Cleaning laptop vents?

LadyMorticia

My laptop gets really hot. It doesn't overheat and turn off or anything but it's very hot to the touch, even when I use my laptop table.

Is cleaning the vents just as simple as using a can of compressed air?

Or does it take alot more to clean inside the vents? I guess my worry is that using compressed air will somehow blow the dirt/dust further into the laptop.:o

closed

If the vents are underneath, laptop tables can make it worse.

hjibds

Yes a can of compressed air works wonders, do NOT hold the can upside down when you do it though!!!


Brian

LadyMorticia

closed wrote: »

If the vents are underneath, laptop tables can make it worse.

Bummer. It does have a couple of vents underneath. The table I have has a USB fan built in.
I sometimes use the laptop on my lap when I'm in bed but always thought that a laptop table would cure the overheating problem.:o

hjibds wrote: »

Yes a can of compressed air works wonders, do NOT hold the can upside down when you do it though!!!


Brian

Thanks.

Nile

LadyMorticia wrote: »

My laptop gets really hot. It doesn't overheat and turn off or anything but it's very hot to the touch, even when I use my laptop table.

Is cleaning the vents just as simple as using a can of compressed air?

Or does it take alot more to clean inside the vents? I guess my worry is that using compressed air will somehow blow the dirt/dust further into the laptop.:o

Hello LadyMorticia

I use the household vacuum cleaner with the soft brush tool on the lowest setting to remove dust from the key board and vents.

I place the laptop on a wire cooling tray, like this one:

http://www.alacook.co.uk/item--Cake-Cooling-Wire-Tray--KCMCCAKE26.html

You can buy them cheaper in Asda or Wilkinsons.;)

The cooling tray ensures that air can circulate underneath the laptop...........so it never gets hot.:cool:

They might sound strange tips............but they work for me and my 'puter.:D

Regards

Nile

closed

A laptop (assuming no design faults and a working fan) is capable of cooling itself provided the vents aren't blocked, cooling tables and cans of air are a waste of money.

Lift it up off the table, and see if it cools, if it doesn't, check the processor utilisation in task manager, if something is whacking the cpu/graphics up it will get hot.

steve1980

If you go to a pound shop you can buy a plastic tray (with lots of airholes) which sits underneath the laptop and has a fan attached to it which you plug into a USB port.

robd831

If using a household vaccum cleaner, put an old stocking over the noozle so you don't suck up something by mistake ..... only the dust and dirt that is blocking the vents.
I always do my desktop and the childrens laptops using this method as they are forever picking up dust ...

macman

Try a can of air first. But usually the fluff is too compacted into the fan ducting to be shifted that way. In which case remove the housing and pull the dustballs out using tweezers or similar.
Your manual will show you how the fan area is accessed. Should be no more tha a 15 minute job depending on your model. Plenty of video guides on YouTube.

paulsad

Fan often needs a clean too, gets full of fluff - I just had to pay out for a new motherboard on mine cos it overheated and burnt out the video chip or sommat - bummer !

googler

Some folks suggest using the cans of compressed air out in the open air so that you don't end up inhaling the fine dust that you blow out of the laptop......