Have you ever cleaned beneath your refrigerator?  If not, go take a peek right now at the dust bunnies that have surely made a home there, and then had little dust bunny babies of their own.  It’s not a place you’d think would get as dirty as it does.

We often confuse our business desktop and laptop computers with the inner workings of a calculator.  Or a lamp.  It’s not really a machine, is it?  There aren’t really any moving parts in there, right?  If it’s an electronic device, does it really warrant the type of maintenance that we provide to mechanical devices like engines, garage doors, and other things that squeak?

Actually, yes.  Both the desktop and laptop computers we rely on every day at home or at work can suffer declines in performance and even break from a lack of physical maintenance.  WHY?!  Because of heat.  The amount of electricity needed to power our business computers is far higher than a calculator or lamp.  So most every computer contains fans – moving parts that keep the electronic components cool.  These fans take in fresh air, and exhaust the hot air through vents in your computer’s case.  Along with that incoming air comes dust and dirt.  And before too long, the inside of your computer can look like the underside of your refrigerator.  Note the coating of dust on all the computer parts here:  All that dirt is actually keeping heat in and causing parts to overheat.  Cooling is one of the most important functions of your computer as certain parts inside can reach temperatures north of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  A computer will suffer physical damage and a reduced lifespan if temperatures stay that high or move beyond that point.  This is the most important reason to clean our your computer regularly.  Another reason is the sound.  The dirt buildup causes fans to run slower or get out of balance over time and they slowly get louder and louder.  This is why when you experience a computer upgrade, the new computer always sounds quieter than the old one.  It isn’t necessarily any new technology that makes it quieter.  The new unit is just squeaky clean.

So what can you do?

1. First of all, keep your computer in a clean environment.  This means NOT on the floor, and also not in a small space.  Dirt moves to the floor and it seeks out small spaces like room corners.
2. Secondly, see our quick steps on how to safely and properly clean out your computer.

It’s one of the easiest ways to keep your business investment running for a long time, keep performance high, and keep frustration low.  If you’re a busy business owner or manager, then do what good managers do best.

Delegate!