Is Your Computer Clean?

I found this interesting article about cleaning your computer. True, we always try to clean up and organize our computer files but often neglect wiping and cleaning our computer. Tsk. Tsk.

So how do you properly clean your computer? Read all about it below. Original article is here.

How to Clean Your Computer and Why It's Important

By Michael Toth
published Jul 24, 2008

Most of you probably spend hours organizing your computer's files and folders, but never even think to clean your computer's hardware. This is a big mistake and can lead to serious problems later on. This article explains both how to clean your computer properly and why it's such an important task.

Why You Should Clean Your Computer

Everybody has antivirus and firewall programs to prevent the loss of data that would occur if a virus were to take over. However, very few of you likely protect against the hardware failure resulting from neglecting to clean your computer. If you don't clean your computer regularly, dust will begin to accumulate on the interior hardware. Not only can this cause serious damage to your hard drive, motherboard, and disc drives, it can also lead to overheating, lowering the performance of your RAM. When your computer overheats, it not only causes frustrating restarts, but also leads to permanent hardware damage. This can seriously lower the life of your hard drive, potentially resulting in a large loss of data. Furthermore, when you don't clean your computer dust accumulates on your interior fans, which can lead to costly replacements. Now that you know all the reasons why to clean your computer, it's time to learn how to clean it properly.

How to Clean Your Computer Properly

Learning to clean your computer properly is very important, as cleaning incorrectly can easily cause damage to your hardware.

Gathering Necessary Materials to Clean Your Computer

The first thing you need in order to clean your computer is a vacuum. You should either use a handheld vacuum or one with a hose or extended nozzle, as these allow the easiest access into the tight spaces. Second, you should purchase a can of air. This is a pressurized spray that helps you to easily remove dust from your hardware without direct contact. Finally, you will also need several paper towels to clean your computer.

How to Clean Your Computer Properly

Before you start to clean your computer, you will need to open the case. There are usually a few screws either on the side or on the back of the case, allowing for easy access to the inside. After you've removed the screws, you can begin to clean your computer.

You should start by vacuuming any loose dust that has accumulated at the bottom or on any of the hardware. After you've vacuumed any loose dust, you should use the canned air to blow any remaining dust from the wires and hardware, vacuuming it before it settles. Finally, you should use the paper towels to carefully wipe the wires, sides, and bottom until they are completely free of dust.

How Often Should You Clean Your Computer?

Determining how often to clean your computer depends on several factors. If your case were placed on the floor, you would need to clean your computer more often than if it were in a drawer or on a desk. If you had any pets whose hair could get into the computer, you would also need to clean more often. You should check regularly to see whether it's time to clean your computer. Be sure to clean your computer at the very least twice per year for ideal performance.