Always close a laptop before using a vac or air as either can literally rip the keys right off the board. I would love some ideas on cleaning fans. If you click on one of the affiliate links, The Dollar Stretcher could be compensated. Hairdryers work in the same way as a blower — it blows air. Usually, the dust has accumulated over time, and due to moisture which can't be removed with compressed air. For cleaning your vent you need air. It’s a small investment that will make your job easier each time you clean your PC. Sure, I paid about $52 for it up-front, but I’ve saved a lot. I don’t think I can submerge them in water because they’re electrical appliances. Usually, cleaning the fan and heat sink inside your laptop is a lot easier than you might think. Be careful when blowing air at the fans in the laptop — if you make the fans spin too quickly, they could be damaged. #1 Take out the heatsink and clean it with brush, #2 Silicone blower can be a cheap alternative, #3 You can use your vacuum cleaner as a blower, 5 Fixes Logitech Keyboard Can’t Press Multiple Keys at Once, How to Create Your Own Brush in Photoshop, 5 Tips to Cool Down Your Overheat Laptop Quickly, 5 Habits that Rapidly Damages Your Laptop, 3 Methods to See Recently Opened Files on Windows 10, How to Make USB Connection on Android Always “File Transfer”, How to View the Mobile Version of Website on Chrome PC, How to Create Border/Outline Around Image in Photoshop, How to Merge Two Chrome Windows with Multiple Tabs, How to Lock Mouse to One Monitor in Windows 10 PC. Here are some approaches to clean a computer (and other electronic devices) with simple tools you probably already have or with a cheaper alternative. How about you? Compressed air could potentially damage some of the small plastic parts on a laptop. The cleaning is fairly easy. The best material to use when cleaning the laptop screen is a microfiber cloth. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Metal may be welded and indeed be impossible to open. This guide will help you navigate the process smoothly without harming any of your precious components. Do not attempt the motor. If you have a compressor, take the fan outside and blow it out. Most of the plastic fans look as though they don’t come apart, but the trick is to follow the seam on the edges where it comes together. I didn’t submerge them, but sprayed soapy water on the dirty blades and the grills and reached in with a long-handled brush to scrub. Then spray the fan with a cleaner like 409 or Clorox. This will take away the dust and dirt from the central area of the fan. I tried to clean with cotton swabs and a toothbrush, and it got rid of some of it, but some of it just moved around and now it looks even worse. So, you have to either replace it with a new one or clean it off to use over again. Use the air in short bursts to remove the dust and other particles in the computer, especially around the fan … I have a acer aspire 5741g laptop. The best bet, however, is to prevent the problem next year. Way Cool: The Frugal Homeowner’s Guide to Fans, Cooling Your Home Without Cranking Up the A/C. Then dry the components for about two or three hours to ensure there’s no water left on its surface. It works similarly like a compressed air canister, but cheaper and relies on the grip strength of your hand. Keep the fins in place while using canned air or the vacuum/duster to prevent damage and make it easier to remove the dust. We have two or three window fans that don’t open up at all. Place the tower on top of an anti-static mat that has been laid on top of a table. And get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less for FREE! I’m thinking you have box-type window fans or one of those round oscillating ones. Or borrow your sister’s hairdryer. LynAnne, Related: Way Cool: The Frugal Homeowner’s Guide to Fans. SIN SHINE - Compressed Air 3.0- Multi-Use Electric Air Duster for Cleaning Dust, Hairs, Crumbs, Scraps for Laptop, Computer, Replaces Compressed Air Cans (AD01-Black) 4.7 out of 5 … Heatsinks in your PC is the part that responsible the most regarding temperature problem. It is small and cheap and can be used forever, unlike a can of compressed air. Some people also suggest adding a little water to the brush or paper towel for removing dirt that very hard to clean. A Checklist, When You're Really Late to the Retirement Planning Game. Not only is this product great for removing the dust on your screen, but it’s also good for cleaning your keyboard as well. Please note that not all vacuum cleaners have this feature. Also clean the heatsink fins too. Alright. For only dust, a Swiffer should work okay.Lisa, © 1995-2021 The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. | All rights reserved except where specifically noted. This is as simple as how you could eat and dip your cheese-flavored fingers on your keyboard keys while cramming to finish your computer or laptop tasks.We should only follow the following steps in detail and your laptop will be as good as new again. You could try laying the fan outside on the ground and putting a dinner plate over the motor area. If you use ammonia, be sure to do the rinse the same way but with clear water. The brush knocks it loose and the fan blows it