| General > General Technical Chat |
| Is it dangerous to clean your computer with compressed air or vacuum? |
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| crazy_driver:
Some say Compressed air like that can create A LOT of static electricity, others that the last time they used a vaccum the computer gave intermittent problems they had to get a new one. So what do you think is the best way? |
| wraper:
With vacuum you will touch the parts of the PC, there is a high danger to cause static discharge or break something off. Compressed air is much safer and cleans much better. As a downside it is better to use it outdoors as the dust will fly all over the air. |
| AntiProtonBoy:
I dust my machine with my old man's air compressor all the time. You'll be fine. If you are worried about static electricity, leave the mains plugged in for earthing, but I never bother. One thing to note is not to blow air at close proximity when using a compressor, as the high air pressure can crack/dislodge things, or put a lot of flexing pressure on cards. Also, put a pencil into fans to prevent them from spinning, as you will wear them out when they spin-up really fast and abruptly. |
| station240:
I've heard first hand of a computer that stopped working entirely after someone used a household vacuum to suck dust from the insides. Worse still it wasn't their computer, but belonged to a university student. |O You can get special mini vacuums that are designed for cleaning inside electronics/PCs, as they use conductive plastics to prevent static build up. |
| hexreader:
A group of experts could theorise all day long about whether vacuuming is harmless, dangerous or suicidal. Bottom line is that just opening up your computer could result in malfunction, and the chances increase the more chances you take. The main thing is to consider the possibility that your computer could die at any moment in time, and make sure to have backup strategy to cope. If you are feeling brave - use the air compressor. If you are feeling cautious, use a soft brush and gentle vacuuming. If you have plenty of money, buy an anti-static vacuum cleaner, wear wrist strap and unscrew case with antistatic tools whilst placing PC on antistatic work bench. I use brushes and a good strong breath to clean my PC, with no bad result so far. But you have to decide for yourself how much care you want to take. I might be tempted to use an air compressor, but I think I would worry more about mechanical damage than ESD damage. Either way, I see no need to do it, other than speed and laziness. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Just my thoughts and experiences, feel free to ignore. |
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