machine where the dogs play and a bi-monthly cleaning is a necessity. My machine is in an area that is a closed office environment, where no dogs or animals allowed and I do it once every six months.
I have a combo vacuum / blower I bought several years ago and I use the blower function to blow clean the machines out. ironically the first time I used it, was on a friend's stereo amplifier, which was located under a birdcage. We took it outside and when I opened it up, there was dust and feathers, everywhere. The dust and feathers were literally caked onto the printed circut board.
I put on safety glasses and a dust mask when I used the blower and the entire inside of the stereo was so clean, you could read the printing where the resistors, capacitors and other integrated circuits were.
I have used this method on my machines, the TV's and the other electronic components that gather dust.
Forget the cans of air, get one of these combo vac/blowers and you'll never look back.
Steven Moshlak
www.computerlegalexperts.com
Disclaimer: Both of the computers described above are tower machines and I do not endorse the disassembly of notebooks, by individuals who have no training and experience.
Depends on where the computer is located.
by computerlegalexperts.com - 1/6/06 2:24 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I put on safety glasses and a dust mask when I used the blower and the entire inside of the stereo was so clean, you could read the printing where the resistors, capacitors and other integrated circuits were.
I have used this method on my machines, the TV's and the other electronic components that gather dust.
Forget the cans of air, get one of these combo vacuum / blowers and you'll never look back.
Steven Moshlak
www.computerlegalexperts.com
Disclaimer: Both of the computers described above are tower machines and I do not endorse the disassembly of notebooks, by individuals who have no training and experience.
Computer cleaning
by joe macdonald - 1/6/06 2:40 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
Once a year is enough. I use the brush attachment on the hoover with care not to bash anything,use it lightly so as to lift all the dust.
It is excellent on the keyboard once a month.
As for the exterior a damp cloth with a mild detergent
works well dependant on how many small sticky fingers are using your pc.
As for the innard's CNET has it all to keep you up and running.
joe.
iMac perfectly sealed?
by catherine1 - 1/6/06 3:15 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I own a 20'' iMac (the 2004 version) and the monitor/tower combination looks so perfectly sealed that, to me, it'd seem like overkill to open it just to ''clean'' the inside. My church, however, has a Windows XP tower, and it needs to be openend and cleaned twice a year at least.
First, unplug everything. In my experience, you don't need to actually touch anything inside to clean it, unless you're eating breakfast at your station and the syrup of your pancakes fell in there (Don't try this at home!). A vacuum cleaner with the suction set on high and equipped with a narrow tube extension allows you to get rid of all debris/dust etc. without ever touching any surface or component. Or bugs...
Good cleaning!
And Happy New Year!
Catherine
how I clean mine
by mattjack4x4 - 1/6/06 3:18 PM
In Reply to: How often do you physically open your computer to clean it? by Marc Bennett
I still have my good old compaq presario and the way I clean it is quite detailed. I start by using my little dirt devil and suck up the dust bunnys if any and then the hard part starts. I take the fan off the heat sink and use a q-tip to wipe the dust off it and use another q-tip to brush out and clean the fins on the heatsink. Then I do some touchup things like run the nozzle just above the motherboard really really slow as to not damage anything and then check all connections and close it back up and shes done.
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