away. Don’t use dish detergent, as it tends to be a bit gummy after it dries. This means you should blow the air and quickly change the vents so you don’t make your fan spin endlessly – yet create a balance that … To clean the case fans, you can use the compressed-air can and give 'em a good blasting, or you can use rubbing alcohol gently applied to a … Dear Gary, It’s getting warm, which means we’ve gotten our fans out. Not a gaming machine, but still. Temps went down 10-15C and the fan was much quieter. Over a few terms, the cloth will get dirty. You may also wear … Make sure there is adequate ventilation. Even then, though, it will accomplish something.Sharon. If you let the dust accumulate to the point where the dirt sort of solidifies on the fan, there will be definite limits to what the leaf blower can accomplish. It should clean off the loose dust.Evelyn, For cleaning fans, my husband takes them out to the garage and blows them off with the air compressor. If your laptop fan has not been cleaned for a while, the most effective way to clean it would be to disassemble your device and manually clean the fan.By opening up your laptop you will be able to thoroughly clean the fan blades and vents. Shut down laptop. Silicone blower (also known as hand blower) is probably one tool you need to have by your side and your computer. Maybe you don’t need to buy a new fan. Subscribers get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries: 130 Ways to Live Better...For Less for FREE! Cleaning your laptop keyboard could be faster and simpler than you could imagine. The trick is to be careful. Cleaning your PC or laptop might seem like a daunting task for those who haven't done it before. There are some vacuum cleaner products that have two abilities in one device. The Dollar Stretcher is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Check on the device’s manual book to see what it is capable of. | Phone: 1 (941) 761-7805. After that, the fan didn’t work, but I considered it worth the risk.Joyce, I used to have a fan that I cleaned with a damp rag and a butter knife. Most of the time that helps. These are special pads that are placed underneath the laptop to keep it from overheating. 5 Steps to Clean Your Laptop Keyboard. Hi, i recently cleaned out the dust with conpressed air and when i turned my laptop back on, the fan didnt want to spin anymore. Loud computer fans are overworked fans, which could impact the overall performance of your PC. Step 3: Using compressed air, dust the internal components of your computer with short bursts of air. I did this three years in a row. Let it sit out in the sun until it is totally dry and it should be fine. Do not use fibrous materials, such as paper towels or toilet paper. I personally love a silicone blower since it can target a small area and can be used multiple times without electricity. You would point the end of the dryer at the fan intake grill and blow towards the fan. Subscribe to The Dollar Stretcher, our free weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have! Use a degreaser (ammonia water is good here) and apply to a rag, wringing it out until it’s nearly dry in order to avoid getting moisture into the works. Has your laptop ever started to sound like a vacuum cleaner?Cooling fans start spinning like crazy. Make sure it’s dry. Unplug the AC Adapter and remove the laptop Li-Ion battery. Turns out, there are many methods you could use. I can’t unscrew them and get inside, and the casing is just absolutely filthy. I usually use a thin knife or screwdriver tip and pry it apart. How to Clean Laptop Fan Without Compressed Air Method #1: Disassemble the Laptop. If it was manufactured, it comes apart one way or another. Turn off the laptop, flip it … (Done it recently to a three year old Dell laptop. You may as well use it to clean the keyboard etc. It took forever, but I got it pretty clean that way. Am I a Good Candidate for Credit Counseling? Look for tabs and such where it may come apart. We do this each season.Stang, I have cleaned electric fans with soap and water. That’s some ways to clean your PC without a compressed air can. Allow the fan to sit in the sun until dried. Clean with a damp cloth. Hold the fan in place with your finger, so that it does not rotate. The air from a hairdryer is usually hotter and can melt several plastic components if exposed for a long period of time. It gets 90% of the gunk off and then I can wipe them clean.Crystal, Related: DIY Ceiling Fan Cleaning and Maintenance. I unplugged first of course. It will only push the stuff in deeper. Let set for a few minutes then hose down well. It’s also possible to clean the fan using the same tool. Even worse, you have to buy the item multiple times if you want to clean your PC from dirt and dust. Never use compressed air on a laptop! Your email address will not be published. First of all, it cleans all those nasty, grimy places (like fans, screen windows, floor duct vents, around faucets in bathrooms, in the corners of bathroom floors, and even your gas grill) with hot steaming water. See if these cleaning tips can help you prolong the life of any fans you have in your home: Provided you use this method religiously at the end of every fan season and the beginning of the next, I’ve found that standing your fan up in your garage, carport, or driveway and using your leaf blower to blow the dust out of it works very well indeed. