Dust can Bust your PC

That is so true...I own a computer repair shop and I tell everyone to have them cleaned every 6 months...Also keep the tower off the ground at least a foot and a 1/2..

 

OOPS! Mine is on the floor. I suppose it will have less dust up higher? Soon it will be dog hair times three. Another sign spring is almost here!

 

With all of the dust and cat and dog hair..right humidity things can short out..Same goes for laptops as well

Keep in mind that laptops run hotter and they need more care..

 

I have seen desktop systems so full of pet hair that it seemed as if the owner had opened the casing and stuffed as much hair inside the case as possible then sealed it up again (literally jam packed with dust bunnies!). Every time you walk by the case you will stir up dust or hair and the fans will suck it up and lodge it inside your PC. Hence the reason to keep the case up off the floor.

As far as cleaning out a laptop goes, I suggest you only clean the laptop when its been shut down for at least an hour. As already stated laptops often run much hotter due to limited space for air flow, compact design, and limited fans. If you clean a laptop when its 'hot' the compressed air (which is very cold) can shatter some of the components. Its just like taking a hot glass out of the oven and dousing it with cold water, it just shatters. So to prevent this always keep the can of compressed air upright (to prevent the freezing liquid inside the can from spraying out onto your components) and use short bursts to maximize the can of compressed air. It also helps to use a vacuum to suck out as much debris from the keyboard and fans before you use the canned air so you remove the debris instead of blowing the debris deeper into the laptop casing.

While we are on the subject of cleaning laptops lets touch on the screens. Never use products like windex on these screens as it can damage the monitor. Never spray cleaning solutions directly onto the monitor, instead spray them onto a microfiber cloth lightly and gently clean the screen but do small areas at a time. Before you attempt to wipe down the monitor use a soft bristle brush (like a small paint brush) to remove any larger particles which may scratch the surface. I've seen people just wipe down their screen and the dust particles actually scratch the gloss/lcd screen, then you're screwed. Also the paint brush method is a great way to get dust/debris out of the nooks and crannies. One other warning is to not use tap water, only use distilled water, because tap water contains contaminants and chemicals which can also damage your screen. I keep a small spray bottle with distilled water to spray onto a microfiber cloth to clean the screen, also you can use a mix of distilled water and 70% Isopropyl alcohol in a 50% mix or some of the over the counter lcd cleaning solutions.

If you have a laptop I'd also suggest in one of the laptop coolers, or at the very least elevate the rear end of the laptop when in use to help improve air flow to the fans/case. The hotter you run the laptop the more likely you are to have issues, or burn up your laptop's lifespan. There are 2 types of laptop coolers, one has built in fans powered by USB port, and the second type is simply elevated and vented to allow for proper air flow. Either way the cost should be around $20.00-$40.00 depending on where you buy it. Before you buy a laptop cooler I'd suggest you get one that fits your laptop's base with a little space all around (about an inch or so).

Anybody got any better suggestions?

Cheers,

-Reby

 

I use a pancake compresser..I was taught never use a vacuum because they have been known to have static electricity and that kills hardware..Canned air is okay but really does not do the job well...Thats my opinion

 

What is a pancake compressor?

 

It is a small compressor that you can buy at like Home Dept...It will not push oil through the line like other compresses do..

It is the size of a backpack