Spring Cleaning Your PC by Jason Levine

Your computer can do some amazing things, but at its core it's a machine. And like many machines, it might not be performing properly if it's not maintained well. Every so many thousand miles you change the oil in your car. Now it's time to spring clean your PC. Don't worry about it being a daunting task, however, I'll guide you through each step and point you to the most effective (and wherever possible, most inexpensive) tools to aid you in your quest for a clean PC.

The first step is an actual cleaning. Your PC's components can heat up while they're powered up. This heat can wreck havoc with your system, so all computers come with fans to draw in cool air and drop the temperature of the system. Unfortunately, this fan can also draw in dust. You'll need some canned air, which can be purchased from most computer stores for less than $5.

With your computer powered down, open up the case, hold the canned air about six inches away from the computer's insides and blow the dust off. Get as much as possible out of your system. Note, while it might seem like a good idea to use a vacuum, it really isn't. A vacuum can damage your PC's components, doing more harm than the dust would.

While there are special "computer vacuums," I haven't had much luck with them in the past. Your best bet is to use the canned air to blow the dust out of your computer and then use the vacuum on the floor. With the insides of your computer tidied up, put the case back on and power your system back up.