Cleaning my laptop

[mintd]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering what you might suggest for (physically) cleaning my Linux laptop? I would like to clean out dust from inside (around fans and such) - could I just use any basic paintbrush to clean it away? Also, is it fine to use paper towels (kitchen paper) for wiping the screen or does this damage it (and if so, what other options are there? I'm not a big fan of microfiber cloths).

Thanks very much.

[kc1di]

a soft bristle brush and do not use paper towels on screen but a soft cloth.
a can of air can be useful to clean out dust as well.
Good luck.

[Dan-cer]

You might look for some YT videos to learn about cleaning, i.e. here.

[Hoser Rob]

I would never use a brush, too much risk of static discharge. Blowing out dust with compressed air is much better. And even then you really, really want to learn how to ground yourself properly first.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Do NOT use just any kind of brush to remove dust inside a computer! Many people do use regular brushes and get away with it but there is a slight risk of ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge) that might internally fry one or more components and it's just not worth the risk. The same is true of vacuum cleaners.

You can get antistatic brushes for cleaning inside computers (Amazon is a good place to look; search for computer antistatic brushes and go with the all black nylon ones). You can also get antistatic vacuums but the only ones I would trust to clean inside a computer are pretty expensive.

First, make sure you can get inside the laptop to get to the "innards". Some manufacturers make it easy. Others? Not so much. Once you get it opened up, don't touch anything inside until you ground yourself. You can use an antistatic strap connected to a ground or just touch ground every time before you touch anything inside.

Gently brush any dust build up to loosen it up (don't scrub hard), then blow it out. You can use canned "air" to blow out the loosened dust but make sure you do not tip the can while using it. Canned "air" (duster is another name) uses a compressed liquid gas inside that becomes a gas when you spray it. However, if you tilt the can (especially when the can is full), liquid may spray out which can freeze components, destroying them (it won't do your skin any good, either; frostbite is no joke).

I recommend using an AC or battery powered blower. They are expensive upfront but will cost less to use over the long term and are safer to use. Some people use shop type or painter's air compressors but those can build up too much air pressure that can actually damage components. The air from them can also have oil or water in it.

I use a Ryobi 18v pool toy or air mattress inflator as a blower for my computers. I already had a herd of 18v batteries and 18v tools so I was out only the cost of the inflator itself. It has enough power to do a good job of blowing out but not so much it could do damage. It's also cordless.

Whatever you do, when blowing out dust, DO NOT LET THE AIR SPIN ANY FANS! Not only can air pressure cause fans to spin fast enough damage the bearings, the motor in the fan can act as a generator that could generate enough voltage to fry components on the MOBO (motherboard). Use a pencil, finger, big toe, whatever, to keep the blades of the fan from spinning while blowing out the dust.

While making sure the fan (laptops use blowers but the same applies to them) can't spin, blow air into the computer through the exits that air blows out when the computer is running to get dust out the CPU and GPU coolers. Cleaning the rest should be obvious.

Also, although many people suggest it, do NOT use anything chemical to clean a computer! Even mild cleaners, rubbing alcohol, or screen cleaners can damage plastic surfaces. I use only a microfiber cloth barely moistened with clean water to clean monitor screens and hand rinse and dry the cloths frequently to keep them clean. Soap, laundry detergent, and even spray screen cleaners can build up in cloths, no matter how well you rinse them, and later cause streaking. Brushing, then blowing off dust first helps. I also wipe down the exterior of my laptops with a barely moistened microfiber cloth to get rid of fingerprints, etc. A pointy "Q-tip" is good for cleaning between keyboard keys followed by a good blowing out (Caution! too much air pressure could blow off key caps). Again, cleaning frequently makes cleaning easier and faster.

When done, button up everything and fire up the computer. The more often you clean the inside of a computer, the easier it and faster it will be. How often you need to clean will depend on your environment and how much you use the computer. Also, most house dust can be mostly organic (mostly shed skin cells) and can get baked onto components the longer it stays on the components.

