Almost daily, I see computers with an incredible amount of dust and debris in them. Depending on the environment in which your computer is located, it should be cleaned out once every 6 – 12 months on average. This pertains much more to desktops than it does to laptops, however, I have seen the fan vents on laptops become so clogged with dust that they overheat in a matter of minutes and shut down. On desktops, simply unplug your computer, take it outside, remove the side from the computer (panel removal procedure different on every model), use a can of compressed air to blow all of the dust out, and replace side cover. Sometimes you may also need to remove the front panel, as the intake vent can be quite clogged in that location. You may not be able to see it without removing the front cover.

Be careful with the compressed air so that you do not spray any liquid into the computer or on the components. You can prevent that from happening by holding the can upright when using. If you see a liquid or mist coming out of the can while spraying, stop immediately, as you may damage your computer if you continue.

Households with animals and children need to perform this clean up more often. In businesses where the computer sits in a relatively dirty area (garages, workshops, industrial areas, etc), you may need to do this more often. Cleaning the debris out of your computer on a regular basis will increase the life span of your computer and keep it running at optimal performance.