Cleaning the Dust out of your Computer, Laptop or any Device

  I always here my computer is running very slow or it runs for a short time and then shuts off. Chances are your computer may have the air flow plugged with lots of dust. I have seen computers that look like they are the inside of a pumpkin for Halloween. Fans get plugged with dust and do not spin. The most common problem is that the heat-sink on the microprocessor is packed with dust.                                     

                                                 Dusty Cpu Fan

CC-BY-SA-3.0 via http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dusty_computer_cooling_fan.JPG [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

  So what does happen when the microprocessor is packed with dust. Well the heat that the microprocessor builds up can not be dissipated. The cpu fan is no longer able to remove any heat. The system bios detects that the Microprocessor is too hot and it shuts the system off to protect the microprocessor and other components from damage. In other words the computer shuts off. You could lose important data if you were writing a document or saving data. A sudden shutdown could damage a ide or sata hard drive.
  The best thing to do is at least once a week look inside the computer and see if it is collecting dust. If it looks pretty clean then check every two weeks. A lot of it depends on the environment the computer is located in. If it is close to the floor it may collect more dust due to the flow of air in the room. If it is located close to an open window it may collect dust. If you have pets such as a dog or cat they can contribute as well with pet hair.

                           Small Amount Of Dust Inside The Computer

By Carlosar (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Andyzweb (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons. No changes were made.

  So what is the best way to remove the dust from the inside of the computer ? First DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner to suck the dust out. The vacuum cleaner tip and hose are not static safe and you can damage the motherboard or any other component with what is call ESD or electo static discharge. An example would be when you walk across the carpet in your socks and go to touch something you feel the zap or see the flash of electricity. I have also seen people use a paint brush to clean off the dust from a component such as a video card, sound card or motherboard. Do Not do this, because the paint brush is not statically safe.
  The best tool to use to remove is the canned air duster. These can be purchased locally or you can buy them off the internet. I would check amazon.com or ebay. See the links to some places for canned air off to the side of the article for canned air products.
Just remember before using the canned air unplug the computer from the surge protector so there isn't any electrical connection to the computer. I would also suggest to hold any fan with your finger when blowing dust from it. You do not want the fan to blow the fan faster than it is supposed to run. You could damage the fan. Also wait for awhile after blowing out the dust, because the compressed air will leave moisture on the components. You do not want the moisture to short anything out resulting in damage to the motherboard etc.....

                               

                                  An Example Of Canned Air Duster

Example Of Blowing Out Dust with Canned Air

   Another device that can be used is an air compressor. See the links off to the side of the article for various air compressors. Just remember that it blows air at a much faster rate than the canned air does. You may also get water blowing out with the air due to the compressor building moisture in the tank. I would make sure you bleed off any moisture first. See you air compressor information on how to do that. I would also recommend to hold the fans when blowing out any dust. It will also make it easier to blow the dust out of the heat sink. If a fan does get spinning Do Not stick your finger in to stop it. I have seen people get cut by the fan blade. Let it stop by itself.  
 

Mini Air Compressor used for Home Use

                     Industrial Air Compressor Used For Multiple Computers

By RussianTrooper (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

  If you have dirt and dust built up on the fan blades use some glass cleaner  or household cleaner on a q-tip. Fan blades can break, because they are only plastic. You can buy tack cloths to clean dust off the outside of the case. Now a place where you can use a soft paint brush is on a plastic cover or on the outside of the case. Here is a link to some paint brushes.

The dust on the laptop CPU heat sink after three years of use has made the laptop unusable due frequent thermal shutdowns. By Audrius Meskauskas, Audriusa 13:25, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

                                    Inside Of A Laptop Computer

By User:Affemitwaffe (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

   Blowing dust out of laptop computers can be much more involved. The microprocessor fan is usually inside the laptop and accessed through the bottom of the laptop. There are usually vents on the side and back of the laptop nearest the microprocessor fan. Some  manufacturers have more than one fan in a laptop. They were usually the larger Alienware laptops. There some laptops that have a panel on the bottom that can be removed by some small screws. All of the rules mentioned for desktop computers apply to laptops as well.
                            Examples of Dust in CPU Fan and Heat Sinks

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  If a laptop is shutting off suddenly check the microprocessor fan to see if it is spinning. The small fans tend to pull in dust and hair very efficiently. Sometimes small chunks of dust build up and prevent the fan from spinning or block the air flow. To clean the fan I would remove the keyboard, because there may be an access point to the fan. Place something small in the fan such as a tie-wrap so the fan does not spin. Blow it from the bottom so the chunks will blow out the opening under the keyboard.

Dusty Laptop Keyboard

  If there is not any panel that can be removed or opening under the keyboard the laptop will have to be disassembled to get to the fan and clean it out properly. If you have never done this before then I recommend you take it to a local professional at a computer store. You should also blow out the keyboard and other openings where dust can collect. Just be careful with an air compressor not to blow off any keys on the keyboard. Also do not blow very close to the lcd display.
  Just to say a little about printers. Do not blow out Laser printers with canned air or an air compressor. The reason is because you will blow the toner dust in the air and if you breath it in you can damage your lungs. Not to mention it will damage other components in the printer. If the printer is a inkjet type printer be very careful blowing it out. If you have ink built up in the purge assembly you can spray ink all over the place.
  Cleaning out printers require special devices and toner cloths made to do the job. Here is a link to purchasing toner cloths. As far as removing built up toner, there are special vacuums with special filters. They are also statically safe and will not damage anything with static electricity. You can clean off the outside of the printer with a household cleaner such a 409. If you have to clean any of the  pick up rollers, feed rollers or separation pads  use a product called rubber rejuvinator. See the links to various cleaning products off to the side of the article.
  This type of cleaning for computers can be applied to any device,  Just remember to always disconnect any electrical connection before starting the cleaning process. Also let the component dry out thoroughly before turning it back on. Nobody needs a dead component, which then becomes a large paper weight.
  Thank You for reading and stay safe.