Things safe for cleaning outside of computer case

Hi,
I'd say less interior cleaning most likely a 2 week inside blowout would workout :)
Or every 7 days of usage or at least a good way to actually see how much is getting in there
Some times it's tough to see behind the fan blades and on I guess the cpu cover which is where most of the air gets forced onto
I usually take off the fan and clean it and blowout the cpu cover mine is a cheap aluminum vented doo-da I'm not sure how yours looks though ?
But the real dirt/ dust/ lint is on that part
Cheers.

Well, I am, like always, scared to open up the PC though... is there any alternative?

Computer0304 said:

Well, I am, like always, scared to open up the PC though... is there any alternative?

Let's see...allow the PC to burn up due to restricted airflow from built up dust?

All seriousness aside, how often one cleans the interior of a PC depends on how dusty the PC's environment is. In a well sealed building with excellent air filtration, no pets and no one with dry skin living inside and gets frequent obsessive house cleaning, you may never have to clean the inside of a PC. On the flip side, a PC in a poorly sealed house in a dusty desert with less than ideal house cleaning, pets, and someone who has extremely dry skin may need, at least, weekly cleanings (oh wow, except for the pets, I just described the conditions my PC runs in).

Where one places the PC also matters. On the floor is the worst place for a PC since the most dust settles there and gets stirred up by near by foot traffic; a desktop is much better. I have extremely dry skin, due to the climate and my thyroid condition, that sheds dead skin cells like dandruff over my entire body. My PC is in my bedroom and my dead skin cells comprise most of the dust there. I would get less dust if I could relocate it to another room (which would be impractical for me). Add to that, most people don't even know they are supposed to clean the inside of a PC. The amount of dust, crud, pet hair, insects, dead mice (I'm serious about that one), etc. that accumulates due to a lack of cleaning is amazing.

When one is unfamiliar with PCs, opening up the case is extremely daunting but, still, it must be done if one want's their PC to last a reasonable amount of time. Opening up a PC, while scary at first, isn't as dangerous as one might think as long as certain rules are followed:

1. Turn off the PC and disconnect it from the mains. Moving it outside is optional but desirable to avoid blowing dust into the house.

2. Make sure you ground yourself to the case before touching anything inside to avoid damage from static discharge. A discharge to the case is harmless.

3. To further avoid static discharge, do not use any brushes (except ones that are advertised as anti-static), fabrics that can create static electricity, or a vacuum cleaner (the exception here is one that is used as a blower and isn't allowed to ever touch the PC).

4. The best thing to use to clean the interior of a PC is low pressure compressed air or canned "air" (actually, a compressed gas). Once can use an air compressor with an sir dryer but the pressure has to be dialed way down to avoid damaging components. Canned "air" is usually best although a blower, such as the one made by DataVac, is actually better, albeit it expensive upfront. One can use a non-static generating cloth that has been lightly moistened with water or anti-static brushes to dislodge stubborn dust. On a PC that has been neglected a long time, it may be necessary to actually pick out the clots of built-up dust with one's fingers and/ or a wooden toothpick.

5. When using air, do not let the air spin the fans. Fan can be damaged by allowing air to spin them too fast. I just use my finger to keep them from spinning.

I know you tend to be apprehensive about dealing with PCs but opening one up to clean it is not as daunting as it may seem (this coming from a cowardly, old broad!). Frequent cleanings (the actual interval being determined by how dusty the area you are in is) will simplify the process.

Well for some reason, now that I look through the vents, it seems that it it is just the outside of the case that seems to attract dust. Why is it that shiny surfaces seem to collect more dust than anything else?

Computer0304 said:

Well for some reason, now that I look through the vents, it seems that it it is just the outside of the case that seems to attract dust...

I wouldn't bet on that. It would be better to open up the case and take a look. Just opening it up won't hurt anything.

Computer0304 said:

...Why is it that shiny surfaces seem to collect more dust than anything else?

Perception. Dust is more visible on shiny surfaces.

Is there any way to place filter material of some sort on the case's air intakes? That will go a long way to keeping the worst of the dust out. My case has two (tiny!) filters on the front and I have to clean them roughly every 48 hours because my PC is in a dusty area and it runs 24/7.

Well, I literally can almost see the whole inside from one vent hole and there is no dust on the one fan that this computer has. (It is a mini tower) And, I have no idea where to get compressed air meant for electronics here in Korea. Also, the last problem is that since I live in an apartment, I have nowhere I can use to clean the PC outside and there are no balconies in my part of the apartment as they were turned into rooms...

I'm too old and decrepit to be frequently carrying my boat anchor PC outside to clean the inside so I just do it in situ. By cleaning it frequently, I don't blow all that much dust in the room. I have to dust the room anyway so a little more doesn't make a difference.

Can you order from Alibaba? If so, they have canned air.

Plan B would be to get a small, oil free compressor and use it at low pressure.

Well, there are barely any sellers for compressed air in Korea and they don't seem that trustworthy and I don't want it doing something wrong to my computer. I'll have to check thoroughly when I go to the supermarket. What is a oil free compressor?

Hmm, the odd thing is that though dust is not piling up more than it did in the US except for on the computer. Maybe I'm just wrong that the dust is worse here? Maybe the dust amount is same and I just didn't have the PC long enough in the US to see dust pile up? (I had it for only 2 months before moving to Korea)