Cleaning dusty case

[Haiku32]

My case, the Antec 900, gets very dusty, very quickly. I've always cleaned it using a can of compressed air but I've found this usually just moves the dust around and by the time I've finished it's still dusty.

Is there a better way to clean a dusty case?

[matty-hodgson]

i just hoover it out with the tiny little straw type attachment we have with our hoover.
it works very well for me, but this method can cause static to build up which can damage components.

[Haiku32]

You use that inside your computer ? You're a braver man than I am .

I've tried blowing some dust out, hoovering it, blowing some more out, hoovering that, rinse repeat. Don't think I'd actually want to stick the nozzle of my hoover in there though, just to be on the safe side.

[matty-hodgson]

stop being a fanny and just shove it in there! obviously be kinda gentle though.. and turn it off.

[Haiku32]

stop being a fanny and just shove it in there! obviously be kinda gentle though.. and turn it off.

You sound like my ex girlfriend !

[jimbouk]

Unplug the fan headers if you are going to hoover. But having dust filters and hoovering the room around would stop so much dust getting in there in the first place...

[Haiku32]

Won't you have to replace the filters more than you would have to clean out the case though?

I have a very small room and it gets dusty but I hoover it a lot so I don't think I could do anymore in that department.

[jim]

Replace the filters?

I have dust filters on my P180 (come with it), so I just take them off periodically, stick them out the window and then blow from the other direction. The dust flies off, then I put them back on again. Talking of which, I haven't done it in a while...

[jimbouk]

Won't you have to replace the filters more than you would have to clean out the case though?

Normally washable I believe, some sort of fabric/mesh stuff (at least it was in the last case I owned with them).

[shadowmaster]

You use that inside your computer ? You're a braver man than I am .

I've tried blowing some dust out, hoovering it, blowing some more out, hoovering that, rinse repeat. Don't think I'd actually want to stick the nozzle of my hoover in there though, just to be on the safe side.

Matty is right, use a vacuum and be a man. As long as you have steady grip, and use the it mid power settings you should be fine. Just make sure you dont touch the tip of the nozzle with any components.

[TAKTAK]

be a man. As long as you have steady grip, and use the it mid power settings you should be fine. Just make sure you dont touch the tip of the nozzle with any components.

[peterb]

I use a vacuum cleaner. If you are worried about static wrap a damp cloth round the outside of the nozzle, but provided the nozzle doesn't touch any components, there shouldn't be a problem, and even if it does, damage is unlikely.

[watercooled]

I also use a hoover, like others have said just put it on a low setting if there is one and don't touch any components with the nozzle. I don't use any nozzles myself, just the pipe and remember to hold fans still if you need to hoover them or if you can't get to then stick a cable tie or something in it to stop it spinning. I improvised a dust filter for my 900 - I got an ironing cloth (just a big piece of coarse fabric mesh), cut it to size and put it on the front of the intake. Doesn't look pretty but keeps dust/hairs/etc out.

[Zsev]

Compressed air + hoover works wonders for me. I think mine is from maplin with the extended tip. My case hardly ever gets dusty though thanks to the filters covering every gap.

[arthurleung]

I always use a hoover to clean my case. Having my fans all run at <1200RPM helps keep the dust out.

I don't think static is an issue as long as it is properly grounded. I ground the nozzle to myself then I ground myself to the case which in turns ground to the earth through the mains. Never killed anything from using a hoover.

[mycarsavw]

If it's the first gen Antec 900 you'll have no filters at all.

During the "BIG FREEZE!!111!!oneone" I got bored and attacked my own Antec 900.

Grab a pair of your tights (assuming you still wear those tights you told me about?), cut them off at the knees and stretch them over the plastic fan surrounds at the front of the case - disassemble the two HDD bays first obviously - you'll have to push the surround right into the foot section of the tights. Then just snip out a fan-sized hole at the back, leaving the tights covering the front - voila, budget dust filters

I did the same with an upper thigh piece of the tights on the BigBoy fan at the top. That's the only one I bothered to take a pic of though.

Before - dusty and wide open



After - tightened up



Cost me nothing but time. Cost Mrs VW a pair of tights