How do you clean your computer??

[Tashiro]

Hey everybody,

I always clean my computers(2) like this:


-taking all the electronics out of it,
-vacuumcleaning all the keyboard, mouse, interior of the casing
-putting the system casing under the shower
-vacuumcleaning the mobo,soundcard, ram, hdd etc.
-taking all ventilators apart and vacuum clean them too.
-the powersupply goes open, even breaking the seal for warranty, vacuumcleaning again
-all exterior of the casing and monitor is being polished
-the screens are very carefully done with special sprays
-putting everything back toghter

Exept my notebook (asus l3800c) is only being cleaned on the outside.
About every year I repeat this ritual.

Ok here comes the question, how do you clean your computer??

Tashiro

[jimbo]

I usually just give mine a couple kicks to get the dust to fall to the bottom of the case and then go back to what I was doing. :)

[blammo]

I usually just give mine a couple kicks to get the dust to fall to the bottom of the case and then go back to what I was doing. :)

Same here! I just wait for the sucker to clog itself to death with dust, then I build a new one. By the time that happens, it's time to upgrade anyway.

[micha]

I usually just give mine a couple kicks to get the dust to fall to the bottom of the case and then go back to what I was doing. :)
:) .

[cathal]

I remember a guy i knew who came to me with his computer to fix because it stoped working. When I opened it up it was full to the brim with dust and ash. All the years he had it sitting by the computer smoking away got into the computer and clocked the ****er up for good :)

[crackers]

Only when I turn it off and open it - which is about once every 6 months or so, maybe. I think I've gone a year at this point. I just use a pair of forcepts for dragging the smoke-tar-encrusted cat hair from around grills and vents and a can of compressed air for dust and dead scorpions.

I ain't kidding about the scorpion, by the way - one of my fans started sounding funny, but every time I got down to look at it (plexiglass side door), the noise would stop, so I never could locate it. The damn thing finally blew it's bearings and stopped, so I decided to replace it (there's 5 other fans on the case itself - very overkill). When I pulled the old one out, I noticed what looked like a twig was caught in it. Then I saw the rest (body - the "twig" was the tail). How in hell he/she got in there, I'll never know - but he/she didn't make it out, obviously.

Footnote: these are "wood scorpions", approx. 1 to 3 inches (2.5 - 7.5 cm) in length, counting the tail. Not generally deadly, but their stings pack quite a wallop and can kill if you're adverse to insect bites/stings.

[jzke]

I used to do a thorough clean (not as thorough as the one mentioned) every 3months or so, but then gave up. Now, I have the side of my case permanantly off, and let the dust build up, it doesn't seem to affect the performance in any way. So I don't see the reason to. Maybe one day I will get a new case, and keep it in good nick again...maybe water cooling wouldn't collect so much dust :confused:

[ghaefb]

Damn Tashiro that's some detailed cleaning :)
I vacum interior once and then, that's all

[imdeemvp]

a Crackers you must live in a desert man ! :D beside a roach here and there this is the first time i hear of an scorpion in a pc unless it is in logo or plastic form :eek:

[Tashiro]

Ok my friends warned me about this, nobody does it like I do! Come on there must be someone who cleans it somewhat like me. But I guess I am the only one, just can't stand all the dust in the fans and casing.

Yeah crackers, computing and scorpion trapping, multitasking huh!!

[crackers]

Nope, imdeemvp, I don't live in the desert - I live in the woods. There's plenty of critters 'round here...

Tashiro, of course I'm multitasking! I am a professional, y'know... :cool:

[Xeophonix]

eeekk.. are you all serious? vacuuming components? :S A bit extreme isn't it lol? at most I use canned air, but of the 4 intake fans I have, I used air filters, which I just have to wipe over once a month, no dust in system... :S

[jtang613]

I just take it out back and hose it off for 15 minutes with the pressure washer :rolleyes:

OK... Just kidding. I usually empty a can of air to loosen the dust while running the handvac to suck it up. Every six months keeps it immaculate.

[mhelios]

I've only given my main PC a good clean twice in 3 or 4 years that I've had it. Ang boy was it dirty the first time round! Thick clumps of dirt all over the place. :eek: It's because it sits in a very dusty room near the floor.. The second time (a couple months ago) was better but I pulled every single part out and cleaned individually. It's actually quite fun to pull the PC apart and back together all nice and clean.. I also have one of those brushes that attracts dirt (making sure to keep it away from the electronic components!). :)

[Tashiro]

Hey Mhelios,

Yes, you know what i mean. I had only one problem with my Dell, I couldn't figure out where to put one piece of the interior casing back in. But it works anyway!!! Do you also put you casing under the shower????

