Anybody got any tips on how best to remove the dirt of a CPU fan? Both of my PC's need the fans cleaning as dirt has built up over the past year and no doubt now is effecting the efficiency of the fans.

They are the Coolermaster Areo 7 so they have really small fins so I don't want anything bulky to clean them with.

Thought about soap and water but realised that would cause more problems than it would solve

stidyup,

just use pressurized air to remove the dirt then use a paper handkerchief to finish the work.

Daniel

I take the fans out and use air and a 1 inch paint brush for hard to remove dirt and grime.

I take the fan off the cpu heat sink if applicable, because the dirt gets clogged between the fins.

Sometimes I also will take the power supply apart if it's real bad.

Last is a good vacuum job inside the case.

Compressed air has always worked the best for me, short quick bursts. This question seems a bit silly though. Maybe I've been working on computers too long? I thought this was common sense? Oh wait, that's right.....Stidy is British!

Sorry buddy, had to give you some crap. You were picking on me in another post so I gotta get you back!!

Preventative maintenance; stretch pantyhose, or nylon stockings over the fan(s).
This will keep the fan(s) and the inside of the case cleaner.

relavant link

Yoshi!

Compressed air is all fine and dandy...... but as I don't have a compressor it's a bit of a problem. I suppose I could use a bicycle pump with a football needle on the end.

Putting tights over the fans doesn't restrict airflow too much then? I would have thought it would have caused a build up of heat. Have you done this on your PC?

An air compressor is unnecessary:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...2957648-4820455