Cleaning your computer

Cleaning the inside of your computer is not something that many of us think about very often but did you know it is vital to the smooth running of your PC because it keeps the system cool. Dirt from pets and cigarette smoke as well as airborne dust clogs the vents and fans in your computer causing the system to heat up and heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers. Regular cleaning and maintenance could save you costly bills in the long run.

How often you should clean your computer is dependant on the environment it is in. On average it is recommeded that you clean it. every 6 months to a year or more often if is in a particularly dusty environment. You can take it to a small local repair man who can do the job for you at a small charge. I would not recommend one of the larger retailers as they will charge considerably more as they are generally only interested in supplying new equipment rather than repairing existing appliances.

If you are comfortable opening and cleaning the inside of your computer yourself here are a number of points that will help you to clean the dust and debris making your computer run more smoothly and efficiently. I have included a number of useful links at the end of this article for further reading and help should you require it.

First switch off the power supply, however you should beware as with any electrical equipment there is the possibility of residual current remaining in the system and I would strongly recommend that you leave it plugged in for a short while as any residual or static charge is still earthed reducing the risk to yourself and your equipment.

Once you have removed the casing it will be obvious where the dirt is. Warning! There are two schools of thought concerning cleaning the inside of a computer and I am not going to say which is right or wrong only that you must make up your own mind on this particular issue. In one camp are those who recommend using the soft brush attachment on your hoover to lightly clean the accumulated dust from fans and filters as well as the front, back or side panels. It is important that you are careful and try and avoid too much contact with the components as this may cause unnecessary damage to the computer. All you need to do is get rid of the majority of the dirt from the major areas and all the little openings which are places where dust and dirt can accumulate.

The second school of thought says that you should never use a vacuum cleaner on your computer as a hoover can creat static electricity which will easily damage the delicate components like the motherboard, hard drive or video card. Instead you should invest in a can of compressed air which is designed for cleaning computer hardware and is available at most major computer stores.

Hold the can about four inches away while keeping the fan
still with a small screwdriver or pen. Blow air from the back of the case through the fan and then all around the components inside and along the bottom using a soft bristle brush to loosen any tough patches of dust or dirt taking care to touch as little as possible.

Lastly you can clean your floppy disk and CD drives by gently blowing air into them and wipe down the inside cover with a lightly dampened cloth before replacing the cover. All this should keep your PC running smoothly for years to come.

some useful links
ask-leo.com
www.microsoft.com
Microsoft Home Magazine
www.technibble.com