I hope this is the correct subforum for this question … I need to buy a can of dust remover or whatever it’s called, but they all contain bitterant. Does anyone know if this is harmful to my computer? I’ve read that it leaves a residue, I don’t want to kill my computer, and can’t justify spending $100 or more for a compressor.
Soft hair brush, such as a squirrel hair brush, for some places.
Old toothbrush for other places.
Lintless cloth elsewhere.
Elbow grease, care, and attention.
Thanks for the tip, I think I have some of those things around someplace. I guess blasting it out would have sent the dust into the air, not good for the lungs.
On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 03:16:01 +0000, HighBloodSugar wrote:
> I hope this is the correct subforum for this question … I need to buy
> a can of dust remover or whatever it’s called, but they all contain
> bitterant. Does anyone know if this is harmful to my computer? I’ve read
> that it leaves a residue, I don’t want to kill my computer, and can’t
> justify spending $100 or more for a compressor.
I’ve never had a problem using compressed air - there’s usually something
liquid in the can (in my case, actually, the ones I use contain a
bitterant as well).
Don’t invert the can and spray it and you should be fine. I also would
avoid using it when the components are really warm - I wouldn’t expect
thermal shock to be a problem, but if you get some of the liquid vapor on
something that’s still hot from use (really hot, like an un-heatsinked
CPU that’s just been powered on and running), you could possibly crack
the ceramic.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
On 2014-03-09 04:16, HighBloodSugar wrote:
>
> I hope this is the correct subforum for this question … I need to buy
> a can of dust remover or whatever it’s called, but they all contain
> bitterant. Does anyone know if this is harmful to my computer? I’ve read
> that it leaves a residue, I don’t want to kill my computer, and can’t
> justify spending $100 or more for a compressor.
Huh?
I didn’t know what you were talking about, so I looked on the wikipedia.
It says:
+++··············
Gas dusters often use a bitterant to discourage inhalant abuse, although
this can cause problems for legitimate users. The bitterant not only
leaves an intolerably bitter flavor in the air, but also leaves a bitter
residue on objects, like screens and keyboards, that may transfer to
hands and cause problems (such as when eating).
··············+±
I’m surprised. Very. I had no idea that compressed air cans could be
used for bad things, nor that they added a “bad flavour” to it as
deterrent. What a world we live in…
Ugh :-/
I don’t know if a cheap compressor can be bought… even a bicycle pump
would do. Or one of those 12 volt tire inflators and a balloon.
As for spreading the dust on the air, I just go out to the garden or
street. I’m allergic to dust. Even using a brush is bad for me, if the
thing is too dusty… better to clean it completely with compressed air.
Lasts longer. You can just cover your face with a filter.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)
For those who are curious about bitterant, here’s why it’s used - found a PDF on homedepot.com that says:
Inhalation of dispersed gas is not expected to cause negative effects. Inhalation of
concentrated vapor may product anesthetic effects and feeling of euphoria. Prolonged
exposure can cause rapid breathing, headache, dizziness, narcosis, and
unconsciousness. Deliberately inhaling this product can lead to death from asphyxiation
depending on concentration and duration of exposure.
The CRC brand in particular is also exteremly flammable, so the computer should be “cold”, and don’t turn it on until it is completely vented.
I did a bit of searching, and haven’t found any that say “no bitterant”, but some say they leave no residue, that was my main concern. I don’t want to get any nasties in the CPU socket or any connectors. And definitely clean the computer outdoors, dust apparently isn’t the only thing to be concerned about.
On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 23:38:16 +0000, Carlos E. R. wrote:
> As for spreading the dust on the air, I just go out to the garden or
> street
I use a vacuum along with a can of compressed air. That helps a lot.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
On Mon, 10 Mar 2014 01:16:01 +0000, HighBloodSugar wrote:
> The CRC brand in particular is also exteremly flammable
I would personally avoid using one that uses a flammable propellant.
Having seen the effects of “silly string” used over birthday chemicals
(at the time, the propellant used in silly string was flammable - and the
person who was the target ended up not with silly string in her hair, but
being on the wrong end of an impromptu blowtorch - fortunately with no
lasting damage).
