Must have Tools for Cleaning your PC and Laptop
Over the time dust can accumulate in your computer whether it is a PC or a Laptop. Dust can move to places in your computer that cannot be reached easily by your hand. Dust and dirt can reduce the performance of your computer components and can also prove damaging to your computer parts. Accumulation of dust also results in the temperature of your PC and its important components like Processor, Graphics Card, Motherboard and SMPS. So it is always a good practice to clean your computer regularly and you should do it at least once in a month or two. Here is a complete guide on how to clean your computer and what necessary tools are needed for it.
Things to Do before Cleaning your Computer
Turn Off your PC or Laptop – Turn off the power of your computer before you begin cleaning it.
Remove the Power Adapters & Cables – After turning off the computer you should also remove the power adapters or any other cables attached to your desktop PC or Laptop.
Useful Tools for Cleaning your Computer
Here are some useful or required tools that you must have for complete cleaning of your computer.
Electric Air Blower
A powerful device that blows or throws air at very high speed. It runs on electricity and is equipped with a powerful motor that runs at 12000 – 16000 rpm and throws air at anything in its way.
Electric air blower is a great device for cleaning your computer motherboard, processor and graphics card heatsink, fans, SMPS, cabinet or any other device where only air can reach. A good, branded and budget electric air blower that I would recommend is Skil Air Blower 8600 and you can buy it from the link given below.
Compressed Air Can Spray
Compressed Air Can Spray is a device which is filled with air that is compressed at very high pressure. The can has a nozzle at the top which then releases the air at very high pressure from it when the button at the top of the can is pressed downwards.
The main advantages of using compressed air can is that the air pressure is more localized than that of the blower and the air coming out from these cans is always dry. This is because electric blower sucks the surrounding air and throws that on anything, so if the surrounding atmosphere is humid then the blower can throw air containing moisture on your computer parts which can prove very dangerous for your computer components. So you have to take care of this thing when using an electric air blower.On the other side the disadvantage of compressed air can is that they are relatively expensive and have limited capacity (250ml – 350ml). Also you can use them for small parts only as their air capacity and outlet nozzle is very small.
Anti-Static Brush
You can use anti-static brush to clean the parts that are directly accessible to you. These include keyboard, processor heatsink, fan etc.
Gently use the brush on the components and remove the dust if left behind by the blower or compressed air can spray. Anti-static brush picks up the dust very easily when you move them on any part.
Anti-Static Cloth
You can use an Anti-Static cloth to finalize your cleaning process, which means cleaning the dust / dirt that is not removed by the blower or the compressed air can spray.
Anti-Static cleaning cloth is very good for cleaning your Monitor LCD/LED Screen and outer parts of your PC and Laptop. You must use the cloth very gently on the components because if you apply high pressure on them, then they may get damaged.
Dear Akshat
At the very first I want to thank you for the generous and admirable work in IT tech support. I feel happy to see your blogs. I first saw your website in November 2016. This is for the first time I am writing to you.
I have got 10 old PCs to make them work nicely for a good friend of me who is founding a basic level IT training school in Jharkhand.
I have three queries and want friendly suggestion of you on them.
1. What is the best way and medium to wash motherboard, CPU, RAM and Heatsink after cleaning it with Electric Air Blower and Brush?
2. How much Thermal Compound or Paste will it be sufficient for applying on 10 CPU and Heatsink?
3. Which Brand offers good and budget Thermal Compound or Paste in India ?
Please suggest the budget and best suited products available in Indian Market for the above mentioned purpose.
Hope to see your helpful words.
With Regards,
Rajesh
Here are the answers:
1. Never ever wash electronic components. A blower and static brush is good enough.
2. I think one unit or syringe of thermal paste is enough for 10 CPUs
3. Cooler Master thermal compounds are good and affordable. You can go for Cooler Master V1 IC Value thermal compound http://amzn.to/2jFmqpy
Hope this helps
Dear Akshat
Thanks a lot for your friendly and valuable words. Yes your suggestions helped me to understand my needs. Still i have a query left.
I have 10 old motherboard which have some rust and dust particles in DIMM and PCI slots which are not getting away with air blower. In such case can i wash them with 90% pure Isopropyl Aalcohol (IPA) so as to get rid of these settled dusts.
It have not done any such wash till the date, just i am waiting for technical suggestion before attempting it.
Thanking you for your effort
Hello Rajesh,
You can use isopropyl alcohol for washing but make sure it has 90% or greater purity.
Regards
Akshat