Dust removal

[Be1n]

Why does PC dust congeal and stick to the components?

How do you polish your hardware if you want to get it completely off?

See how the fan is still dusty after cleaning?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvrKg0aP0Sg

 

[corkyg]

I gently wipe stuff down with Swiffers. That includes fan blades

 

[Be1n]

Including electronics like motherboards?

 

[COPOHawk]

I use air compressor (with dryer) with an attachment that limits pressure to no more than 20-25 psi (with a trigger). This will fully clean the tower/server and don't do it in an enclosed space...it is amazing how much fine dust can accumulate that will come out as a "smoke" cloud. The key is to try and blow out where the incoming air vents are...and then with the case open. Don't get too close to the electronic components.

Canned air works OK as well...but it gets expensive and pressure isn't as good.

 

[techne]

I clean fan blades by hand, one by one, with a soft cloth.

Being made of copper and aluminum, heatsinks pose no big problems. I wash them (in a couple of minutes) with a strong water jet of a hand shower. Of course, I must wait a few hours (or use a hairdryer) in order to put them back.

 

[Be1n]

I gently wipe stuff down with Swiffers. That includes fan blades

Alcohol wipes?

I use air compressor (with dryer) with an attachment that limits pressure to no more than 20-25 psi (with a trigger).

As that video shows, dust in computers tend to get sticky. I don't think air works.

 

[corkyg]

Dust and dirt blown just settles somewhere else. Best to remove it, not spread it.

 

[Killer_Croc]

Why does PC dust congeal and stick to the components?

How do you polish your hardware if you want to get it completely off?

See how the fan is still dusty after cleaning?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvrKg0aP0Sg

I've cleaned dust blades before with soft bristled paintbrushes and it allows me to clean PCB as well without fear of damage or scratching. Also have used it on heatsinks too and it seems to work fine. I probably would blow on it afterwards just to make sure a bristle or hair is not left over but it's done a good job so far on a PC I had to clean before doing an upgrade/overhaul.

 

[sm625]

I also take my pc's outside and blow them out using the compressor. I dont even bother limiting the PSI, I just blast em. I love seeing the huge smoke cloud and listening to the fans whirr really fast. Havent ruined one yet. They get clean. No residue left at all.

 

[Be1n]

I tried cleaning wipes but they weren't lint free. So now I got lint on my hardware.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I tried cleaning wipes but they weren't lint free. So now I got lint on my hardware.

 

[Erithan13]

A hairdryer works alright in a pinch, best to find one with a cool mode but even without it's fine as long as you don't go concentrating the heat onto one spot excessively. Those little rocket blowers used for cleaning camera gear are also great for getting in close and blasting out stubborn dust. If you can do this outside on a breezy day you'll also avoid the problem of the dust immediately resettling back where it came from.