Pro tip: I stopped using canned air for cleaning laptops and switched to a small electric blower.

I had a choice last month between buying another case of canned air or getting a $45 Metro DataVac. I picked the blower after one can froze up on me during a big job. It's way faster for clearing dust from heatsinks and keyboards, and I don't have to worry about running out. After three weeks, I've cleaned about 15 systems and it's already paid for itself in time saved. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed a difference with certain brands of fans?

3 comments

3 Comments

rubyk861mo ago

Yeah the part about it being faster for heatsinks is so true. I mean with canned air you're always stopping to shake it and it just sputters. The blower just goes and actually spins the fans up to clear them out. I did notice some cheaper case fans can get a bit loud from the blast, like the bearings aren't meant for it, but it hasn't broken any yet. It just feels way more thorough.

adam_adams1mo ago

Totally, and you can really get into the tight spots around the motherboard and GPU. Canned air just pushes the dust around sometimes, but a blower seems to lift it right out. I've even used mine to clean out the power supply vents from the outside without opening the case. The only downside is you have to do it outside or you'll just coat your whole room in a fine layer of computer dust. But for a deep clean, nothing else comes close.

fox.derek29d ago

Read an article a while back that said holding the fans still while you blast them is actually better. The article said letting them spin from the air can generate a small current and might send voltage back into the board where it shouldn't go. I just stick a toothpick in the fans now to stop them spinning. Still way better than dealing with canned air freezing up.