We build a great pc for gaming or software works, right? What happens next? We forget that the pc also needs cleaning.
If you’re using a pc and not cleaning for several months, there’s a ton of dust that will store inside the casing.
Many of us don’t really care about cleaning the pc we are using for several months or maybe years.
Sometimes your pc acts slow or heats up frequently because of the dust it’s storing for days.
One of the common methods of cleaning your pc is the compressed air technique.
Now, what if you don’t have one in hand? You may ask how to clean dust from pc without compressed air?
Well, you can actually use several ways to do the job.
You need to take some precautions before cleaning your pc. Let’s discuss the steps and how to do it without compressed air below.
How to clean dust from pc without compressed air?
First of all, while cleaning your pc without compressed air, you need to take some precautions as below.
- Turn off your pc, and unplug it.
- Make proper lighting arrangements for cleaning almost every corner.
- Try to do it in an open space outside of your house to keep the house clean from dust.
- Don’t try to use your breath to clean up the pc. The dust will go into your nose and eyes, which will irritate you.
- Try to do it as carefully as you can because several parts of a pc are very sensitive.
Well, after all the steps above now comes the main part, which is cleaning these components and setting them back up.
There could be a lot of dust on those components if you didn’t clean them for several months.
You know that a pc consists of many components. You can’t clean them altogether. So you have to divide the work and make it done with a step to step process.
You need to take out the different components from the pc and clean them individually.
For doing that, you need some tools like a screwdriver, toothbrush, a different type of soft brush, rubbing alcohol, paper/microfiber towel, etc.
Let’s know what you are going to need. You can easily find these tools in any hardware store, even in your house too.
Such as:
- Screwdriver set
- Silicon blower
- Vacuum cleaner
- Hairdryer
You can also use paper towels or better microfiber towels to clean your PC without compressed air.
Using microfiber is recommended as it will not leave any small pieces of cloth in your sensitive items.
After gathering all the components, you need to follow the below step-by-step guide.
1. Remove the left side panel with a screwdriver to clean it off. And afterward, remove every other component where you feel the need for cleaning.
*Tips: Let your pc cool down if you were using it. Otherwise, there are possibilities for burns.
2. Clean the case. In this case, if you don’t want to use compressed air, you can use a Silicon blower, Vacuum cleaner, or even a Hairdryer!
You can use a small soft toothbrush to clean the small corners of sensitive components.
3. Now you need to concentrate on the hardware like the CPU, graphics card, power supply, and last but not least, motherboard. You can do these steps with a screwdriver set easily.
What can I use instead of compressed air?
Now we are going to share a couple of tools that you can use to clean your pc. These are the best alternatives to compressed air that you will find in your home easily.
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The heat sink technique
Since you have removed all the components and there are no electric components inside it besides the electric motor for the fan, you can now clean more easily using a soft brush or paper towel.
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Vacuum cleaner
Though some people suggested that using a vacuum cleaner to clean your pc can leave some static charges, the charges can cause serious damage to your computer components.
But if you use it carefully, it can clean a dusty computer pretty well.
You can clean your PC with a vacuum cleaner. Moreover, it will suck out the dust instead of blowing it out.
You should choose a vacuum cleaner that can easily suck the dust out without harming your pc.
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Silicon blower
You can easily get a silicon blower for $4-$7, and you can use it to clean all your electronic items and sensitive components of your pc.
When you squish a silicon blower, it releases an air blast, which is quite similar to compressed air.
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A can of dust blower:
This is a can filled with compressed air, but unlike traditional compressed air cans, the nozzle is designed to be more controlled, preventing the blast of air from damaging your components.
Dust blower cans are great for blowing dust out of hard-to-reach places like keyboards and fans.
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A soft-bristled brush:
A soft-bristled brush can be used to gently remove dust and debris from components like fans and heatsinks. Make sure to use a brush with soft bristles to avoid scratching the surface of your components.
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A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment:
A vacuum cleaner can be used to suck up dust and debris, making it a great alternative to compressed air for cleaning your PC.
Attach a brush to the end of the vacuum hose to help agitate the dust and make it easier to remove.
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Microfiber cloths:
Microfiber cloths can be used to wipe down components like the case, monitor, and keyboard. These cloths are gentle, absorbent, and won’t scratch the surface of your components.
Remember to be gentle when cleaning your PC and avoid using liquids or sprays that could damage the components.
How often should I clean my pc?
When you are using the above-mentioned techniques without using compressed air, you need to clean almost every small, big, and sensitive component.
You can easily open the components and clean them, but you have to also keep in mind that you have to set them back up in the same way it was before.
If you do that more frequently, it might cause you to damage your sensitive components like the processor hardware, etc.
It is recommended to clean your PC every six months by experts. So, over cleaning your pc will surely cause damage to the sensitive components.
What happens if I don’t clean my PC?
If you haven’t cleaned up your pc for quite a long time, there is a possibility that the functioning components in your pc will not work properly. You might find below errors if you do so:
Failure of processor or CPU
As we all know, the most vital part of a pc is its precessions or CPU.
If you haven’t cleaned your pc for a long time, the dust can cause your processor to fail.
As a result, you won’t be able to use the pc smoothly.
The dust will gradually increase and will block the heat sink.
It will cause the processor to overheat, and eventually, you will see a decrease in your PC’s performance.
Also, it can show constant restarting because of the overheating issue.
Failure of a cooling fan
If the dust is building up in your pc for quite a long time, it might be possible that your cooling fan is underperforming.
Leaving the dust for a longer period of time can also cause the cooling fan to stop working.
Without a working cooling fan, the pc can heat up like an oven. Also, it may often restart while working. Overheating pc can damage the inner components as well.
Frequently asked questions:
Can you clean a computer without compressed air?
Compressed air cans that are available in the market are quite expensive.
If you clean your computer more often, you need to spend quite a few bucks. With some right tools, you can easily clean your PC without compressed air.
Is compressed air necessary for cleaning the pc?
No, but it’s better if you get it. Compressed air makes the cleaning process effortless.
How to clean dust from pc with compressed air?
You can use tools like a hairdryer or blower to clean the dust from your PC if you don’t have compressed air.
How do you clean a keyboard without compressed air?
You can use a brush and isopropyl alcohol to clean the keyboard. It cleans way better than compressed air.
Wrapping up
In the end, we can say that setting up a good pc is quite expensive sometimes. However, most of us forget about cleaning our pc for several months, sometimes years.
Components like processor cooling fans are the most important part of a pc in terms of better performance.
If you didn’t clean your pc for several months, the dust that is stored inside could damage your components resulting in slowing down your pc.
So we have shared how to clean dust from pc without compressed air.
You can easily use the above-mentioned techniques to clean your pc if you think that buying compressed air every time is costly.
Keep in mind that you need to clean your pc every 2-3 months at least to get optimum performance.