Tashiro

[mhelios]

Hey Mhelios,

Yes, you know what i mean. I had only one problem with my Dell, I couldn't figure out where to put one piece of the interior casing back in. But it works anyway!!! Do you also put you casing under the shower????

Tashiro

What piece were you not sure about? As for the casing, I gave that a good clean, mainly to clear the vents for good circulation. My brush does wonders for that!

[ewdi]

i dumped them inside washing machine and dry them under the sun :)

kiddin :p i opened up my aluminium case and i can hardly see any dust, but i do try to clean up the fans once a while with compressed air

[Psychocop156]

I usually crack my alumy case once a month, and hit it real good with the compressed air, keeping a vacumn hose nearby to help remove any airborn dust/cat hair (as my cat loves my computer area, as it's one of the very few safe places from my 3 year old son). My wife's computer...well...she's running Windows (stable, I might add). I fear that if I move it, I may get the dreaded Blue Screen of Death, or some hidden process will start spawning hideous pop-ups (j/k). However, when I did clean out my wife's PC (taking off cover, compressed air, etc), I realized it had been well over a year. In fact, the dust bunnies there complained that I was evicting them without notice. Go figure :)

[mhelios]

You guys with your alumn cases and compressed air. :(

i dumped them inside washing machine and dry them under the sun :)

kiddin :p i opened up my aluminium case and i can hardly see any dust, but i do try to clean up the fans once a while with compressed air
Kiddin!? Aww I believed you for a sec!
:rolleyes:

[NeilO]

W O T . . . thar . . ______.

[cavedweller]

Load Linux remove windows :D

[ilja]

once a year or so I put all the keys out of my keyboard and wash them + the cover of the keyboard.

[sailor]

use my vacuum blower on the innerds,,,then vacuum once all the dust is loosened...I used to use covers on the puter but it was a pain in the a**

[Tashiro]

Is nobody cleaning the screens?????

[ilja]

do you mean the monitor? I clean it reguraly.

[Tashiro]

Yeah the monitor. I use SCREEN 99 made in Belgium by CRC INDUSTRIES EUROPE N.V.

http://www.crceurope.com/csp/web/ProdDisp.csp?lng=3&country=NL&product=SCREEN%2099&business=ELECTRONIC

Tashiro

[crackers]

Formula 409 works pretty good on screens, as well as cases - especially if you're a smoker. 409 to remove the junk, then a good glass cleaner on the screen again to remove streaks, etc.

[tashirosgt]

You'll have to be more serious, Tashiro. You're giving us a bad name. .....just joking.

[Tashiro]

Hey Tashirosgt,

LMAO
If you name yourself more original, I will be more serious!!

Greetings Tashiro

[carlwill]

I use a leaf blower ;)

I take all PCI, AGP cards, and RAM and then lay it down on the close side down - take the leaf blower at her point blank range and then BAM!!! Watch all the dust and crap just blow right out - been doing this for over 2 years on very hight end systems and works great.

[Avix]

40 year old electrolux to blow (mounted above the computer) and a small shop vac under the desk (to suck).

one day I am going to sit down and mount the hoses into the case and put them on one switch..

should help when the temps get up into the low hundreds F too.

I live on a gravel road surrounded by wheat fields. everything is grey because of dust.

[crackers]

Sounds like you might be better off putting some filters on your intakes. If the dust is that intrusive (and I fully believe it), that large amount of dust can really gum up not only the exposed electronics, but "seep" into critical drive components.

[Avix]

I tried that cracker, esp during planting or harvest the filters clogged up so fast I had to change them dailey. the dual vacum system seems to do the job well.

I have been giving some thought to a constant low preasure system to keep a fair level of air passing through the system, something that will keep the dust from settling.

[crackers]

I tried that cracker, esp during planting or harvest the filters clogged up so fast I had to change them dailey. the dual vacum system seems to do the job well.
Boy, that must make quite a racket! But it sounds like you may need to keep your rig set up the way it is. Most multi-fan systems already comprise a constant, low-pressure flow through a system. The only other thing I could suggest is to really seal the case up and keep the constant blow/suck going. Most home-style computers aren't suited to a high-contaminant environment, as you've discovered... :eek:

[WebWind]

Screen - once a month (picture has strange colours and details are not visible :D ) with microfibre cloth

Keyboard - once a year - with vacuum cleaner

Case - cca every 3 month (i hate dust in my case) - with vacuum cleaner

[tashirosgt]

I find rubbing alchohol is great for cleaning all the plastic parts of the computer. The more isopropyl in it the better.