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How often do you clean your computer?  (Have you ever used a leaf blower?)

How often do you clean your computer? (Have you ever used a leaf blower?)

How often do you clean your computer? (Have you ever used a leaf blower?)

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Who needs Roomba? We already have an expensive piece of electronics that expertly sucks dust, grime and hair from our floors and carpets. Unfortunately, that device is our computer, and all the dust really shouldn’t be there.

Sometimes we need to clean our computers, but how often do you actually do it? Here’s our question of the week: How often do you clean your computer?

Almost as interesting, how did you do it? Compressed air? Special brush?Or by using a real damn leaf blower, we were shocked to learn not one, but two Our own staff has done it. Below are our answers, along with some from our new PC Gamer forum members.

(Image credit: Future)

Jared Walton: Not often enough

Listen, I try to do this well, but unplugging everything and dragging my big computer case (I have more than one computer) outside to blow the dust is a pain, especially in the rainy Washington winters . I’m sure it’s done at least once a year…maybe. A good (horrible) example: my GPU testbed has had some issues recently – not a “crash to desktop” issue, but a seemingly degraded performance.So I went back and re-tested the RTX 2080 Ti for a few games, just to see, and sure enough, the performance was real leave. Compared to six months ago, my average performance in some games is 15-20% lower than expected.

I read somewhere that you can use a leaf blower, so I did just that a few months ago.

Taylor Wilde, Executive Editor

I’ve spent way too long trying to figure out what’s going on. I uninstalled all video drivers through Display Driver Uninstaller and got the latest driver. No. I also tried rolling back to an earlier driver. No. I checked the performance of the RX 5700 XT and it is also lower (not that much). That’s my hint. Faster GPUs are more likely to show performance differences caused by the CPU. I fired up MSI Afterburner to monitor the CPU and GPU clock speeds and temperatures, and while the clocks looked fine, the CPU went into the 90s when it came to cooling. Taking a closer look at my Kraken X62 cooler, I thought, “Hmm…it looks a little dusty. I wonder if cleaning it would help?” After 15 minutes, the performance was back to my expectations. oops.

(For the record, I switched GPU testbeds for the 5500 XT and later releases, just because things didn’t look good, so GPU reviews didn’t suffer.)

James Davenport: Every two weeks

I’m sure my cat’s only goal is to slowly, particle-by-particle disassemble and reassemble itself inside my computer. I get dusted a lot, but that actually means I’ll bend over in the back like I want to get hurt, and I’ll groan when I slam open the case door. I would pull out any big clumps with gloves on, then drag the stuff outside and blast compressed air into it until the wind picks up the cat’s stuff cloud and takes it to the ocean or wherever the wind is always trying to reach. I do it every two weeks or so and I’m always amazed at how quickly dust and hair can slip in. When I’m old and dying, just put me near a big PC fan and let me disintegrate.

Chris Livingston: Every two weeks (in theory)

I have a fluffy dog ​​and a fluffy cat and love to procrastinate, but lately I’m struggling to dust my computer. I set a reminder on my phone to do it every two weeks, and while I did hit the snooze button on it, I still managed to get it done monthly. I really hate everything about it: I hate climbing under the table to unplug everything, I hate taking eight goddamn screws out of the case, I hate dragging things outside and spraying compressed air in, I hate taking it Bring it back, close the case, and replug all cables. But I think it behaves much better than I used to wait for months and then open it to find horrible dust in it.

Joanna Nelius: At least once a month

I used to hate dusting my computer. I used to do this so rarely that my intake fan accumulated enough dust after a few loads to look like a dry lint filter. But after I built my current gear, my habits changed. I spent more money building it and it was important to keep my investment running as efficiently as possible. In any case, my NZXT H700i case also helps keep a lot of dust out, so I only dust the insides at least once a month. But I hate dust. It makes everything feel dirty, so I usually dust my computer every other week, along with dusting every surface in my apartment—keyboards, monitors, microphones, and speakers.

(Image credit: Black & Decker)

Tyler Wilde: *sound of leaf blower starting*

I read somewhere that you can use a leaf blower, so I did just that a few months ago. I put my computer on the backyard table and blew it up. Yes, I do think of Tim “The Toolman” Taylor and his grunts about more features when I use a PC-sized tool to dust off my PC. It worked, because of course it worked. It looks like I detonated a smoke bomb, which suggests that no matter how often I dust my computer it’s not enough. However, if you’re not going to perform, you won’t want to take your leaf blower out.

Andy Kelly: *The sound begins with Bach’s Aerial Suite No. 3 in D major*

I don’t just dust my computer out of necessity: I love it. Taking it apart, carefully dusting the case and all components, and then putting it back together was pure pleasure for me. Sometimes I use an electric dust collector to blow away any loose litter. But every month or so, I do a full teardown, making sure every screw is sparkling. I even have a special set of anti-static brushes that come in a variety of sizes to get to every corner and clean the fan blades. I don’t know why I find it so interesting. Overall, I’m a big fan of neatness, so I guess this is an extension of it.