I'm not trying to scare you with all this. As long as you can get to the "innards" of a computer, cleaning them safely is easy as long as you take the proper precautions. I've done it hundreds, if not thousands, of times without any problems.

[coffee412]

Depends how dirty they really are.

For the fans : Disassemble the laptop. Never blow air into the exhaust ports on the outside. This will just force all the dust back into the fan and cause more problems. Always disassemble. Make sure you keep the fan from turning. As @Lady Fitz said - You can damage the fan by letting it spin too fast when using compressed air to clean it out. Remember to put new heat sink compound on the heat sinks. Do not use very much just an extremely thin coat is good enough.

I have an air compressor in the garage. So, I just take the computer out there and blow it out. If you have the same be sure to first spray air into your hand and check for moisture. If you find it then do not use it.

While apart, Check the hinges if they are loose and tighten them.

As for cleaning the screens - I just use a cotton cloth and window cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the cloth not the screen. Then wipe it but do not scrub it.

What can help quite a bit is --> They make magnetic pads about letter size that you can use a marker and draw on them. When I first started repairing laptops I used one to put all my screws and small parts in separate areas on the pad and label them with a marker on the pad. This makes things easier. Look on Amazon for them.

TIP: If your going to get rid of a laptop then take every screw out of it that you can and save them. Use an ice cube tray (General Dollar) to store them. They come in extremely handy when you accidentally drop a screw and cannot find it.

[mintd]

a soft bristle brush and do not use paper towels on screen but a soft cloth.
a can of air can be useful to clean out dust as well.
Good luck.

Thank you kc1di
Does the soft bristle brush need to be special (anti-static)?
I've used paper towels in the past, is it really bad to do so? Would I have damaged the screen? (Bit concerned now!).

[mintd]

I would never use a brush, too much risk of static discharge. Blowing out dust with compressed air is much better. And even then you really, really want to learn how to ground yourself properly first.

Thank you Hoser Rob
How would you recommend grounding?
I have one of those anti-static wrist straps but was wondering where is best to clip the crocodile clip onto for grounding and how effective the anti-static wrist straps are (and whether there are better methods)?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

a soft bristle brush and do not use paper towels on screen but a soft cloth.
a can of air can be useful to clean out dust as well.
Good luck.

Thank you kc1di
Does the soft bristle brush need to be special (anti-static)?
I've used paper towels in the past, is it really bad to do so? Would I have damaged the screen? (Bit concerned now!).

Brushes must be anti-static when used inside a computer. Ordinary soft brushes are OK for the exterior and for screens.

Paper towels can scratch a screen. Microfiber cloths are not expensive and will be much kinder to your screens.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...For the fans : Disassemble the laptop. Never blow air into the exhaust ports on the outside. This will just force all the dust back into the fan and cause more problems. Always disassemble. Make sure you keep the fan from turning. As @Lady Fitz said - You can damage the fan by letting it spin too fast when using compressed air to clean it out. Remember to put new heat sink compound on the heat sinks. Do not use very much just an extremely thin coat is good enough...

You do not need to completely disassemble the laptop, especially if you clean it frequently. Depending on the laptop (some or more serviceable than others), just remove the back cover(s) to access the components needing cleaning.

You can blow air in through the exhaust ports as long as you make sure the fans don't spin. Any dust you Blow back from the heat sinks and into the fans will blow on through. Usually, you can loosen any dust stuck to the fan impellers with an antistatic. Sometimes, the fans can be removed without removing the heat sinks but, unless they are really packed with dust, this shouldn't be necessary.

Also, unless the heat sinks are packed with dust, it can be blown out or the computer has started to overheat, there is no need to remove them. The TIM (Thermal Interface Material aka paste) has to be cleaned off the CPU and the GPU chips before replacing it with fresh TIM anytime the heatsink has been removed (not an easy operation) and the thermal pads may also need replacing (a royal PITA). If this operation is not done correctly, it could kill the computer. As long as the computer is working just fine, just leave the heat sinks alone other than blowing out dust.

