Dust is one of the most common reasons a computer gets noisy, hot and slow. Fans pull air through the case to cool the processor and graphics card, and over time they pull in dust, pet hair and fluff, which clog the fans and vents.
Signs your computer needs a clean
- The fan is louder than it used to be, or runs constantly
- The case or the underside of a laptop gets very hot
- It slows down when it’s working hard, or switches itself off
- You can see dust building up in the vents
Cleaning a desktop PC yourself
- Shut down, switch off at the wall and unplug everything.
- Take it somewhere you don’t mind dust going everywhere, ideally outside.
- Use a can of compressed air in short bursts to blow dust out of the vents, fans and heatsinks. Hold the fans still so they don’t over-spin.
- Don’t use a vacuum cleaner inside the case, as the static can damage components.
Laptops are harder to open safely, so we’d recommend leaving those to us.
Let us do it
Our PC Service & MOT (£60) includes a full dust off and clean, along with Windows updates, driver updates and a general tune-up. Just pop your desktop or laptop into our repair centre in Rose Green, Bognor Regis.
