I recently got my hands on an old computer from a friend who smokes indoors, and it's covered with a thin layer of brown ash or tar, especially in the fans. Does anyone have effective methods or tips for cleaning it up?
5 Answers
For deep cleaning, isopropyl alcohol with a toothbrush works wonders. You can use Q-tips for those hard-to-reach spots. It takes a bit of work, but it'll melt that tar off pretty well!
Honestly, if you're not attached to the fans, it might just be easier to replace them since they're pretty cheap. But if you want to clean it yourself, grab some alcohol wipes and prepare to spend a few hours getting every bit of that gunk off, especially from the heatsinks; they can be tough to clean.
I had a motherboard from a smoker once, and despite cleaning with IPA, the smell lingered. I ended up storing it in a big Ziploc with dryer sheets, and that surprisingly got rid of the odor for good.
Try using 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol—it’s a popular choice for cleaning hardware. You can also use soap and water, but just make sure you rinse with distilled water or more IPA afterward to avoid any residue. Just remember to take the computer apart completely and dry everything quickly to prevent corrosion.
90% IPA? Sounds like the strong stuff! Just be careful with it.
If all else fails, there are some wild ideas out there, like washing it in a car wash or even putting it in the dishwasher! Not fully serious, but you might find some unique cleaning hacks online.
Just a heads up about using IPA: it dissolves glue, so be cautious if there are any parts held together with adhesive. I lost some magnets cleaning my vape, so keep that in mind!