Give Your PC A Spring Clean For Instant Results

Does your PC freeze or shutdown after it's been on for a while, or whilst you are performing lots of tasks? If so, there's a good chance the machine is getting a bit hot under the collar . More specifically, your CPU (Central Processing Unit) is getting too hot and finding it hard to function properly.

The reason for this problem is surprisingly good old fashioned, low tech: dust. The dust is drawn into your PC's case because the machine sucks in air to cool down important components. The hottest of these components is normally the CPU, which - like we do after exercise - produces heat as a by-product of its work. The same simple law that says work makes heat is also true of all your machine's major parts. As they work away they get a little toasty – and sometimes this can be dangerous.


If everything in your computer is working as it should, the fans in the case draw in cold air from the front of the PC and blow out warm air from the back. Over time, though, a build-up of dust can put a stop to this crucial cooling process.

To cure the problem, all you need is a trusty Philips screwdriver to take off the machine's side panel, a soft brush, toothbrush and - if you're feeling keen - a hoover. Remove the PCs case - if you undo the screws at the back the PCs side panel should slide off. Don't be tempted at this point to just suck the PC clean with the hoover. It's a lot easier and safer for that matter to use a soft brush and just tease the dust off the main components, let it settle at the bottom of the case and then suck it up from there.

As you clean, pay specific attention to your CPUs cooling fan. Some are very complex-looking contraptions with fins and blades, and the key is to remove as much of the deadly dust from them as possible without breaking them; many can be quite delicate. This is especially important since the dust on fins can make its way into bearings, making fans incredibly noisy. A good idea would be to remove the cooler from the CPU and clean seperatly and away from the PC using a old dry toothbrush, some wipes and a can of compressed air if u have one to hand. This technique is a little more advanced in order to remove the cooler from the CPU and is something I will be covering in this blog shortly.

There are likely to be several fans inside your PC and you should clean them allcarefully. Doing so not only
increases their effectiveness, but also ensures they'll keep working for longer, as a build-up of dust will cause the fan to spin unevenly Finally, and this is extremely important,whatever you do don't probe your PCs power supply. It's filled with capacitors that - even after the machine has been turned off for a long time - will still hold a charge. The results can be and are fatal. Yes, it's got a fan in it, but that’s one I don’t advise on cleaning.

Happy cleaning, and if you have any tips, tricks or just want to comment please do, below. Thank you.