This is another post that got lost in the WordPress conversion.
A good friend of mine called me a few weeks back having trouble with his modem….. I know, that title and first line probably remind you of one of those jokes… A horse, Rabbit, and Turtle went into a bar… Anyway, we had just had a large set of storms here in town and this was really of no surprise as I had been playing fix-it already that day. Turns out that lightning had come in on his phone line and fried his modem…
We did some tests to verify then I told him to open the case and have a look.. If it was lightning there might be some evidence of this… He said:OK, it’s been making a ticking noise and I needed to see what that was anyway Turns out, he nearly had an entire cat in his CPU Fan. Well…… Here’s the real topic….
How to Clean your PC!!
Did you know you could “Fry” your PC if you don’t keep it clean? Now, I don’t just mean wiping the dust off your monitor!
Here’s some tips on cleaning your PC:
First you’ll need:
- Screwdriver
- “Q” Tips – Cotton Swabs
- Alcohol (Rubbing not drinking!)
- Paper Towels or any Anti-Static Cloth
- Can “Blow Off” Duster or any other canned compressed air. (Available at your favorite office supply store)
Step 1:
Turn your computer off and unplug all the cords.
Step 2:
Using that screwdriver, remove the left side of the case (that’s generally the side opposite your motherboard). Try not to mess with the cords and cards inside the PC, just remove the cover.
Using the compressed air of choice, blow air around all of the components and along the bottom of the case. Try to keep the nozzle about four or so inches away from the cards and cables. – Next, blow ait into the power supply box and fan. Wipe off the inside of the cover you removed with a SLIGHTLY moistened cloth…. THEN DRY IT and replace it and it’s screws.
I recommend doing this about every six months or so. If your computer resides in an unfriendly location… Lots of smoke, Animal Fur, College kids… I’d recommend doing it more often.
Step 3:
Clean the outside. Take a “Q”-tip moistened in alcohol and clean around all of the openings on the back of your case. Give them one swipe with the damp end of the swab and one swipe with the dry end.
Step 4:
Don’t Forget your Keyboard and Mouse!
Keyboard: If you see any large objects around the keys, turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it. Most large objects (cookies, pencils, bottle caps) will fall out. Then take the can of compressed air blow around the keys to remove any smaller or stubborn particles. Next, take another “Q”-tip moistened in alcohol and rub gently around the outside and on the tops of the keys.
Mouse: Wipe the top and bottom of your mouse with a paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. Open the bottom and remove the ball. Wash the ball in water and let it air dry. To clean inside the mouse, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and rub all of the rollers. Blow air into the opening to remove any hard to reach “creatures”. Replace the dried ball and the cover. Or: Get yourself a laser mouse and never have to worry with cleaning the inside again.
Lastly, Wipe your monitor screen with a moistened lint free cloth. Make sure all parts and pieces are dry and plug everything back in.
This should keep your computer nice and happy (for a few more months anyway!!) And by the way… Always make sure and have everything plugged into one of these!!
© 2009, Robert Owen. All rights reserved.
