How to clean your computer

Regular Maintenance

My computer plays a big part of my life and I don't know how I would ever live without it,

that is why I am a great believer preventative maintenance.

every month without fail I give my computer a service or if you prefer a good clean,

it takes about 20-30 minutes and my computer runs better for it.

1) CHECK EXTRNAL CABLES:

Check all cables for wear and tear,damaged cables can be dangerous replace if neccesary.

2) CLEAN THE OUTSDE CASING OF THE COMPUTER:

This does not affect how the computer works but it looks better to have a clean computer.

3)CLEAN THE MONITOR:

There are different types of monitor but these can be cleaned the same way using a lint free cloth and an anti static cleaner.

4) CLEAN THE KEYBOARD:

hold the keyboard upside down and shake it gently to dislodge loose crumbs.

if available spray a can of compressed airinto the keys to get rid of hard to remove dust.

clean the keys with swabs or qtips dipped into cleaning solution.

5) clean your mouse with an optical mouse wipe with a cloth. if a ball mouse remove the ball wash it in warm water (not soapy),

take a qtip and clean the runners on the inside.

****BEFORE you OPEN YOUR COMPUTER PLEASE ENSURE THAT IT IS UNPLUGGED FROM THE MAINS POWER****

you may need a screwdriver to open your computer casing.

Once you have the cover removed, the first thing you should do is a visual inspection of everything inside.

Look at where all of the cables and wires are connected and check for anything that may be loose enough to be easily disconnected.

If you have some idea of what everything looks like and where it is, then you are better prepared if something should come loose.

Also, look to find the CPU and it's fan, and any other cooling fan that may be inside of your case. Many newer systems have a fan on the CPU, one in the front of the case,

one in the power supply and sometimes one on another chip on the mother board. These fans tend to collect dirt and dust and should be cleaned so they do not plug up and stop working.

This can normally be done by just using some "canned air" to blow the dirt and dust out of them. You can get "canned air" at most any place that sells computer accessories. Just be careful when using it,

keep the nozzle away from the board so as not to dislodge any of the jumper blocks or cable connections

Once you have the board and fans cleaned, you should use your canned air to blow out the power supply case.

The power supply is normally a metal "cage" box that sits in the back section of the case.

It is where the power cord connects and the cables to supply power to the mother board and drives come from.

It will have open slots for the air to pass through as its internal fan pulls air out of the case and blows it out the back.

If you use your canned air and blow into the power supply from inside the case,

then you will be blowing most of the dust out the back and not back into your case.

Once you are satisfied that everything is clean,

inspect the wires and cables to make sure that nothing has come loose or disconnected.

It's also a good idea to make sure that the controller cards, such as the video card, modem, etc.

that your system may have, is secure in it's slot.

All you need do is to push down "gently" to make sure they are seated properly.

Many newer computers may not have these "extra" cards installed, as many come with these built into the motherboard.

But if your system does have them, it's best to make sure they are seated before putting the cover back on.

and you have a clean computer.

replace the cover as soon as you start up your computer you will notice a big difference the fan will be alot quieter and I find that my computer starts up alot faster too.

I hope this is helpful to you .....jimmy

You dont have to be a technician to open your computer to clean it but if you are unsure,

my tip is to open up your computer and draw a diagram of everything you see, that way if when cleaning if something becomes dislodged,

you can look at your diagram and see where it goes.

You can open up the case and take a digital pic close the case and print it up then when you are due to clean your pc you have a pic of what it should look like when done