How to Clean a Motherboard & CPU

Clean your motherboard with compressed air.

Cleaning your computer's motherboard is an important part of computer maintenance that can extend the life of your computer. Cleaning the inside of your computer helps prevent overheating and keeps the motherboard from experiencing an electrical fault caused by dust particles. When cleaning your computer, be careful not to damage internal components of the machine while they are exposed, and make sure your computer is unplugged.

Things You'll Need

• Canister of compressed air
• Cotton swabs
• Rubbing alcohol
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Shut down your computer and let it cool for 30 minutes. Unplug the machine from the power outlet and disconnect all peripherals attached to the computer.

2. Using a screwdriver, open the case of your computer to expose its internal components.

3. Insert the straw included with the canister of compressed air into the spray nozzle. The straw helps to focus the stream of air coming from the can and will make cleaning your computer's motherboard easier.

4. Spray your computer's motherboard with the can of compressed air. Remove dust from the motherboard by using short, focused blasts of air from the can. Use the straw to aim the stream of air into hard-to-reach places, such as narrow gaps between components.

5. Spray your CPU heat sink with the compressed air to remove any air trapped between the grills and under the fan. The heat sink protects the CPU from dust and keeps it from overheating.

6. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently wipe away any spots of dust that could not be removed by the compressed air.

7. Close your computer case and connect all removed peripherals to the machine. Plug your computer in and use it normally.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the compressed air to speed the evaporation of rubbing alcohol spots created in step six.

• Do not attempt to clean your computer while it is plugged in to a live power supply. Doing so could irreparably damage your machine.

• Do not remove the heat sink and fan unit from your computer when cleaning it; doing so will expose the CPU to floating dust and could damage your computer. The CPU is protected from dust by the heat sink and does not need to be sprayed with compressed air.

References

• Computer Hope: Computer Cleaning Information