website design software
PC TIPS

PC CLEANING TIPS:

Heat and A Dirty Computer:

General

As mentioned before, PCs do not like heat. Naturally, as the PC runs it consumes power, a by-product of this consumption is heat. However, component like transistors and integrated circuits are designed to work in certain environmental conditions. Therefore, we want to keep as much heat away from them as possible to ensure their continued existence.

NOTE TO SMOKERS

Try and avoid smoking around a PC. The simple reason for this is that cigarette/cigar/pipe smoke contains tar-and tar is sticky and the dust and dirt stick to the PC components real well with the mixture of dirt and tar.

Desktop Computers:

Inside every PC power supply is a built-in circulating fan. This fans job is to pull cool air in the front of the computer circulate it through the PC case and exhaust it out the back thus cooling the internal components. As well as the power supply fan the processor has a heat sink and a fan attached to it to cool just the processor as they get very warm while working. Additionally, if your computer has a high-end video card then the graphics processor mounted on it also may have a fan attached. Most new tower cased PCs have some additional fans to help in this process due to all the air flow interference by internal equipment inside the PC case. All these fans associated heat sinks and surrounding areas need special attention for cleaning. Dirt and dust in the air collect inside the PC case and on those components we wish to keep cool. Now, I don't care how good a housekeeper you have or are, the internals of a PC will get dirty. Tower based units that sit on a floor are the worst for collecting dirt and dust.

Laptop Computers:

Laptop users have the same problems only worse when it comes to removing dirt from the inside of the laptop due to physical access to the internal components. In most cases they contain at least one fan and some heat sinks for cooling.

Cleaning the inside of your Desktop PC:

Removal of this dirt and dust is quite simple. Vacuum it out. However, to do this Caution is the operative word here. Before you start collect this equipment together:

Tools/Supplies Needed:

1. Vacuum with small nozzle attachment

2. Soft small paint or makeup brush with long handle

3. Static Wrist Strap (absolute necessity to prevent static electricity buildup)

4. Clean cloth

5. Time to do it right

Follow these steps:

NOTE

Do Not Use the Vacuum Nozzle by it's self to clean the components,as you may damage a component or dislodge a cable connection

  1. Turn off the PC
  2. Remove the power cord
  3. Lay the case on it's right side
  4. Remove the case side cover
  5. Install the Static Wrist Strap between the PC case and you
  6. Turn on vacuum
  7. Using the brush, dust off all collections of dust and dirt throughout the PC while holding the vacuum nozzle nearby so as to suck in the deposits you loosen with the brush. Pay particular attention to the power supply cooling holes and the exhaust fan outlet on the outside of the case.
  8. Use the cloth and carefully wipe the sides of the drive bays and power supply
  9. Turn off the vacuum
  10. Remove anything you might have left in the case
  11. Visually check all the cable connections to make sure you didn't disconnect anything during cleaning
  12. Remove the Static Wrist Strap
  13. Install the PC case side cover
  14. Set the computer upright
  15. Connect the PC power cord
  16. Turn on the PC
  17. Does everything work?
  18. Yes-go to step 20
  19. No-go to step 21
  20. Congratulations you have just completed your first PC cleaning
  21. You may have dislodged a cable connection. Perform steps 1 through 4 (don't forget the Static Wrist Strap) and look for a loose connection on one of the cables
  22. If there is a loose connection, plug it back in
  23. Leaving the case open, plug in the power cord, and turn on the PC
  24. Does everything work?
  25. Yes-shut down the PC and install the side cover and upright the computer
  26. No- Repeat step 21 until through 24 until step 24s answer is yes (or call Computer Guy 208-660-1617)
  • Cleaning Your Desktop Keyboard:

    Computer keyboards can get dirty very easily. Cleaning the surface of a keyboard is very straightforward and easy to do. This is a quick cleaning method. Most modern keyboards are the membrane type, and although you can take the keys off and give the keyboard a through cleaning, we feel it is just not worth the trouble and hassle and will not be covered here. If you are having trouble with an intermittent keyboard, after you have positively identified it as the problem by substitution-get rid of it. New keyboards are relatively cheap and are readily available.

