Mid-week Question: How often do you de-dust your PC?

[6BQ5]

I wipe down my computer once a month or so.

I blow all the dust out once a year.

My home has hard floors and I try to keep it tidy. I think houses with carpets lead to dustier computers.

-=- Boris

 

[GhostStory]

I live in a desert, so dust is a pretty bad issue. I've managed to get a good fan setup with my case, so I don't have to dust as often as my friends, but not as often as I should. I usually do it every 3-4 months.

 

[Jhon smith]

Everytime I’m going for an upgrade just to make it look clean for the new owner hahaha

 

[puglife]

No real schedule but I do clean the inside of my pc when I get a new part, upgrade or anything of the sort. I can't allow myself to let shiny new hardware go inside a dirty house.

 

[Roudatar]

I am ashamed to say that I've had my pc close to 4 years now. I have never de-dusted it. I'm too afraid to go touching anything in there. I'm a complete inexperienced noob when it comes to the internal workings of a computer. Forgive me, for I have sinned.

 

[shady uncle]

1-2 times in a week

 

[Jawaka]

I just put mine in the dishwasher once a quarter.

 

[Fullmetal468]

I de dust my computer after every 4 months

 

[bh3bh3]

Barely, though I clean my filters once a month =)

 

[CaptMiller73]

I don't need a Roomba because I've already got an electronic device for sucking up dust and dirt: my PC! I have a dog and a cat and a penchant for procrastination, so I really only get around to de-dusting my PC about once a month, and by the looks of things I should be doing it far more often than that.

Our question this week: How often do you de-dust your PC? And feel free to include your methods, any special equipment you use, etc. We'll post our answers and some of yours on Wednesday!

Every Friday because I don’t want my PC to get worn out so I can avoid having to replace anything until new components are released that improve my gaming experience.

 

[Berious]

Dust screens and positive case air pressure are a beautiful thing.

It really is! I live in an old house. Opened up my PC recently for a dusting. The screen was pretty mucky so I expected the worst. Inside looked nearly new after about a year-ish of use in a dusty old house.

It's simple to setup too, just have more/bigger fans sucking air in than blowing out.

 

[Dan]

The first Sunday of the month I clean all my dust filters on my PC, clean my keyboard (inc taking off all keycaps and giving them a soak in soapy water), and clean my mouse.

 

[Colif]

Whenever I remember, its more likely in summer than winter (its currently winter here, crazy... i know). Case uses positive pressure and 3 x 180mm fans normally blows all the dust out of case. Its 5 years old now and only have to clean the dust filters out every 6 months or so. Hardly any dust stays in PC long, and very little gets past the filters.

they could probably do with one now. I will now proceed to remember to clean fans once a week, and never actually get around to it. I also should replace the exhaust fan as I have a new one, its just fans run so slow now I can't hear the noise it makes very often.

 

[Hitobat]

I don't dust off inside or outside my computer. I have noticed that if you don't dust off your computer externally for a while, it self cleans. I mean, the dust just disappears. Same thing happens to my wife's computer.

The thought occured to me that you might just be waiting for your wife to get fed up of the dust and clean it herself..?

 

[Colif]

Time to make a new post for new computer
Since I had it 2 years now, I guess its time.

I have reverse pressure fan set up meaning any dust I do get gathers on the exhaust fans. Positive side to this is its really easy to clean the filter on top of case, and the filter on front of case hasn't really gathered that much dust in 2 years.
I clean it out every few weeks, whenever I notice top of case going white (old photo as example)

For some reason I thought taking the mesh off the front of my case was really complicated and hadn't done it up until last night. I was watching videos about my case as I had a question about the fan hub, and the guy in video just popped mesh off and I was like... I can do that.

It was 3am so couldn't as such clean it much. Need to take it outside and blow air through rad to clean it more, its pretty bad still behind bottom fan.

I have taken front off once since just to show someone how easy it is.

 

[Zed Clampet]

Honestly, I only dust my desktop when I take the case off, and it's been a couple of years since I did that.

I bought a blower for the job, but I mostly just use it on our laptops. Thing puts out a tremendous amount of air and sounds like a leaf blower.

 

[Colif]

removing dust from fans can make it cooler and quieter. Its main reason I do it.

Glass side panel makes me aware of most dust in case.
Darkest tint glass and going blind means I only see dust if I remove the glass and take a photo.

My CPU temps gone up about 1c in 2 years so I don't think the dust in radiator effecting it that much.

 

[Brian Boru]

I don't have pets, or carpet where PC is, and keep it well off the ground, so it gets very little dust. I give it a go with a mini-vacuum whenever I have a need to open it, which is rare.

 

[Colif]

Mine sits on a box, with a towel under it, so it only gets fresh air.
Its also between me and an open window so it gets better cooler air than I do. That was intentional.

If I change the fan plan on my AIO from quiet to balanced I can get down to 34c on CPU, which is pretty much lowest I seen on this PC. My previous Intel PC used to idle at 22c but AMD not so cool as it was.

 

[mjs warlord]

every few months i take side off and use an air duster , dont use cheap ones or they squirt propellant out.

use in short bursts or the can suddenly becomes cold and burns your fingers