Getting dust out of computers, heavy duty

[Pengwuino]

One thing I've noticed about cleaning computers is that when they're left non-cleaned for a few months, there are 2 layers of dust. One layer is easily blown away with pressurized air. The problem I'm facing now is this second layer. It's like, impossible to remove without using a surface like a tissue or towel. The problem I face is that a lot of these surfaces are either hard to reach or are on circuit boards which have all sorts of soldering points and chips which means any towel or tissue you use gets stuck or torn up when you try to whipe it. Does anyone know of a solution for this besides grabbing a 8000psi sprayer and clean/destroy the computer? :)

 

[Cyrus]

Use your hand to wipe the dust off, that's what I do. Then throw it in trash. As opposed to spending money on pressurized air cans that just spray the dust all over the room. Do people actually buy those cans of 'air'? I would use that if I was airbrushing, but I have a compressor for that.

 

[Pengwuino]

Do you stalk me or something?

Plus using my hand is worse then a tissue. This time i get my hand all cut up and screwed up :P

 

[Cyrus]

..............yes

 

[-Job-]

An air compressor is the best thing for cleaning out dust from inside computers. Highly recommended. Use a dust mask though.

 

[Moonbear]

Use your hand to wipe the dust off, that's what I do. Then throw it in trash.

You throw you hand in the trash when you're done? How many hands do you/did you have?!

As opposed to spending money on pressurized air cans that just spray the dust all over the room. Do people actually buy those cans of 'air'? I would use that if I was airbrushing, but I have a compressor for that.

I use those for getting the crud out of keyboards, but that's about it.

 

[Cyrus]

I type with a pencil in my mouth. I peck at the keys.

 

[Pengwuino]

An air compressor is the best thing for cleaning out dust from inside computers. Highly recommended. Use a dust mask though.

like i said, the compressor can't get this "baked on" dust :P

 

[Moonbear]

like i said, the compressor can't get this "baked on" dust :P

If you're getting that much dust in your computer, maybe you need to vacuum more often and put HEPA filters on your heat vents...imagine how much dust you're breathing if it's accumulating that quickly!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Have you tried a soft bristle brush? Or maybe even a harder one. You might check out a .99 store and see what they have. You ought to be able to loosen the dust from the components with some sort of brush and then blow it away with the air can.

 

[scott1]

Do you requarly take your computer camping with you to the grand cayon?My computer doesn't that much dust in it and if I did need to clean I don't have to use the air compariser.

 

[moose]

Use an air compressor to get the dust to fly off... You may want to hold the fans to prevent them from spinning, just in case they produce any electricity...

 

[Monique]

Vent your house once in a while to avoid dust build-up, or shower more often.. you know 75% of dust is human skin and the rest are dead insects?

 

[Ouabache]

Speaking of dust.. Besides human skin cells and dead insects... If you have any pets.. add in their skin cell/dander contribution as well as bits of hair and feathers. Then there are mold spores, fibers from plant and synthetic material, pollen, dust mites and their excrement (dust mites have a passion for eating skin cells and their waste joins in with our house dust) http://www.allergynursing.com/questions2/dust.html
And atmospheric sources: small soil particles liberated by the wind, ash from volcanoes, fires, and more small particulates from pollutants (industrial smoke, tobacco & cannabis puffers).

Regarding the computer dust, you might consider adding a filter on the air intake and configure your fans so they all draw air out of the chassis. Cleaning off layers of dust, I use a combination the methods already described, loosen with soft brush (even artist's paint brush works), use compressed air or blast of air from your mouth... Just be sure to cover your nose afterwards to avoid breathing in too much dust. Hachoo!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Here in California at the edge of a desert where it only rains in the winter dust is primarily wind blown soil particles.

 

[JasonRox]

Here in California at the edge of a desert where it only rains in the winter dust is primarily wind blown soil particles.

She meant inside the house... I'm assuming.

It makes sense to me. The numbers might be different in California, but I'm sure that's a good average.

 

[rachmaninoff]

You could get a case fan with a dust filter:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...000110000&minPrice=&maxPrice=&Go.x=15&Go.y=21

 

[Moonbear]

If it's really tough to clean, maybe you should just hose it down with a pressure washer.

It's a good point about pets...if you have pets, their added dander might be part of the culprit. Also, if anyone in your house smokes, whatever that sticky residue is from cigarettes that clings to everything could be what's making the dust so stubborn and stuck on.

 

[zoobyshoe]

She meant inside the house... I'm assuming.

So do I. In any primarily dry area most of the particulate matter in the air is from the topsoil. I keep a back door open all day long and that room gets dusty so fast it is amazing.

 

[Moonbear]

So do I. In any primarily dry area most of the particulate matter in the air is from the topsoil. I keep a back door open all day long and that room gets dusty so fast it is amazing.

Shouldn't that be pretty loose dust though? Pengwuino's dust sounds more stubborn than what I'd think you'd get from dust being stirred up from soil. I could be wrong since I've never lived in such a place, but Pengwuino's dust sounds rather sticky.

 

[Ouabache]

You could get a case fan with a dust filter:
/QUOTE]
Great idea, using case fans with dust filters. In that instance, you would want to have the fan(s) configured to draw air thru the fan and into the case. The chassis vents would become out-takes, so no dusty/gummy air would ever reach the components (unless you forget to change your filters )

If Pengwuino's PC was exposed to tobacco smoke, I agree the sticky component could come from that (e.g. formaldehyde, tar).

 

[Mk]

Umm.. I've never ever cleaned dust out of any of my computers except the dead ones I salvaged from other people. My Macs have never had any problems.