    To clean your desktop keyboard proceed as follows:

    1. Turn off the PC

    2. Unplug the keyboard from the back of the PC, noting the location and orientation of the connector (Important)

    3. Hold the keyboard upside down so any loose debris between the keys will fall free

    NOTE

    Using canned air or an air compressor can and

    will blow the keys off of the keyboard, destroying it

    4. If you have a small hand-held vacuum cleaner use the vacuum cleaner hose with the small nozzle attachment to suck in the debris. Using a soft brush carefully sweep the loose debris on the keyboard into the vacuum hose.

    5. Using a Q-Tip moistened with the Isopropyl Alcohol clean the sides of all the keys

    6. Give the surface of the keyboard a good wipe over using the lint-free cloth moistened (don't put the liquid directly on the keyboard) with the Isopropyl Alcohol to trace the contours of the keys

    7. When you have finished give the keyboard a wipe over with the dry cloth/duster, you should now have a nice clean keyboard

    Cleaning Your Laptop: Before you start collect this equipment together:

    Tools/Supplies Needed:

    1. Canned Air
    2. Eye Protection
    3. Isopropyl Alcohol
    4. Q-tips
    5. Soft paint brush or makeup brush
    6. Soft Lint-Free Cloth
    7. Small hand-held vacuum and attachments
    8. Time to do it right

    Cleaning the inside of your laptop is very limited for the owner/user due to the limited access to the laptop internals. Opening the laptop case to access the internal components should only be done by an experienced computer repair technician. However, a simple cleaning using the following method can solve many heat related problems.

    1. Turn on your laptop
    2. Wait for 5-6 minutes for it to warm up
    3. Feel along the right and left hand sides of the laptop typically toward the rear of the laptop for a discharge of hot air
    4. When found, that is the hot air exhaust port for the PC cooling system
    5. Now move the running laptop to an area outside or in a space you don't mind getting dusty
    6. Using the canned air, squirt it directly into the hot air exhaust port for at least 10 seconds
    7. Hot, dirty air will come out of the hot air exhaust port
    8. If the escaping air is very dirty, squirt it again for another 10 seconds
    9. You have now done all you should to clean your laptop internals
    10. If you still have heat issues like the computer shutting down while you are using it unexpectedly then there may be something else wrong with the laptop.
    11. Before you call Computer Guy, are you using on a hard surface only? No placemat, no bedspread, no other fabric surface to cutoff air flow?
    12. Call Computer Guy at 208-660-1617

    Cleaning Your Laptop Keyboard:

    NOTE

    Do NOT use canned air to blow off the debris.

    Using canned air or an air compressor can and

    will blow the keys off of the keyboard, destroying it

    1. Turn off laptop
    2. Remove all cords from laptop
    3. Open up laptop wide
    4. Hold the laptop upside down so all the loose debris between the keys will fall free
    5. If you have a small hand-held vacuum cleaner use the vacuum cleaner hose with the small nozzle attachment to suck in the debris. Using a soft brush carefully sweep the loose debris on the keyboard into the vacuum hose.
    6. Using a Q-Tip moistened with the Isopropyl Alcohol clean the sides of all the keys
    7. Give the surface of the keyboard a good wipe over using the lint-free cloth moistened (don't put the liquid directly on the keyboard) with the Isopropyl Alcohol to trace the contours of the keys
    8. When you have finished give the keyboard a wipe over with the dry cloth/duster, you should now have a nice clean keyboard

     

    [Computer Guy] [INTERNET SECURITY] [SECURITY PRODUCTS] [PC TIPS] [MORE TIPS] [HISTORY OF THE PC] [WINDOWS 1 THRU 10] [TERMINOLOGIES A-Z] [CONTACT US]