Cleaning dust inside computer

Hey guys, i have a few questions and concerns regarding cleaning the inside of my computer. Like every computer, mine collected a large amount of dust and i believe it's time to clean this bad boy out...What i was wondering was, should i disconnect and take out all the hardware and clean each one individually, or could that mess things up by having dust get in the places they are not suppose to go (PCI inserts, power outlets ect). Or should I leave the hardware inside and clean around everything?

I am just trying to find the most effective way of cleaning my computer . Any suggestions and tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

When i do mine,Which is around every 6 months or so i take out the Gpu,Sound Card and take off the Cpu Heatsink for easier access,I find it easier to get rid of dust from these stuff with a clean 1" paintbrush,Its great for getting in those nucks and crannys.
A can of compressed air is also alot of help.

You dont have to take everything out like i do,But i just find it alot easier too and you can do a more effecient job that way.

I was thinking of taking my 2 GPU's out so i can thoroughly clean the fans and heatsinks...but as for my CPU Heatsink, it is extremely tight in my case. So i have a feeling im going to have to do a lot of cable moving / disconnecting just to get the fan off the heatsink lol...and while im at it , i might as well clean and add more thermal compound...I'm going to start this project either later today or tomorrow...ill try posting before and after pics because right now, my case is a MESS lol

I never take anything out. disconnect outside tower then take outside to garage or driveway. pop off the side and blow it out. if using canned air use static free air. do not turn upside down (the can) there is a oil base to it. keep upright. i also use a small paintbrush and soft toothbrush like back of powersupply if sticking a bit. try to keep the tower off the floor. that can be a disaster for accumulation.

Ditto Tremmor. The more you handle your PC parts the more trouble you are likely to get. Brushing is highly likely to induce static. You can also cause damage if you don't discharge your static before handling parts.

Dustbuster or compressed air with a controllable nozzle are best. A fine film of dust is unimportant. Pay particular attention to fans and heatsinks which need to be completely clear. Fan blades can be carefully brushed or wiped if there are heavy deposits. Other than than, a general blast of the other parts to reduce accumulation.

Computer dust is perfect breeding grounds for germs so it's best to do this outside, or wear a dust mask, or have a vacuum hose handy to suck up flying dust. Anyone with breathing or allergy issues should be careful.

i bought a Datavac electric duster and works well also. several attachments and twice the power of canned air. still testing. worked well. as mentioned the canned air im tired of buying. i get stuck with all family and neighbors.
try to keep them running. canned air can get expensive and maybe im done.
this was like 44.00 at ebay for small compressor for blow only.

any time you deal or touch the inside of your computer, you should always disconnect everything, ground yourself then clean away, and yes cleaning dist can lead to a longer CPU life along with the rest of your hardware, so clean as often as you can

softe said:

any time you deal or touch the inside of your computer, you should always disconnect everything......

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If you use Dustbuster, compressed air or Tremmor's hurricane generator there's no need to do anything other than open the case. You don't need to touch anything. Dustbuster is particularly handy because of the long red straw you get with it. You can get that in anywhere and it's plastic so no electrical issues. I do my PC whenever I feel the urge (blow it out that is). If you do it frequently (once a month?) the accumulations of dust are negligible so there's rarely the need to handle anything.