Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
as those they've replaced.
Air Compressors and Vacuum Cleaners
Some people prefer to use an air compressor and/or a vacuum cleaner instead of canned gas dusters
for cleaning a system. An air compressor or vacuum cleaner is more useful when you are cleaning a
system fully loaded with dust and dirt. You can use the vacuum cleaner to suck out most of the dust
and debris instead of simply blowing it around on the other components, which sometimes happens
with canned air. An air compressor is normally powerful enough such that all dust and debris will be
blown out of the unit, but if done indoors it can create a breathing hazard. I normally recommend
using a combination of both a vacuum cleaner and an air compressor, or just an air compressor if the
cleaning can be done outdoors. Some compressors and vacuum cleaners are specifically designed for
use on and around electronic components; they are designed to minimize ESD while in use. If you not
using one specifically designed with ESD protection, you should take precautions, such as wearing a
grounding wrist strap. Also, if the device has a metal nozzle, be careful not to touch it to the circuit
boards or components you are cleaning.
Swabs
Use cleaning swabs to wipe off electrical contacts, connectors, and other sensitive areas. The swabs
should be made of foam or synthetic chamois material that does not leave lint or dust residue.
Unfortunately, proper foam or chamois cleaning swabs are more expensive than typical cotton swabs.
Do not use cotton swabs because they leave cotton fibers on everything they touch. Cotton fibers are
conductive in some situations and can remain on drive heads, which can scratch disks. Foam or
chamois swabs can be purchased at most electronics supply stores.
Caution
One item to avoid is an eraser for cleaning contacts. Many people (including me) have
recommended using a soft pencil-type eraser for cleaning circuit-board contacts. Testing has
proven this to be bad advice because any such abrasive wiping on electrical contacts generates
friction and a potentially damaging ESD. Also, the eraser will wear off the gold coating on
many contacts, exposing the tin contact underneath, which rapidly corrodes when exposed to
air.
Some companies sell premoistened contact cleaning pads soaked in a proper contact cleaner and
lubricant. These pads are safe to wipe on conductors and contacts with no likelihood of ESD damage
or abrasion of the gold plating.
System Disassembly and Cleaning Procedures
To properly clean your system, you must at least partially disassemble it. If you are only blowing out
the dust and dirt, then generally all you need to do is open the system, leaving all the cards,
components, and cables in place. For a more thorough cleaning, you will want to remove cards,
cables, and most of the other components, generally stripping the system down to the motherboard and
chassis.
To clean any adapter cards removed from the system, blow off any dust or dirt using compressed air
or a vacuum cleaner.
