Why you should consider it: The PC case is one sophisticated vacuum cleaner. It pulls every speck of dust through every opening. Shuffle your feet...dust. Get up for a cup of coffee...more dust. Dust finds its way into the PC case and molecule by molecule begins to build. Over time, and a very short time at that, something very frightening happens. (insert short violin bursts)
They lurk inside your PC case. Look inside and you may catch a glimpse of one. They are inevitable. They are relentless in their onslaught. They attack everything in the PC with mind numbing determination. They cause processors to overheat. They bring cooling fans to a grinding standstill. They cannot be stopped but...they can be slowed. The war never ends but battles can be won. The enemy can be eradicated It is time to turn the tide against the DUST BUNNIES FROM HELL (hell...hell...hell...hell)!
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The PC case is one sophisticated vacuum cleaner. It pulls every speck of dust through every opening. Shuffle your feet...dust. Get up for a cup of coffee...more dust. Dust finds its way into the PC case and molecule by molecule begins to build. Over time, and a very short time at that, something very frightening happens. (insert short violin bursts)
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Dust bunnies from hell are living in your PC. This is what happened. I only turned my head for a little while; four months and THEY took up residence. Dust bunnies were everywhere. They were in front of fans and behind them.
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They clogged up fan filters choking off the very usefulness of the cooling fans.
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They attacked the very heart of the PC and spread their sickness on every visible surface. Audio cards where thick with dust bunnies as I wiped my finger across the stain they left behind.
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Video cards were not safe. Even the fans that hid underneath fell victim to the dust bunny vermin.
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Power cables were coated with dust bunnies. I imagined them eating away at the insulation causing shorts, BSODs and lockups.
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The dust bunnies even struck at the very mind of the computer infecting the poor heatsink; last line of defense to stop the dreaded march of dust.
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How could this happen? The room is clean. It is vacuumed once a week and it's only been a few months since the PC was built.
This may be a light hearted approach but seriously...dust gets in. The PC draws air in and then expels it via the power supply exhaust fan and optional exhaust fans. Dust will find its way into a PC case thorough holes in the bezel or slots around the CD or DVD. Dust inside the PC case is inevitable. It can be slowed by putting dust filters on the intake fans but all you've bought yourself is a couple of months.
Exterminating the dust bunnies is simple and should be a mandatory chore every 4 to 6 months. It's PC maintenance that we all forget to do. Dust can clog up components like a heatsink. If the heatsink cannot do its job then the processor begins to overheat and before you know it, you've got a sure symptom of dust bunni-itis; the Blue Screen of Death.
Flushing out the dust bunny takes time. They hide and they hide everywhere and well. Arm yourself with a vacuum and a selection of clean, unused paint brushes. The vacuum will suck up all the dust that the brush flicks away. A dust bunny is an incredibly strong creature and simply passing the vacuum near one often won't loosen it off. Dust bunnies have to be brushed off to be sucked away by the vacuum.
STOP: Unplug the PC before cleaning!
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In some areas of the PC case the upholstery brush can be used but I do not recommend using it on the motherboard, video card or sound card where delicate parts can be easily knocked off.
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Use a combination of short and long tipped brushes and work every nook and cranny of the PC case. Work the brush into fan blades as you'll be amazed just how tenacious a grip the dust bunny has. After giving the PC case a thorough once over...go over it again. Those with allergies may want to ask someone else to hunt the illusive dust bunny.
This may be a very low-tech Tech Tip but it is a useful tip that everyone should make a habit of. Remember:
- dust bunnies don't bite.
- Use clean, unused paint brushes to brush components. You don't want residual gasoline or paint thinner eating away at the PCB.
- Clean everywhere...twice...three times just for fun.
- Be careful with the bare vacuum nozzle. Static electricity can build up or you could break a component by accidentally shoving the end of the vacuum barrel into the motherboard.
- Be careful of loose parts. You don't want to accidentally suck up that fan filter and have to fish it out of the dust bag inside the vacuum. *cough* NOT speaking from experience. *cough*
- Dust bunnies get everywhere and stick. Get the cleaning brush everywhere and use it to loosen those pesky devils.
- Use your brush like a brush. Don't use it like an ice pick.
- Put your PC on a chairmat...you too. That will cut down on the dust/debris/fuzzies that Dust Bunnies collect.
- Redo your computer room in hardwood flooring...but that isn't quite free is it. Those with non-carpeted flooring will have much less of a Dust Bunny problem.
A clean PC is a happy PC. Check out our other Tech Tips; Wire and Cable Organization, - Rounded Cables and Faux Chrome Fans.
