Cleaning your CPU/computer is essential to keep it running smoothly. Skipping this can slow down your PC, make it worse, and overheat its components. It is best to clean your CPU regularly to avoid overheating and malfunctions caused by dust inside the CPU.
The following guide will teach you the proper way to clean the CPU.
How often should I clean my CPU?
To maintain a healthy system, we recommend lightly dusting every 5 months. You may want to do this more often if you live in a dusty area.
For best performance, deep cleaning should be performed every six months to a year. However, it is recommended to do it every two years to avoid overheating problems.
How to Clean CPU in 2022?
The computer’s enemy is hot. Accumulation of dust can reduce the cooling efficiency of your computer over time. This can shorten the life of the component. Clean the inside of your computer to keep it cool. Here are some steps:
Turn off the computer and unplug the computer from the electrical outlet.
Remove the power cord and cables from the back of the computer.
Use compressed air to remove dust from components inside your computer for a short period. Keep your fingers at least 2 inches away from the motherboard, memory, processors, and expansion cards.
Use compressed air to remove dust from the case fan. Hold the fan with your fingers while blowing compressed gas to prevent the fan from rotating.
Fan blades are delicate and can crack if turned too quickly. You can use rubbing alcohol to clean the blades as a finishing touch. If it is hard to reach or very dirty, you can easily clean it by removing the fan from the case.
Use compressed air to remove dust from the power supply. Clean the dust filter under the power supply.
The processor’s heat sink and fan should also be cleaned. Compressed air can blow the dust off the fan and heatsink.
You may need to remove the heat sink or fan from the processor to remove the buildup. Ensure that the thermal grease has been removed from the heat sink and processor, then add new thermal grease to the heat sink.
To remove thermal grease, moisten a lint-free towel with 99% isopropyl alcohol. Then wipe the thermal grease off the heat sink and processor.
Less concentrated alcohol may work, but it may leave a residue and reduce the effectiveness of the thermal paste. ArctiClean is a commercially available thermal material removal product. You can also use a coffee filter instead of a lint-free cloth.
Clean the cables and power cords while they are disconnected. Lightly dampen the cloth in mild soapy water, then carefully pull the cables and cords through the cloth. Holding the grip too hard can damage the cable. Dry the cables and power cords with a dry cloth.
That’s it.
Things to consider:
It is essential to clean the computer room regularly. Make sure all equipment is covered first and minimize airborne dust.
Janitors and other staff may not know how easily equipment can be damaged and are not responsible for computer maintenance. If you cannot do it yourself, you should use a professional cleaning service.
The computer room environment should be kept cool and relatively dry. Start a regular computer maintenance program.
