Safe way to clean dust from motherboard of laptop?

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  • Mulder_s_UFO_2
    PCHF Member
    • Jan 2023
    • 3

    #1

    Safe way to clean dust from motherboard of laptop?

    I’ve been cleaning out dust from my laptop again since it was time to do so and change thermal paste. (I’m the same guy who had the broken fan problem a year ago, but I had to use a new account because I forgot my old password and whatever email I used then.)

    When I was taking the back of my laptop off, it accidentally spread a lot of dust around as it came off, and the dust settled on various areas of the motherboard. What’s the best way to remove this? Is it safe to use canned air? What about blowing gently with my mouth? What do the experts recommend?

    Thanks in advance.[ATTACH type=“full”]11354[/ATTACH][ATTACH type=“full”]11356[/ATTACH]
  • Bastet
    PCHF Member
    • Aug 2016
    • 1515

    #2
    I wouldn’t recommend blowing on the MB due to moisture. Either compressed air or dedicated vacuum cleaner for PC’s.
    I purchased this:
    Cordless Rechargeable Air Duster & Vacuum 2-in-1, 8000PA Portable Mini Car PC Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, Electric Compressed Air Blower Duster for Car Computer Keyboard Home PC, Powerful 60,000RPM : Amazon.co.uk: Stationery & Office Supplies which I’m happy with.
    Edit:
    This also has a ‘blow’ option for PCs. I don’t use the vacuum on the internal components of the laptop.

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    • Rustys
      PCHF Member
      • Jul 2016
      • 7862

      #3
      Get some cans of compressed air and blow the system clean. Make sure the system is powered off and unplugged. Remove the battery if a laptop if the battery can be removed.

      Read the instruction on the can. Spray in short burst and when the can start to feel cool to the touch switch to a different can. After they warm up to room temp they work fine.

      Do this in a well-ventilated room or outside this way the dust does not settle all over the inside furniture or worse you or someone inhaling it.

      Do NOT turn the cans upside down, turn the system. Remove the battery and blow that our as well.

      NOTE: You take the chance of wrecking the bearings of fans with the compressed air. Compressed air can actually accelerate the fans beyond their rated speeds and damage them, if you are cleaning them out with air, it is often recommended to hold the blades in place with a toothpick or other non-conducive material.

      NOTE: Do not use a vacuum to clear the dust they can cause a static discharge and end up toasting the system or a components. There are also jumper on the boards that could be sucked off and then the system would be bricked.

      Clean the keyboard
      Put the with the laptop facing down then gently rub your hand back and forth over the keys this will knock some of the larger pieces out. Then place the system on its side and blow the keys (remember to use short burst like before) starting from the top working you way down. Heat form portable computers is released through the keyboard.

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      • phillpower2
        PCHF Administrator
        • Sep 2016
        • 15206

        #4
        Being that the OP has revisited the forum but chose not to reply this thread will be marked and closed.

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