Why bother cleaning inside your computer? Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong! Dust building up in your computer case can clog the fans and vents, meaning heat will build up and literally fry your machine. Even if your machine doesn’t go toast outright, the increased heat from the dust build up will significantly decrease the lifetime of your machine. So quit being lazy and get that screwdriver and canned air out.

All you have to do is pop the case open and spray away. Spray in every nook and cranny – the motherboard, the power source, the CD-Rom the floppy disk (if you still have one?!) and along the bottom of the case.

Remember that when you’re spraying, you should keep your distance. Stay about 4 inches away from the computer at all times. Also, don’t tilt the can too much or hold it upside down. This can cause the propellant to go shooting out all over the machine instead of just plain air. Which is bad.

Also, while you’re at it, go ahead and dust the inside of the computer case cover. Do so with a microfiber cloth. Wet it with water or mix up some vinegar and warm water if it’s really scuzzy. And of course, let it dry before putting it back in.

There you go. You should do this once every six to eight months. If your case sits on the floor, or if you have pets (I do!) or a smoker in the house (same thing as a wild animal, right?) then you should clean the inside of your computer every three months.

Image by kaeru.my