Is it safe to use a vacuum cleaner to clean the dust on my PC?

[Guest]

So, I didn`t clean my PC since like 2016, and it`s full of dust.
I heard that I shouldn`t use vacuum cleaner but I don`t know...
Please tell me if i should use vacuum cleaner or is it better to use
cloth or something like that.

REMINDER : I want to clean my hardware, my GPU, motherboard, everything inside my PC.

Let me know what you think pls.

 

[k19_window_maker]

i have used a gardening blower on my pc countless times , must be safe if you dont get them too close to the fans .

 

[sizzling]

I was told not to use a vacuum as it can cause static discharge and therefore possibly damage components. I have never tried a vacuum.

 

[jaslion]

So, I didn`t clean my PC since like 2016, and it`s full of dust.
I heard that I shouldn`t use vacuum cleaner but I don`t know...
Please tell me if i should use vacuum cleaner or is it better to use
cloth or something like that.

REMINDER : I want to clean my hardware, my GPU, motherboard, everything inside my PC.

Let me know what you think pls.

DO NOT USE A VACUUM.
You can easily build up static electricity which can harm your computer.
Either use a compressor or a can of compressed air both their pressure should be 3 bar at max to prevent accidental damage.

 

[k19_window_maker]

I was told not to use a vacuum as it can cause static discharge and therefore possibly damage components. I have never tried a vacuum.

there's no such thing , i have had all my fans spinning at top speed and so far i have had no issues whatsoever

 

[jaslion]

I was told not to use a vacuum as it can cause static discharge and therefore possibly damage components. I have never tried a vacuum.

there's no such thing , i have had all my fans spinning at top speed and so far i have had no issues whatsoever

It's not about that. It's about the vacuum building up static discharge. Also having fans spin way out of their intended speed can damage them (quite easy to do on cheap ones).

 

[k19_window_maker]

I was told not to use a vacuum as it can cause static discharge and therefore possibly damage components. I have never tried a vacuum.

there's no such thing , i have had all my fans spinning at top speed and so far i have had no issues whatsoever

It's not about that. It's about the vacuum building up static discharge. Also having fans spin way out of their intended speed can damage them (quite easy to do on cheap ones).

i use a gardening blower is it safe champ ?

 

[k1114]

I've used a vacuum for decades. The issue about static is the hose tips are plastic which can build up static. Simple solution is to just use the hose which most of the time is rubber.

 

[Solandri]

The static buildup is due to the small dust particles rubbing against the plastic hose as they fly by. It's similar to rubbing a balloon in your hair to generate static. It's called the triboelectric effect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboelectric_effect

To be honest, I'm not really convinced compressed air is any better than a vacuum. With a vacuum, the dust particles rub against the nozzle or hose and build up static there. With compressed air, the dust particles rub against the inside of your PC, and build up static in any non-conductive parts. On top of that, blowing the dust around will cause some of it to re-settle inside the computer, meaning you're going to be blowing it out more frequently than if you'd vacuumed it up.

The best solution may be as k1114 suggests. Use a vacuum with a hose material closer to the middle of the triboelectric chart like rubber as he suggests. Or just use the metal tube straight without a plastic attachment, and run a grounding wire to something that's grounded like your PC case (assuming it's plugged in).

http://eesemi.com/tribo_series.htm

 

[Guest]

Now I wanna ask another stupid question.
Should I unplug my PC while cleaning or I can leave it all plugged in, but turned OFF?
It really doesn`t matter huh?

 

[maliktamoor884]

No, vacuum cleaner can't be used to clean the dust from the computer. The vacuum cleaner may damage your computer parts. If it's a small vacuum cleaner, you can vacuum it from a distance. If it's a big vacuum cleaner, it can damage your computer parts.