I was just reminded by a spring cleaning article that it’s been quite a while since I checked under the hood of my PC. Enthusiasts know and love the process of getting air-flow-reducing dust bunnies out of their cases, but a lot of people out there (and perhaps some readers) may have never even tried it. It’s actually quite easy and you should give it a shot — I put together a video this afternoon just to show the basics.
It’s a bit long because I didn’t want to cut anything out — I wanted it to be clear that this whole process really only does take less than ten minutes and anyone can do it. All you need is a can of compressed air, which should be available at your local hardware store.
If you’re interested in getting a little more grungy, you can unplug everything, take out the hard drives and PCI cards, and give them a good going-over. A little oil on the bearings of your fans will also make everything run a little quieter. But the main thing is to just get the accumulation of dust and fuzz out of there.
I know, I know, it’s all pretty obvious to most of our readers, but hopefully it’ll make things a little easier for some.
Update: Commenters are noting various extra things to do or not do below – go check ‘em out. My video is just a very basic look, so if you’re interested in doing a little more for your poor neglected PC, fire up the old Googletron and look around.
Get some sleep dude…your eyes look like Arrington’s.
Blasting air into your pc is great if you want to (a) make a mess, (b) start sneazing … alot, and (c) allow most of the dust to settle back in where it came from.
I prefer to do the job with a handvac and suck the dust out. I have a simple Black&Decker from Walmart with a hose attachement. Just be careful as you do it, but it’ll extract plenty of dust.
I also prefer using a vacuum to clean out my PC, especially the cooling system for the CPU (heatsink). Otherwise, it’s a great video. I like that he clarified that using a Kleenex to clean a screen is NOT good. I see people make that mistake all the time.
Lol i have the same ikea waste basket. Is that a antec tower?
nzxt whisper.
Lol i have the same ikea waste basket. Is that a antec tower? oh man i totally want aliquid cooling x_x im too lazy for this crap
LOL did anybody notice how devin didnt show us the insides of his tower? x: lazy bastard 5 bucks says there was a sh*t load of dust in there hahahah notice how the tower is laid down hahaha
man i just didn’t want to move the camera
Dude, you have the best job, ever.
I used to be on a helpdesk and sprayed out some serious dust monsters from a few cases. The best were the old Compaq Deskpro P-III’s that had never been cleaned in 8 years. Should have had a mask on for some of them.
Great video Devin! this is very simple, most people do know how to do this, but some don’t. This is a great tool for them to use, without having to ask others.
Yeah! What’s next in the series? Videos that I would like to see from you are: How to wash your hands, Chew before you swallow, How to wipe your feet on the mat, Blinking for beginners, Taking your first deep breath, and Taking out the trash an expert guide. I don’t know how I have made it this far in life without your guidance!
Hey, I read somewhere on the internet that vacuuming your pc is a bad idea thanks to some electro static bull crap. Is that true? Because I seriously can’t be bothered to get a can of compressed air :P!
Yes, it’s true. Static charge in air varies with humidity levels. Canned air is used specifically for its near-zero humidity.
Not to mention it could suck up light components from their sockets. Getting a can of compressed air is way cheaper than getting a new mobo.
great video but i heard making fans go with air from a can or vacuum cleaner can damage the bearings?
The bearings can get ruined by using cans of air if you used 1000′s of cans. Blowing on them just to clean them will not hurt the bearings unless you already have a bearing problem. But you won’t make it any worse.
hmmm i once had dust in my comp so bad a had to use a q-tip on the fan….compress air didnt budge the dust one bit….lol got the same waste paper basket as well! +1 ikea!
This is a good way to clean the computer, I use it but i always take mine outside to clean it,
Also I like to take the Fans out. I wash the fan With a rag, Not to get it wet, Also like to get the Ram clean, I have seen Alot of ram look as bad as the mother board built up with Dust. And since dust can also catch on fire, it is a good idea as to keep it clean, Good video, for the people that has never done it.
Cleaning the Monitors is a good idea too i do it once a month. They do Get pretty hot at times.
where can u buy a can of compressed air?
Staples/Office Max/Best Buy also any hardware store should carry it
Excellent post, but I wish the author had pointed out more ‘best practices,” like:
- Do not overuse the Compressed Air. If everyone takes this up then there goes the Ozone Layer.
- Use Cotton Swabs (sometimes slightly moistened esp. for fan blades), very small brushes (like the ones Dentists recommend for serious gum problems). Cotton Swabs also come with 6-inch long stems which are very helpful.
- And as someone has already commented, use a small Dust Vac. That is better than blowing the dust All Over the Place.
- If you still want to just use Compressed Air, then open the window, and put a fan to direct the dust to a corner else it will be all over your clothes.
- Also, wear an anti-static band. Else you can hose the motherboard.
Actually the best thing I’ve found is a air compressor outside on a concrete slab.
The pressure is better and blows that dust out quickly.
The Padrino
http://www.thepadrino.com
here is a cheaper solution and it makes your can o air last much, much longer, one simple word:
paintbrush:
comes in varying sizes for different spots.
get a decent real hair one at the local art supply shop $2-3
you can hold your fans still in one hand and and brush/dust with the other so as not to damage them and be used anywhere with out the danger of electrostatic discharges and any lose dust can be blown out.
oh my other tip is the higher off the floor your pc is the less dirt it will collect, hardwood or carpet. carpet is worse though
It’s a quick and easy task that can save you a world of grief. It’s also an easy task to forget about.
The compressed air is available anywhere that sells electronic stuff (K-Mart, etc).
My PC looks different from yours. Can I still use your video?
Best comment EVER
whay about Macs?
I take mine outside and use compressed air. That dust is bad for my lungs.
It seems like you work in a sterile environment, my laptop has more dust :) Congrats on cleaning your office so clean!
Who put this on TechCrunch?!
porn
When you press the power switch on the PSU and unplug it, dont forget to press the power switch on the case. This will discharge any left over power in the PSU to be on the safe side.
It’s been a few years since I last cleaned the inside of my PC. The mountains of dust and whatnot inside my computer were shameful!
I’m going to do it again soon.
Fun and informative video, Devin.
Are you using homer as a screen stand?
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Hi there. You gave some misleading advice here and I just wish to point out that by touching the unpainted metals inside the casing would not discharge any static electricity and ground yourself. That is because you have already unplugged the power cable!
Where did you get your desk from, please?
Dust is good for parts :-)
When I do my pc clean out, I use brushes that you can buy at an auto store to clean your cars interior vents. They have just the right stiffness to brush those dust bunnies away.
I also use a shop vac that has an anti-static tip so I don’t have the problem of build up. Along with a can of compressed air. It’s good to have the vac, that way it will suck up the bunnies when I use the air.
But if I open the case won’t that let the magic smoke out and then my pc won’t work anymore.