Dusting Gear

What's the best way to clean out the insides of DACs and amps? Compressed air sounds like a bad idea to me. What about one of those photographer squeezy air bulbs like this thing?

http://www.giottosusa.com/rocket-blasters

 

I use compressed air, and microfiber cloth squares for clean up and detail work.

 

Same here. Careful application of isopropyl is a safe choice to remove nasty gunk from the inside of electronics, too. Rapid evaporation.

 

I take the Sherlock Holmes approach to dust: the deeper the layer, the longer I have had that thing! It's an essential part of my record keeping!

But seriously... Although the majority of household dust (IIRC) its bits of us (yuck), there could be particles in it that are conductive. (Hey,, may be this is the cause of "burn in!" It's actually dust-in!) A recent PC problem, CMOS battery going flat, which suggests something shorting somewhere, made me think of conductive dust. At some time, the thing needs taking apart and alcohol cleaning, front and back. I'm lazy to do it, and, with a very hefty CPU cooler, even the local PC maintenance man says he wants a couple of days.

Hope all this woffling about PCs is not offtopic, because the same thing must apply to any electronics. Except PCs have forced air circulation, which carried the dust with it, and the vast majority (excepting heavy power amps) of hifi gear does not have a fan.

For exteriors...

Microfibre Rules!

I am absolutely a microfibre fanboy, for everything, Kitchen and bathroom towels, household surface cleaning, car cleaning... Everything! Cotton cloth has little or no use in my house these days. Old equipment can look like new: the micro fibres get into the micro scratches.

Probably nobody here would be daft enough to use a wet cloth on electronics anyway but, in general, microfibre works best dry or very slightly damp. Very slightly as in just mist the cloth. Even dry microfibre will remove grease, but sometimes some grime is stuck on. I keep a mist/spray bottle with IPA/Water/drop-of-detergent on the desk... for spectacles, etc. Actually, it was originally for vinyl!

Microfibre is god!

Praise The Microfibre!

Yeah!

 

A shot of compressed air through each exterior opening and then the application of a shop vac to the same is how I do it. Before anyone cringes, if a component is somehow loose enough that it gets sucked out, it was probably going to fail in the near future anyway.

Bonus: I like watching the exhaust fans in my laptop spin super fast while being cleaned. Music aside, I'm easily entertained.

 

This is what I use: https://www.amazon.com/ED500-DataVa...74325736&sr=8-27&keywords=air+computer+duster

Works great on most of my equipment. You also never have to buy canned air.

 

This is what I use in and around the house. Be careful never to go above the medium setting if cleaning tubes.

https://www.amazon.com/Husqvarna-96...r-Compliant/dp/B002FU5SKU/ref=zg_bs_553910_19

 

Do you use a chainsaw to slice your bread too?

 

My girlfriend bought a Miele Olympus years ago. It remains the best around-the-house vacuum that I have ever used, just a really impressive appliance. They're not cheap, but they're very, very nice. The power level is similar to a shop vac, but it's quiet enough that it almost doesn't terrify the cats.

Interesting. But can you turn one of those upside down and freeze things with it? You can do that with canned air, which is arguably the best application for it.