Here’s a fun one - When was the last time you opened up your laptop or desktop to clean it? Or better yet, have you ever opened your computer and cleaned it out? You might be surprised by the number of people that were entirely unaware that their computer should be cleaned at all…
Questions aside, let’s talk today about cleaning the dust, debris, and potential gunk from the inside of your computer!
Why even clean your computer to begin with?
It still powers on, and it’s functioning great. Why should you clean out your computer? These are valid points, sure, but your device’s longevity can potentially be improved by doing some regular cleaning of your computer. Also, you may even see a performance improvement - but this is not a guarantee.
Noise. As dust and dirt build up on cooling fans, they naturally become louder. The fan has to work harder to spin due to the increased weight of the dust. The fan’s balance can also be affected by excess dust causing the fan to wobble during rotation. Both of those factors can increase the general noise your computer makes. So, if you’ve noticed your computer has gotten louder in recent months, it might be time to clean it out.
Heat / Performance. As dust settles on fans and heatsinks, both become worse at doing their job of dissipating heat. The hotter your computer runs, the higher the fans need to run and the more strain you put on components. More heat makes components intentionally slow down to attempt to compensate for the extra heat potentially reducing your computer’s performance. Not to mention, heat can also reduce the longevity of components, but there are a handful of other factors at play here that may attribute to shorter component lifetime.
Shorts and electrical issues. While this issue is less and less likely, there is always a possibility that dust can bridge electrical paths between components. These can create electrical shorts and completely kill computer components. I want to be clear, this is highly unlikely, but it is a possibility. It’s another reason why regular cleaning is important.
Dissembling… It’s less scary than you think
Desktops. Most desktops have a side panel that is relatively easy to remove. It’s typically two screws or a tab that will remove the side panel. And that’s really all the disassembly that you need to do. If in doubt, refer to the manual for your computer to remove the panel. A simple google search like “Dell Optiplex Side Panel Removal” should get you the information you need.
Laptops. A little more difficult, but it is still definitely doable. You will need to remove all the screws on the underside of your laptop, and then pry off the bottom panel.
- An iFixit Screwdriver Kit - https://amzn.to/3i3HN1r - is advised to ensure you have all the bits you might need.
- An iFixit Essentials Kit - https://amzn.to/3m4mXl0 - contains the screw bits and pry tools you might need.
Similar to desktops, a simple google search like “Lenovo Ideapad Disassembly” should get you the information you need to remove the bottom panel of your laptop. Once you have the bottom panel off, you are done, that easy!
Actually removing dust
At this point, you just need to clean the dust from fans and wipe down any largely visible dust that may get in the way of components.
Some suggestions for dust removal:
- A vacuum with a hose extension
- A DataVac - https://amzn.to/3bt7plV - is specifically designed for this kind of work
- Cheaper, off-brand computer duster - https://amzn.to/32231Hm
Some suggestions for wipes to wipe surfaces clean:
- Any kind of alcohol wipes - Alcohol based wipes will dry fast and ensure components are not wet when the computer powers back on
- Isopropyl Alcohol Wipes - https://amzn.to/3bu60LM
When cleaning fans, you will have the best success by holding the fan still with one hand and blowing the dust off with the other. Rubbing alcohol and wipes can be used for surfaces once you have done the initial dusting.
Wrapping up
You should absolutely consider cleaning your computer one or twice a year to remove any built-up dust. With the right tools, the process can take just a few minutes.
If you want to avoid cleaning nearly as frequently, look for computer cases that have removable dust filters for your next computer build. They are incredibly convenient for cleaning.
Prefer to just bring your computer in for cleaning? We offer computer cleaning services as well. Get in touch with us at: https://www.marptech.com/contact and we will be happy to schedule a time to get your computer cleaned.