How do I physically clean my computer? – Step by Step Guide
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General computer maintenance is so easy, a computer could do it. *QUEUE APPLAUSE* But quite honestly, maintaining your computer physically is as important as it is virtually.
The first thing you need to know is your computer is a magnet for dust. It’s a static & heat producing monster, helping attract and stick dust to its surfaces. A dirty computer can be noisey and can cause other problems such as overheating or even fatalities – yes, enough dust can actually cause a short in the machine!
Luckily for you, cleaning the computer really isn’t difficult. The big tip is to stay away from using liquids. So let’s start.
Earth yourself.
This is important, and there are two ways to do it. It’s important to earth yourself to prevent static electricity discharging through your computer and potentially destroying it.
- Get yourself a wrist band and attach it to a grounded source such as a radiator. If you are charged with static, you will discharge through wrist band before you even touch the computer.
- Leave the computer plugged in to the mains. This is a little more risky, but computers have earth pins on their plugs. If the wiring in your house is dodgy, beware!
Note: This is an important step. I’ve never damaged anything with static electricity and I’ve never actually taken this precaution – but you might not be so lucky. Some of us are like mini power houses!
Clean the exterior.
Fact: Your computer is more likely to attract dust if it’s dusty on the outside.
So clean it! Wipe it down with a duster, a dry cloth, YOUR ARM. It doesn’t matter, just get that dust off the case. Oh, and try vacuuming.
Clean the interior.
This is what a generic heatsink looks like. Yours will look similar!
There’s lots of components inside your computer, and to clean them you’re going to need a tool. Compressed air is your best friend in this situation, it allows you to blast all that dust out of the machine. Remember to blast at least 5 inches away from the components – the air is very cold when it escapes and could damage a component if you blast it too close. For any tough dust, you can use a clean makeup brush.
Blast air through the fans, through the heatsink fins (big metal block with a fan on top!), through the inners of the power supply (inside the case towards the outside), and last but not least use the duster you have to wipe around the metal surfaces to pick up any stubborn dust residing there.
Is the computer still noisy?
If it’s noisy, not all is lost. You can try replacing your fans, as dust sometimes gets in the bearings and ruins them. In particular, you must make sure your power supply’s fan is spinning as this extracts heat from the case – if it isn’t, replace the power supply itself. The processor fan (the fan on top of that big metal block called the heat sink) must also be spinning freely, if it isn’t you must replace it as it can potentially damage the processor and prompt a costly repair.