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. Prolong the life of your oscillating fan by cleaning it, without the hassle of taking it apart. note: Isopropyl alcohol is sold in most stores, usually in a 70% isopropyl alcohol / 30% water solution. According to HP, one of the keys to safely cleaning your laptop screen is choosing the right cloth or material. Do it each way a couple of times. Put the casing back on. Smart Ways to Save on Summer Cooling Bills, 5 Simple Budget Cuts That Can Save $200 a Month, How to Read Your Grocery Ad Like an Insider, 32 Ways to Save Money on Your Utility Bills, The Rule of 72 (or How to Easily Double Your Debt), 5 Simple Habits That Make a Financial Difference, Staying Motivated to Continue Digging Yourself Out of Debt, 9 Things You Need to Do Before You Retire, You Didn’t Save Enough for Retirement and You’re 55+, Could Debt Derail Your Retirement? Compressed gas is one of the best places to start when learning how to clean your laptop. Then you can blow from the exhaust vent in toward the fan. Clean with electronic vacuum. And then you'll be able to clean it properly. Compressed air can is quite expensive. [1] X Research source Also keep the can angled right-side up while spraying. So, take a soft fiber cloth and rub the surface of the fan. For example, you could blow more toward your laptop’s vents so the dust would be blasted through the vents and out of the laptop. A contractor bag is much heavier than a regular plastic garbage bag, and a box of them will last a lifetime.Rebecca in Johnson City, TN, I have four indoor cats that love sleeping in front of the fan, and invariably, their fur gets “pulled” into the fan blades. If you do break it, a simple repair may be to use a twist tie or wire in a similar color and tie it together. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation. Second, I no longer buy cleaning products because all I need is my steamer and a towel to mop up the grime and water residue. All you need is a small screwdriver and a can of compressed air (or an air compressor—though tread lightly with that, as noted below). Keep the can 1–3 in (2.5–7.6 cm) away from the laptop. Common household materials, such as rags and paper towels, can cause damage to the screen. A hp dv1000. A clean PC will offer relatively better stability, better performance, and better thermals while looking gorgeous! If you do make such a mistake, leave the fan in the sunlight for a day or two to let it dry out. For cleaning fans, my husband takes them out to the garage and blows them off with the air compressor. It’s a good idea to oil the center of the motor (if it’s accessible) with a lightweight household oil, like you use for old sewing machines and door hinges. Try laying the fan flat on a sheet (blades pointing up or down) and pouring some clean, dry sand or salt through the grills so that it brushes off the fan blades and then spills through to the sheet. Mama J. Hi Gary,I have an oscillating fan that I want to use this summer, but it’s gotten really dusty. Those who are mechanically inclined may be useful here. It blows air blast after you squished the silicone container part. Spray well with GUNK® (found in auto section of WalMart}. If the fan is clean, but the air has nowhere to go, it could still overheat. You may want to clean the other components while you have it open. But, … Blow air thru the air outlet from your CPU cooling fan, stick the plastic tube … The pressure is enough to clean the dust on the surface of electronic components without having you touching it. What’s That Little Switch On My Ceiling Fan? Thanks! Since there is no electric component on the heatsink beside the electric motor for the fan, you can clean the component more freely using a soft brush or paper towel. But, this air needs to be special, because it needs to be compressed in some way so that you can direct it to clean the vent. I have found both these methods very helpful.Sue. , our free weekly newsletter aimed at helping you live better for less on the money you already have! Let it soak a few minutes to loosen up the grime. Then using the jet setting on your hose, blast it clean. I’ve used my vacuum cleaner nozzle to clean our fans, and it works pretty well. Dust-Off®, Endust®, and Fellowes® are all solid and reliable brands of compressed air that have withstood the test of time. Metal may be welded and indeed be impossible to open covers. gaming laptops are usually. The more fragile parts don’t get a copy of our ebook Little Luxuries 130! Is slightly older cleaner nozzle to clean since they have removable back covers. crafts! N'T be removed with compressed air, when you 're Really Late to the Retirement Planning Game can. Spinning like crazy times if you have it open Frugal readers how they window! S Guide to fans to open minutes to loosen up the grime fans with soap and water the reader determine. Stability, better performance, and open the back panel so you won’t be just blowing the on... Use a thin knife or screwdriver tip and pry it apart a or... 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