...I have an air compressor in the garage. So, I just take the computer out there and blow it out. If you have the same be sure to first spray air into your hand and check for moisture. If you find it then do not use it...

A word of caution when using an air compressor; make sure you have the air pressure turned way down! It's not hard to actually damage components with too much pressure.

...While apart, Check the hinges if they are loose and tighten them....

Not all laptops have adjustable hinges. I've not encountered one that did.

...As for cleaning the screens - I just use a cotton cloth and window cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the cloth not the screen. Then wipe it but do not scrub it...

Again, DO NOT use window cleaner or even LCD cleaner. Window cleaners, especially ones with ammonia or alcohol in them, can damage the coating on a screen and/or even the plastic itself. Most, if not all laptop, monitor, and TV manufacturers advise against using cleaners of any kind. LCD cleaners are safer but can cause smearing and are hard to rinse out of cleaning cloths. Soft cotton (think tee shirt fabric or cotton flannel) can be used but they can also leave lint behind. Dish towels won't leave lint behind but can be a bit abrasive.

Microfiber cloths are better and are less likely to scratch a screen. Just use a little plain water spritzed on them (some people recommend using distilled water only but, unless your tap water is really bad, this is usually overkill; I use tap water without problems). Shake out a microfiber cloth before using to make sure there is no dust in it. After a few uses, rinse it out thoroughly with hot water, wring out most of the water, then let it air dry (I drape mine over a towel hanging on a towel bar to dry them). Once dry, keep your cleaning cloth in something like a zip lock bag to keep it clean. Do not use soap or detergent to clean them; it's pretty much impossible to get it all rinsed out and will cause streaking. If a microfiber cloth gets too dirty to rinse clean, repurpose it or toss it; the cloths are cheap.

I clean my screens weekly, rinse out my microfiber cloth monthly, and replace it annually. I have monitors that are at least a decade old that still have screens that look like new.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I would never use a brush, too much risk of static discharge. Blowing out dust with compressed air is much better. And even then you really, really want to learn how to ground yourself properly first.

Thank you Hoser Rob
How would you recommend grounding?
I have one of those anti-static wrist straps but was wondering where is best to clip the crocodile clip onto for grounding and how effective the anti-static wrist straps are (and whether there are better methods)?

I just touch a grounded surface before touching the innards of a computer. Depending where I'm working, the center screw of an outlet will work. So will a metal surface on a grounded appliance, like a washing machine. The pull chain on the ceiling light above my desk is also grounded and I use it frequently to discharge any static I may have collected.

Wrist straps are effective when properly grounded but can be a bit of a nuisance. Working on a grounded surface will help a lot. You can buy antistatic mats to work on top of that can be grounded. They also make special adapters that plug into an outlet that connect only to the ground of an outlet and provide a point to ground something at. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=computer+gro ... nb_sb_noss You can also get antistatic mats here.

Avoiding static electricity also helps. Don't shuffle your feet when working (avoid even walking if you can unless you ground yourself after doing so). Avoid wearing clothes that can generate static, such as wool and many synthetics. Avoid working on cold, dry days if possible.

[RollyShed]

Blowing out dust with compressed air is much better.

I had one laptop, almost burn a finger on the bottom when it was going. Put the compressed air over it, clouds of dust (all done outside) and after that it was hard to tell by feel if the laptop was actually running.

Yesterday, one of our desktops was giving trouble booting. Took the side cover off, pulled out a large lump (had got balled up) of dust and then the compressed air. Fortunately a light breeze blowing in the right direction.

As for pressure, if you can't or don't want to change it (I don't) then keep the nozzle further away. Take care how fast you are spinning the fans.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...As for pressure, if you can't or don't want to change it (I don't) then keep the nozzle further away. Take care how fast you are spinning the fans.

Better yet, keep them from spinning at all.