How do you clean and maintain your pc?

nlr · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:38

I was wondering how you clean and maintain your pc?

I use to use can of compressed air but the amount I bought over the years I decided to buy the Datavac Electric Duster ED-500

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/images/products/ED500_01.jpg

** No hotlinking **

twist3d0n3 · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:39

how much did that set you back?

*interested*

Andr3w · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:40

electric duster?? eh?

honosuseri · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:43

The trick with compressed air is to use it like a machinegun. Short controlled bursts ;p

SlugForAButt · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:43

I kind of rub the mesh in front of my intake fans with my finger every so often.
Does that count?

RJC · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:44

A Hoover?

I use my dads air compressors and give it a blast every so often.

nlr · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:44

£30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHTAGLUAn10

MisChief · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:49

i use a make up blusher brush

Strepsils · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:50

Compressed air ***!!

Makhaira · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:52

Hoover on the fans every now and again, and along the fins of the heatsink. If there are clumps of dust/fluff anywhere then I just hold the hoover over it in midair and it vanishes!

nlr · 5 Aug 2010 at 21:53

I would love this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54nE-76PBBE

Flanno · 5 Aug 2010 at 22:39

Blowing dust off components with compressed air even with just the usual cans and not a compressor, can cause a static discharge or so I've read. Generally speaking though I don' let dust build up as I clean once a week inside the case with air. Every 2 weeks I use a very soft spec savers cloth to clean the dust from each fan blade. As I have 10 case fans it's time consuming. Once a month I remove the video cards and clean the fans on them.

The outside I clean on a daily basis. My room is facing the sun. Dust buildup is very obvious even on the stand the PC sits on, so cleaning is a must. I wipe the case with a soft micro fibre cloth and I use an ostrich feather brush for the corners that are hard to get to

mtnorris · 5 Aug 2010 at 22:49

I use my camera's lens blower rocket thing. Nice work out for the wrist as well!

whipitrnd · 5 Aug 2010 at 23:42

yeah just use a hover. Im sure you can change sumfink so it blows out air .

DavidUK84 · 6 Aug 2010 at 08:49

I'm glad someone has brought this topic up. Does anyone have any reason not to use a hoover nozzle inside a desktop PC for cleaning? And is there anything to be weary of when opening it up?

R088ieS86 · 6 Aug 2010 at 09:57

Jst blast it with compressed air. will completely clean it out every 6months or so, after removing all components along with my fresh install of windows.
Have to be in the mood though!!

JoDaMa · 6 Aug 2010 at 10:06

I just take the dust filters out and wash them every few weeks.

AtticusFinch · 6 Aug 2010 at 10:10

Hoover once a month and clear out all the filters on the case.

admoo · 6 Aug 2010 at 10:16

DavidUK84 said:
I'm glad someone has brought this topic up. Does anyone have any reason not to use a hoover nozzle inside a desktop PC for cleaning? And is there anything to be weary of when opening it up?

I don't use a vacuum, because I don't wanna run the risk of accidently ripping out capacitors or anything with the nozzle. I find them too big to get into those hard to reach areas aswell.

I use a really fine paintbrush and a can of compressed air. I run a paintbrush over things to loosen the dust and then blast it away with air

I don't do this too often, I normally just wash the filters and give it a quick blast here and there, but I tend to clean it properly once a year.

Nickson · 6 Aug 2010 at 10:21

Stick computer on the driveway with no side panels.
Turn compressor on.
Give it a few quick blasts with the air gun.
Job done!
Covers the surrounding cars in dust mind