Joe Pishgar: *The sound of the second leaf blower starting drowns out Bach*

I dust every few months. So, I’m going to admit a few things here.I don’t think I ever had other community, but I will share it with you. I sometimes use a leaf blower.

Sometimes I feel like we do these questions just to expose my worst habits.

Robin Valentine, Editor-in-Chief

Ego Brand 110 MPH 530 CFM Variable Speed ​​Turbo 56 Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Leaf Blower to be exact. I picked it up from the garage, unplugged my gear, took it to the back porch, and blasted it on low speed.

Now, I know what you’re going to say, it’s crazy. But it removes a lot of accumulated dust and grime, and I wouldn’t wipe a whole can of duster with my frozen hands in the process. As long as I’m careful with the fans and wipe down the details with the can, it’s fast. Is this dumb? perhaps. Do I recommend this? Absolutely not. Will it save me time and trouble? most assured. And I hope it lasts until I get too happy with the blower and end up causing my graphics card to fly across the lawn.

Evan Lahti: *sound of bomb being planted*

Dust? no way. to dust? Every day, baby. 😎

Credit: Leif K-Brooks via Flickr, click for original.

Wes Fenlon: When I need to turn it on

Despite our best advice to the contrary, I never turn on my computer to clean the dust. I mean, it’s probably happened once or twice in the last 12 years. I admit this is bad form. But I don’t think I’ve ever had the dirtiest computer because every time I opened it it blew it so well I ended up opening it to tinker. Every few months, I pull down the side panel to add a new drive or sound card, to replace the fan, or to replace the GPU. It’s not exactly consistent, but means I dust my computer at least 3 times a year.

But unplug everything and take it outside for dusting? This is too much work. I just blow off the worst stuff under the table and vacuum it up. Thanks, hardwood floors!

Steven Messner: Every few months

Usually, whenever I do a more in-depth cleaning of the office or notice a lot of dust collecting on the front intake screen, I turn on the computer and dust it off. Every time I do this I’m very thorough, even taking the time to wipe the fan blades with a cloth to get that ever-present layer of dust they naturally collect. I love having a super neat computer!

Andy Chalk: can not be disturbed

I never took dusting seriously when I upgraded. In fact, one of the reasons I bought the Define R4 case I now own is that it has an easily accessible fan filter that makes it easier to keep a clean PC. Yes, that didn’t work out. I finally accepted the truth: I didn’t care.

Does it work? Good enough for me. And for the record, I don’t upgrade very often. The last time was about three years ago. In fact, I’ll have to go back inside to replace the front panel soon, and I’m not really looking forward to what I’ll find.

Emma Matthews: very little

I rarely get my computer dirty. I upgraded my setup in August and now have it on my desk to keep it from picking up dust from the carpet. I think this will encourage me to dust more often since it’s always in my sights. That said, I’m well aware that I’m still actively avoiding it!

Robin Valentine: When I found the problem

Sometimes I feel like we do these questions just to expose my worst habits. I am very lazy to clean my computer. I tell myself I do it at least once a year, but I basically only do it when I see a problem and think it will fix it. My crate is definitely a haven for all the fluffy dust bunnies in my apartment.

There’s something about dust that strikes me as oddly frustrating. Clearing it all out, knowing that it will inevitably pile up again soon, makes me feel like Sisyphus pushed that rock up a hill. This is one of my least favorite parts of PC ownership.

Fraser Brown: When it caught fire

I thought buying a computer with a large window would force me to clean it more often, but no! Look, it’s getting colder in Scotland, and a dusty computer does a good job of heating my well-ventilated office. I’m not ashamed of being warm.

(Image credit: Flickr via Ross Berteig)

McStabStab: Once a year

Oops…so I usually dust my pc when I change the coolant, which I believe should be 6 months max, but I usually go for a full year. Please don’t judge me.

Zoyd: never

Are we speaking internally or externally? I get a little dust on the outside of my case every 4 months or so, at which point I brush it off pretty quickly.

The inside of my PC has never been cleaned. Are you all dusting in your bins? The dust filter and positive case air pressure are a nifty thing. My last computer was completely dust-free for 6 years. 6 more!

OsaX Nymloth: Once or twice a year

generally? Gee, once a year. or two. Depends on when I start noticing the fans being “loud” (I mean being able to hear them during normal work). I guess it’s not a bad idea to take the computer out in the spring and use some canned air or some other means of pressurized air to do the job.

Salafan: Twice a year

If we’re talking about looks, nothing beats a standard cloth that I use to wipe dust off my computer and monitor. I usually do this once a week. However, the interior is more complicated. I use a paintbrush to gently remove dust from all computer components. I also blow them in my mouth sometimes (maybe it would be a good idea to buy a can of compressed air at the end 🙂 ). I clean the interior no more than twice a year. Never had a problem with overheating due to dust.

(Image credit: Future)

Rensje: Dust filter once a month, inside twice a year

My main PC is built in NZXT H400 Chassis, with some handy dandy dust filters that are easy to remove. About once a month I open the front to clean the main dust filter covering the intake fan, while removing the bottom and top filters. I have found…

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Wilbert Wood
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