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
On 2014-03-10 02:31, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 23:38:16 +0000, Carlos E. R. wrote:
>
>> As for spreading the dust on the air, I just go out to the garden or
>> street
>
> I use a vacuum along with a can of compressed air. That helps a lot.
I’ve got only two hands 
I also need to tilt the computer this way or the other
Yeah, I tried. I guess you are not allergic to dust. Even if mine is
very much under control, when I use the vacuum cleaner at home I have to
take the pills in advance.
The dust on a computer box is concentrated, though.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)
On 2014-03-10 02:33, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Mar 2014 01:16:01 +0000, HighBloodSugar wrote:
>
>> The CRC brand in particular is also exteremly flammable
>
> I would personally avoid using one that uses a flammable propellant.
I once heard on the radio an interview with a manufacturer of spray cans
of some sort, at the time when freon gas was starting to get banned. He
said they used no freon at all, they simply used plain butane (!).
> Having seen the effects of “silly string” used over birthday chemicals
> (at the time, the propellant used in silly string was flammable - and the
> person who was the target ended up not with silly string in her hair, but
> being on the wrong end of an impromptu blowtorch - fortunately with no
> lasting damage).
Yeah.
I knew some students friends wanting to get rid of some blasted
mosquitoes. Apparently, the insecticide can they had was not good enough
or not fast enough. So they applied a lighter to the spray…
They had to replace some curtains.
Fortunately only that, they told me. The type of thing you learn when
you are young…
Back to those compressed gas cans for cleaning dust in computers. I was
thinking: why not plain air? Then I remembered why they used butane:
because it is so compressed that it liquifies inside. The amount of gas
that comes out of a liquified gas when it vaporizes is immense. The air
you get out of a compressed air bottle is, well, very little in
comparison (or the bottle needs a very thick and reinforced wall).
So they have to use a gas that can be liquified at room temperatures…
Freon was a wonderful gas for this. Inert, non poisonous, non flammable,
jut the right vaporization temperature… till they found out about the
ozone. So they invent other compound gases. And now they find that some
people inhale them with nasty effects…
Sigh.
Choose your poison…
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)
On Mon, 10 Mar 2014 02:48:06 +0000, Carlos E. R. wrote:
> On 2014-03-10 02:31, Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 23:38:16 +0000, Carlos E. R. wrote:
>>
>>> As for spreading the dust on the air, I just go out to the garden or
>>> street
>>
>> I use a vacuum along with a can of compressed air. That helps a lot.
>
> I’ve got only two hands
> I also need to tilt the computer this way or the other
I also only have two hands, but I manage to get by with that
limitation. 
> Yeah, I tried. I guess you are not allergic to dust. Even if mine is
> very much under control, when I use the vacuum cleaner at home I have to
> take the pills in advance.
>
> The dust on a computer box is concentrated, though.
You would be wrong about my lack of allergy. I am allergic to dust
mites, cat dander (highest allergy score possible on the ‘scratch test’),
and a couple other things. We have three cats, so my PCs tend to end up
with a fair amount of cat hair and dander in them.
I also have borderline asthma.
My strategy: Turn on the vacuum and hold the hose over the PC, then use
the compressed air (with a long tube attached to it - comes with the cans
I get, like a WD-40 ‘straw’), and use short, controlled bursts of air so
the vacuum sucks the dust straight out of where I’m aiming. I usually
lie the PC on its side (I have mostly towers or mini-towers) and change
my position as needed.
Been doing it that way as long as I’ve owned PCs. Never caused me a
problem.
Jim
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C
On 2014-03-10 07:50, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Mar 2014 02:48:06 +0000, Carlos E. R. wrote:
…
> Been doing it that way as long as I’ve owned PCs. Never caused me a
> problem.
Just vacuuming a room switches my allergy on. The dust (the carcases of
the dead mites, actually) that goes out through the filter is enough.
I know that what you describe is doable. I do it, too. But then I have
to take my pills.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)