How to Clean a Computer Fan

Things You Need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Rag
• Canned air
• Vacuum

Heat is your computer's number one enemy, which is why it has one or more fans to help push hot air out of the computer case and pull cool air in. Computer cooling fans are typically installed next to vents on your computer case, but your computer's processor may have its own fans and heatsinks, which sit on top of the processor chip. Dust and dirt then collect around the blades of each computer fan and may eventually cause the CPU fan to break or slow down. If any one of the computer fans breaks or slows down, heat builds up and may damage the processor or other components in the process. To protect your computer, follow these simple steps for keeping your cooling fans clean.

Cleaning a Computer Fan:

1. Shut down your computer properly. Unplug the computer from the surge protector. Remove all cords from the back of the PC tower and lay the case on a table. Touch the metal frame of the PC tower with your hand to discharge static electricity from your body, which can damage electrical components.

2. Unscrew the side panel of the case. Some cases have slide-out panels, but you may need to remove some screws to get the panel off. Put the panel and screws to the side in a safe location.

3. Dust the case, vents and computer fan blades. Lightly run a barely damp rag over the fan blades and the casing. Dust clumps may fall inside the case, but don't try to remove them yet.

4. Spray out the case and computer fan with air. Hold the canned air at a 45 degree angle inside the fan. Spray the remaining dust and dirt away from the computer fans, the motherboard and other components. Be careful not to touch either the computer fan on the CPU or any electrical components. The air will be cold, and water vapor may condense on the components and computer fan blades, but it evaporates quickly. Tip the PC tower into a vertical position to let dust fall to the bottom and then spray it out.

5. Replace the panel. Plug in all the components and plug the power cord into the surge protector. Power on the computer. Check to make sure that each computer fan is spinning properly.

Computer Fan Cleaning Tips:

1. It is important to clean each computer fan every couple of months. If you live in a high-dust area, clean the fan more often.

2. To reduce dust build-up on your computer fan and in vents, keep the computer case off of the floor, where dust and particles collect.