Fastest way to clean filthy cases

[8BitZ80]

It's very fast, thorough and doesn't require much effort. Pretty self-explanatory:

1. Remove all electrical components that you care about.
2. Use a spray bottle to cover everything with a weak soap solution. A bit of dishwashing soap works pretty good.
3. Hose everything down (with tank water ideally, not town water).
4. Obviously let it all dry out completely before re-using.

And yes, that intake fan is definitely getting a bath. It was already dead.

 

[xvi]

There are similar (albeit highly controversial) methods for easily cleaning your electronic bits too.

 

[freeagent]

I havent seen grass for months, and here you are splashing around with the hose.

 

[micropage7]

Use cajuput oil to remove those stickers and tooth paste

 

[EarthDog]

Lol...ok! If people dont know this is possible, I sure hope natural selection does its job!

Anyway, isn't using canned/compressed air faster? It may not be as thorough but you dont have to take apart the entire pc!

PS - I've put about 4-5 mobos in the dishwasher... helps get all the vaseline and junk off of it from ln2 cooling.

 

[InhaleOblivion]

Loving the second pic. Looks like how you clean and dry your PC case during the coming zombie apocalypse.

 

[lorry]

Fastest way to clean filthy cases?
Don't allow them to become dirty in the first place, clean them on a reg basis.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

 

[Valantar]

with tank water ideally, not town water

This might be down to geographic differences and how various countries handle water supply, but I have no idea what that means. What is tank water?

... is that an AT PSU somehow powering an ATX (G41 I think) board, or is it an actual ATX PSU with a monitor power output? I've never seen that before. Also, those poor, poor fans.

 

[Vario]

Good way to wreck your fans by not securing them before blowing them out!

 

[Vayra86]

Right. Well, thanks for sharing, I suppose

 

[FreedomEclipse]

... is that an AT PSU somehow powering an ATX (G41 I think) board, or is it an actual ATX PSU with a monitor power output? I've never seen that before. Also, those poor, poor fans.

The thread isnt about whats inside the case, but how it is cleaned.

 

[freeagent]

Every time I bought a can of air I always felt ripped off. I got one of these for Christmas:

DATAVAC® ELECTRIC DUSTER®

The MetroVac DataVac® Electric Duster® is a compact yet unbelievably powerful computer and equipment duster. Learn more about this electronic air duster.

metrovac.com

It’s awesome and I can use it when I see some specks or just do it at my leisure. I recently did my AVR for the first time since I unboxed it in 2012, it was very satisfying. It’s got a long cord so if you are lazy you can walk around the room and dust everything, just be careful because it has the power to make a big mess

 

[lexluthermiester]

And yes, that intake fan is definitely getting a bath. It was already dead.

That fan can likely be serviced and running again. You'll just need to take it apart, clean the sleeve bearing, relube it with a heavy oil or dielectric grease.

 

[Grog6]

Formula 409 works great as the pre-spray.

This works great; as long as you let it dry thoroughly, it will be fine.

I do this, but in a sink.

Bonus point for the hose!

 

[Sithaer]

Well thats one way I guess.

Personally I use an air compressor that my father bought for the car.
I do a full system clean out once every 6 months or so,ofc I dial down the pressure and I keep my distance so I won't damage anything on the mobo,etc and also hold down the fans with my hand when I clean them.

Been doing it like that for years now and so far I had no issues,same with my brother's system.

Glass side panel/outside of my Case does require more care tho so I do that more often.

 

[eidairaman1]

Done it this way on my own systems, it is not that fast.

 

[Grog6]

Drying time is a drag; but it's clean!

I usually yank the cmos battery, but it won't hurt to leave it in; you're likely to lose the cmos anyway, depending on dirt content.

 

[Splinterdog]

And even faster in a hot country - it dries in minutes. I've used this technique loads of times when reconditioning a PC and then selling it for more than I would have done before the car wash.

 

[bobbybluz]

I have a large air compressor to blow the dust out with. I use PrepSolv to clean things that stick to the case off with.

 

[biffzinker]

The thread isnt about whats inside the case, but how it is cleaned.

Consider it a minuscule observation that wasn't intended to cause the thread to go off the rails.

 

[bmacsys]

Fastest way to clean filthy cases?
Don't allow them to become dirty in the first place, clean them on a reg basis.

Keep them off the floor is an easy way to keep a pc mostly crud free.