Safe to use vacuum cleaner for cleaning laptop fan?

[giddyup]

I'm getting the same problem I had a couple of years ago, the laptop switches off after an hour or so of use. Last time I had to have the fan replaced so I want to try and stop any build-up off fluff etc. The vac obviously only sucks not blows and the cooling slots for the fan are small, so not sure if this would do the job.

[PoorSucker]

Here you go.

http://www.invadeit.co.th/product/computer-accessories/no-name/kloud-canned-air-dust-remover-220ml-p004277/

[Chicog]

Ideally you want to take the cover off and get all the dust from inside removed as well.

Just take it to your local computer shop, they'll do it for a few hundred baht if you can't be bothered.

[NeverSure]

Be careful with a vacuum. They can damage with static electricity which can ruin a circuit board with a level of static below which you can feel or sense. They do make static free vacuums for the purpose but it's not something you're likely to have.

[BB24]

Best thing is to open and clean out fluff and remove fan to clean. And don't use vacuum on high speed - been there done that - and had to buy new one.

[cornishcarlos]

As above.. Don't be tempted to do it naked though, or you might find yourself at A&E trying to explain why you have a vacuum cleaner attached to your.....

[Pib]

A lot depends on the type of cooling fan and fin setup you have.

If the fan sucks air in from the bottle of the computer (like most do) and then blows it over CPU/GPU cooling fins (like car radiator fins) before the air comes out the side outlet, all the sucking in the world won't help because the cooling fins are clogged up. I had two old Toshiba laptops that way...one is still in operation.. But it shouldn't hurt to try using a vacuum cleaner and a can of pressurized air. Get a flashlight and inspect the inlet and outlet to see if you can see any cooling fins between the air inlet and outlet that may be clogged up. And just to repeat it may or may not have cooling fins.

Edit: Below are some images of those cooling fins before and after cleaning on that Toshiba...it hadn't been cleaned in around 8 years but it was still operating OK but running a somewhat hot. And no, that is not a filter on the cooling fins in the first image...that's just years of dust and lint buildup.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Pib

[2fishin2]

Dont suck, blow

http://www.dust-off.com/

[roberta]

My laptop runs terribly hot. Even at only 15% CPU usage it can hit 80⁰ C. I hate it that there is no removable cover over the fan and heat sink. I really want to clean it out. I used a vacuum cleaner on it, but it failed to suck anything out. I would have to take the whole case apart, which involves a lot of prying with a blade to get hidden spring clips to release. I would be sure to pry in the wrong place and break the flimsy plastic the thing is made from.

It also runs slow as molasses. It's only 2 years old; Core i7 and 8GB, plus Nvidia graphics; it should be fast - and used to be. But not any more. I have done every test I ever heard of on it and still cannot find out why it's so slow, and gets so hot.

[2fishin2]

My laptop runs terribly hot. Even at only 15% CPU usage it can hit 80⁰ C. I hate it that there is no removable cover over the fan and heat sink. I really want to clean it out. I used a vacuum cleaner on it, but it failed to suck anything out. I would have to take the whole case apart, which involves a lot of prying with a blade to get hidden spring clips to release. I would be sure to pry in the wrong place and break the flimsy plastic the thing is made from.

It also runs slow as molasses. It's only 2 years old; Core i7 and 8GB, plus Nvidia graphics; it should be fast - and used to be. But not any more. I have done every test I ever heard of on it and still cannot find out why it's so slow, and gets so hot.

Use a cooling pad, it really helps

[roberta]

I am already using a cooling pad. One with 2 big fans that move quite a lot of air. I thought it would help too. It doesn't. Maybe one or two degrees lower, no more than that.

I also use a desktop fan blowing down onto the keyboard area. Without it, the keyboard gets too hot to use the wrist-rest, and I cannot even touch the "touchpad". Of course, the CPU is exactly underneath the touchpad, which doesn't help at all!

[Pib]

@roberta

Recommend you take the computer to a shop to get it cleaned before the heat damages components/kills the computer, otherwise, you could have a much higher repair bill or new computer cost.

[JetsetBkk]

A lot depends on the type of cooling fan and fin setup you have.

If the fan sucks air in from the bottle of the computer (like most do) and then blows it over CPU/GPU cooling fins (like car radiator fins) before the air comes out the side outlet, all the sucking in the world won't help because the cooling fins are clogged up. I had two old Toshiba laptops that way...one is still in operation.. But it shouldn't hurt to try using a vacuum cleaner and a can of pressurized air. Get a flashlight and inspect the inlet and outlet to see if you can see any cooling fins between the air inlet and outlet that may be clogged up. And just to repeat it may or may not have cooling fins.

Edit: Below are some images of those cooling fins before and after cleaning on that Toshiba...it hadn't been cleaned in around 8 years but it was still operating OK but running a somewhat hot. And no, that is not a filter on the cooling fins in the first image...that's just years of dust and lint buildup.

Capture.JPG

Capture.JPG

Hey Pib, I've got some of them pics too!

re. vacuum: DON'T!! You can spin the fan much faster than it was designed to be spun, and off-center too.

re. temperature of 80C - one of those above would run at 75C, with the fan switching to "fast" (and noisy) every minute or so. Once the fluff was removed, the CPU was running at 45C and the fan was always quiet.

re. cooling pads - waste of money IMHO.

[Pib]

Yea, vacuuming is only going to possibly get any loose dust which wouldn't be enough to cause a heating problem. Yes indeed, when a laptop is running hot its fan will probably be running on high most of the time vs low most of the time (that's what my laptop started doing) so a hot machine is nosier machine. A cooling pad does not force air over the CPU/GPU/cooling plates or fins "within" the computer so it only cools the bottom plastic covering a little but many people believe they can solve a laptop cooling problem.

[giddyup]

Thanks for all the tips. Using a vacuum cleaner is not a good idea it seems, only alternative is to take it a computer shop and get them to dismantle the case and clean the fan that way.