Best method for dusting inside computer?

Hi all,

One of the side panels of my case wont go back on so the internals have been exposed for a while now. I do have it up against a wall so its not all that bad now!

However, there is an awful lot of dust in there! I am afraid to take the hover to it in case it causes damage and don't want to use a cloth for same reason.

What is the best method for this or does it really matter at all?

Cheers!

A can of compressed air is the best way.

I keep an unused/new paint brush handy for dusting out my computers. It's for house paint, 1 1/2" wide. Then I hoover up the mess in the bottom of the case.
If the power supply is in the bottom, I throw a piece of paper on it to keep from knocking dust bunnies into it.
Turn off the pc but don't unplug it, vacuum cleaners can possibly cause static buildup and you want your computer grounded while doing so.

I find an air can will spew dust all over the room, and my computers aren't so portable as to be taking them out to the driveway to blast them clean.

i found that a small investment into some fan filters goes a long way. My parts pick up very little to no dust now and I only have to clean the filters about once a month.

If your side panel won't go back on, then you might want to consider getting some type of filter material that you can tape to the open side. The air filters that go in the a/c return air vent can be cut down, or maybe find some type of fairly porous foam material that will trap most dust but still allow air to get through.

Compressed air is the best way to clear out the dust. It can be expensive if you have a lot computers. At my house every other month is bring your computer out to the garage for cleaning via air compressor. Work real well.

I take mine to the auto repair shop i work in. A blast of 120psi air does wonders, and doesn't freeze your hand like canned air


Just be sure you don't spin the fans up, you can toast the electronics doing that. (Because they have permanent magnets, they make lovely alternating current generators, the faster you spin the more voltage you make, till eventually you roast the controller built into the fan hub)

Leaf blower.

Compressed air (canned air, air compressor, etc) is the best. Take it outside and give it a blast. Quick and easy.

in a pinch I have taken a straw and blown dust out of heatsinks that way. Blow hard enough you will get light headed.

I've been careful with keeping my new PC nice and clean and purdy, particularly since this is my first PC I've gotten with a windowed panel (internals don't have to look their best when they're not being shown off). As far as that goes, let me just say that prevention goes a very long way. I try to keep my area clean and as dust-free as possible, so whatever gets sucked up is only the stuff floating around the air. My case comes with "dust filters," but as to not impede airflow, they are really nothing more fancy than the mesh screen you might see in a clothes dryer's lint screen. It stops some of the bigger stuff, but the fine particles still make it in. There was hardly any build-up in there, so I gingerly wiped it away with a microfiber cloth, as well as using a very slightly dampened lint-free cloth to pick up some extra stuff where surfaces allowed (like case surfaces, fans, cables, heatsink, plastic GPU cover). I also rinsed out all the filters until they were like new again. Using a handvacuum, I can clear most of the filters without even having to move the drive bay covers. Anyway, I've now added a ghetto mod, if you can call it that, where I've covered the whole front face of the case with some pantyhose. It's very quick and easy to do, the pantyhose has much denser fibers than the case's regular dust filters so that it catches more (but has no noticeable impact on airflow or temps), and it has the additional benefit of covering any gaps between the bay covers. It's easy to change/remove for cleaning or replacement, too.

I usually just use that handvac to clean out the other computers if they're super dusty. It has a little nozzle attachment for the end that focuses the suction in a much smaller area; it makes it easier to aim in tighter spaces and increases the suction power. Most of the stuff comes right up....just have to be careful not to hit and break anything. If you really need to get the rest of the finer stuff up, compressed air usually does the trick. I also like to use that in conjunction with the vacuum - blow from one end and suck the dust up from the other so it doesn't just settle elsewhere.