[defscarlett]

What's the best way to clean the inside of a PC with lots of dust? I've been thinking about getting a vacuum with ESD protection but can't seem to find a decent one.

[IMP49]

A $3.00 can of compressed air from Wal-Mart does the trick for me, cheap, and easy.

[JohnWill]

DON'T use a vacuum. Too much static generated by even small ones.

[vicks]

I use a can of compressed air and start at the top of the computer and work my way down. (oh, by the way this is with a desktop tower.)
Vicks

[bluraycus]

I use an air compressor. Just set it to 10 psi. Works perfect.

Bluraycus

[Milosgirl]

Hi- I open up my desktop( I wasn't sure if you meant Desk or Lap) every once n a while~ 6 mos to 1 yr~when it's hum from the fan seems like it's too loud & use a skinny attachment on the regular household vacuum & a soft dry paintbrush and gently get all the dust out of there and what a difference!!!

[JohnWill]

You are playing with fire with that vacuum, one of these days it'll burn your fingers.

[ctpensacola]

I used to use canned air, but the cost and the problems with ice spraying out of the can led me to purchase a small air compressor from walmart. I bought a pistol grip attachment and can send just the right amount of compressed air where I want it. It is excellent and well worth the $80 investment.

[Stoner]

I've been using an air gun on a garage compressor with an inline air dryer.

[Space Cowboy]

I Also use a compresser with a pisol grip. Take the computer outside and take off one side panel then let er rip. I take a small clean fine hair paint brush with a wooden handle to get into the detailed areas.

Just got a free replacement filter for my 5 year old Antec case that mounts right in front of both of the intake fan's. All I did was email their tech support and it arrived within a week.

I'll definatly be looking at their cases on my next build.

[defscarlett]

Isn't blowing the dust around inside the case bad for components?

And I thought they made "special" vacuums used specifically for vacuuming the inside of desktops. (I'm not talking about the little ones used for keyboards fyi)

[vicks]

With the case open, the dust is removed from inside. Like John Will said in post #3, even small vacuums can cause static which is VERY bad for computers
Vicks

[Mike46]

I have used the canned air also when cleaning inside although now I am very careful to avoid the CPU Fan since once after an internal cleaning I had a CPU failure. I have also tried the air from a compressor, Most commercial air compressors are oil type and will have trace amounts of oil in the air they produce unless they are designed for Breathing Air, also compressed air with a piece of grit in the tube, hose or what ever is like a sand blaster. I only use a Vacuum cleaner if it is to suck the dust out of the power supply from the outside of the case.

I have often wanted to find a small work bench sprayer that was electric and could be easily transported when needed. I have heard of using a hair dryer set on cool. I also heard of a thing at Office Depot, It looks just like a disposable can of compressed air, but it has a standard bike valve that you just use to pump it up to 100 psi with a bike pump. The air blasts aren't as powerful as the regular cans of compressed air, It's called "ReAir".

[hewee]

A Vacuum cleaner if you got the type that also blows could be use. Still watch out and don't touch thing because of static. You can even bu attachments to hook up to the Vacuum cleaner hose that has a smaller size hose and other attachment for cleaning like the small Vacuum you can get for cleaning your keyboard.
Like this MICROVAC Attachment Kit.
http://www.kador.com/microvac.htm

Have it so it blows tru the small crevice tool.

[dmullen]

I use canned air too but always wait until the computer has cooled way down. Figure that cold air hitting a hot component cannot have any positive effects.