Whats the best thing to clean you PC out with?

[Acid_death69]

Ive just ordered a new gfx card and before i install it i wanna clean my pc out, was wondering what are the best things to use to clear it out. Im just cautious that i dont want to leave bits of cloth on any of the circuit boars nor do i want to build up a static charge.
can you actually use a vacume cleaner? Its just to get dust out of places.
Thanks

[clocker]

I use an air compressor and nozzle.

My TJ07 has a rough/textured black finish and I took it all apart and washed it in the bathtub.
Once.

[Acid_death69]

cheers clocker, is there any type of cloth that i can use that wont build up a static charge?

[IdolEyes787]

You can use a vacuum cleaner on the outside of your case but do not use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it generates a lot of static electricity that can damage the components . If you need to use a vacuum to clean the inside of your computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum.

Turn of the computer and leave it plugged in so that it remains grounded.Use a cloth and foam swabs(cotton leaves lint) or anti static cleaning brushes.
And definitely get some compressed air duster.

[Detale]

OK maybe I'm an asshole but I almost always regular old paper towels and a little bit of non-ammonia windex. To be clear I always use compressed air first but if I need a deep cleaning I use the windex on the paper towel first and wipe whatever I need off. I have never had a problem with this method and if it scares you they do sell anti static cloths (http://www.google.com/search?q=anti+static+cloth&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) for this. In all honesty I was always afraid to use a vacuum cleaner anywhere on my PC because of the static it builds up.

[SingaBoiy]

Air pump with basketball needle :)

[Appzalien]

I use canned air for the most part but I do use a 1" to 2" paint brush when it needs it. I haven't had any static problems with it yet, but I do run the bristles thru my hand often while touching the case with my pinky to discharge any static. If I remove things (heat sink - front case filter - front bezel) I will wash them with water in the sink. and remove fans and clean them first with the brush then with paper towels and some 70% isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol is nice since it evaporates so fast, I have even cleaned an older video card with alcohol on a wetted brush to get into all the nooks and crannies. I shook the brush out real good to avoid it being to wet. It looked like new when I was done. If you look in a drug store you can get a nice size bottle for less than $2 US (rubbing alcohol) they have both 70% and 90%. I use the 90% for cleaning CPUs and heatsink bottoms.

[Acid_death69]

yerr cheers for that appzalien, ive installed my GPU but im gonna give it a massive clean down heatsink 'n' all with some rubbing alchol and see what happens:)

[brotherdoobie]

OK maybe I'm an asshole but I almost always regular old paper towels and a little bit of non-ammonia windex. To be clear I always use compressed air first but if I need a deep cleaning I use the windex on the paper towel first and wipe whatever I need off. I have never had a problem with this method and if it scares you they do sell anti static cloths (http://www.google.com/search?q=anti+static+cloth&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) for this. In all honesty I was always afraid to use a vacuum cleaner anywhere on my PC because of the static it builds up.

How would using paper towels to clean out your computer make you an asshole?

I use canned air and a vacuum cleaner, occasionally btw.


-bd

[Appzalien]

Its easy to clean one of those cpu's with the metal cover over the entire thing, but the older AMD's with the exposed little rectangular chip are best cleaned with the alcohol on a q-tip (cotton swab) to get into the crevices and edges along the chip. They can leave a few threads behind so I'm careful to pick any off especially near the chip. I have also heard someone say awhile back that 90% alcohol has some oil in it so they use 99% that they get in a little bottle from Radio Shack. Thats just Bull, the other 10% is water, there is no oil in a bottle of 90% alcohol unless you put it in there. Propyl Alcohol will extract oil from your hands, but who cups there hands, fills them with alcohol, then puts it back in the bottle? That little bottle of alcohol you can get at Radio Shack is only an ounce or two and costs more than the 16 Ounce Bottle from the drugstore.

[peat moss]

Hey how come no one uses the old Qtip ? I swear by them , great for cleaning the hard spots or loosing up the dust bunnies , then blow or vacuum up .