Clean Out Your Computer Day

Feb. 8 is Clean Out Your Computer Day – WebWorkerDaily: 
"It can be hard to remember to routinely clean out your computer — whether that means running virus scans or organizing your files. That’s why having a day devoted to making sure that your computer is working well and that you can find anything you need on it is a good idea. The Institute for Business Technology originally sponsored a National Clean Out Your Computer Day several years ago, assigning it to the second Monday in February. It’s a holiday well worth adding to your calendar."

This is an interesting subject.

- Unfortunately the article is too short.

- Fortunately the comment section more than makes up for the lack of detail.

As for me, I keep my software up to date, and my files organized as part of my daily routine. I don't have to bother to schedule anything in that area, it's just part of the way that I work.

Cleaning the inside of my desktop is another story, it is a little time consuming but a must do task. It is just as important as changing the oil and topping off the fluids in your car.

Removing dust from the computer vents increases the internal air circulation, dust that is left on the circuit boards can slow down and interfere with the connections running through the circuit boards. Cleaning the inside of your computer prevents it from overheating which is the most common cause of  computer's Sudden Death Syndrome.

In my case I schedule about two hours every six months to take the side panel off and attack the dust bunnies that have found a warm comfortable home in my computer. Most articles recommend using compressed air to blow the dust out, but I've found that a Shop Vac works much better. It doesn't spread the dust from one part of the machine to another like the compressed air does. Most importantly it keeps your work area clean and dust free.

When it comes to laptops, there's not much to do other than cleaning the vents of dust and debris. This is where the Shop Vac method really surpasses the use of compressed air, because the dust and debris is sucked out of the case instead of being blown into it. 

Read the article, pour over the links provided in the comments section, and extend the life of your PC by quite a few years.