How To Clean A Motherboard in 7 Steps? Alcohol, Petrol, Water

Cleaning a motherboard or circuit board is tricky if you are not handy in cleaning a motherboard. You may cause bigger trouble for yourself instead of solving it. A small problem in the motherboard can create a big mess in the computer. It can cause crashes, overheating, and short circuits in your device.

Maintenance of your computers is essential, just like our daily home chores. But many people ignore the fact that cleaning your motherboard is vital. You should clean it regularly because the computer soaks dust from outside and accumulates on your motherboard. It can cause problems with your motherboard.

The motherboard is the source of connection and smooth performance in your personal system. You might be confused and think it’s difficult. You are right, but I will cover all types of cleaning methods in this article. Let’s get started.

• You must clean your motherboard at least once a year.
• If your computer is in a warranty period, you must speak to your manufacturers and read the manual guidelines before using any liquid and cleaning product on the motherboard. Because sometimes using some cleaning methods can violate the warranty rules, you will be in trouble.
• Before cleaning the motherboard, make sure your system is completely shut down and disconnected.
• Before installing it again after cleaning it, you must ensure it dries out completely.
• If you find it difficult to clean it yourself or have any doubts about cleaning the motherboard, you should ask for professional help.

Why Is Motherboard Cleaning Important?

People try to protect their devices from viruses and malware, but they are not aware dust can damage them more than anything else. So you should clean everything components of a computer, including the motherboard.

Cleaning the motherboard removes stains from the surface that can make them look fresh and new.

Dust causes huge damage to your computer, so cleaning the motherboard can save your time and money because motherboards are sometimes failed just because you don’t care for them properly. They have reached the stage of completely replacing them.  It can prevent you from hassle and benefits you in the long run.

Suppose your motherboard and components have a huge amount of dust particles. Then it can cause severe health issues. When you breathe in dangerous particles, it may cause breathing disease and problems, so make sure you clean your motherboard.

Best Way To Clean A Motherboard (7 General Steps)

Here is the best way to clean a motherboard: Cleaning the motherboard is a trick so let’s follow the steps and guidelines below to clean it properly.

1. First, you have to make sure your computer or laptop is shut down. Then unplug and disconnect the cables. These precautions are necessary because it’s dangerous it may cause a short circuit. So make it safe for yourself.
2. Now you can disassemble your computer components and separate the motherboard.
3. You may use compressor air and cleanser, which has fewer chemicals to clean it. Don’t use hard bristles brush to clean, it may cause more damage. You can use a cotton ball or smooth cloth piece for that purpose.
4. After compressing air or dusting with a cloth, you can use isopropyl alcohol, motherboard cleaning spray, and cleanser to clean it. 
5. Dip cotton in the bowl of alcohol or cleanser, then swap it on the motherboard and clean it properly.
6. After cleaning it, the motherboard must be dry and drained before installing or connecting it to your computer.
7. Now enjoy the dust-free motherboard with excellent performance.

How To Clean Motherboard With Compressed Air?

If you are worried about how to clean the motherboard fan? Clean the motherboard and its fan with compressed air is a routine cleaning. Just shut down your device and disconnect and unplug.

• Look for a clean and wide place to blow out the dust from components.
• While using compressed air, don’t touch your motherboard directly because it can cause damage. You must use it until the sticky dust disappears from every motherboard component.
• After cleaning, examine the motherboard carefully that every component and corner. Because some areas are difficult to reach, you have to make sure they are cleaned.
• You can use a soft brush to remove stuck dust.
• Spray compression air all over the motherboard and its components to ensure that everything is clean.
• Arrange your computer components and motherboard to install and set up again.
• You have to keep in mind this type of way is only good for quarterly cleaning. It gives you the best performance motherboard back to you.

How To Clean a Motherboard With Alcohol?

If you’re dealing with sticky dust, you must be worried about how to clean sticky dust? Don’t worry. It can solve by using isopropyl alcohol because compressed air may not be helpful. After all, dust is sticky. So dip cotton in the bowl of alcohol and swap the motherboard components carefully to remove stubborn stains.

Keep in mind the alcohol you use for cleaning should be 90%-99% pure and have fewer chemicals. Let’s talk in-depth about how to use it.

• Pour some alcohol into the bowl, then place your motherboard in the bath or a suitable place for you.
• Or you may place it anywhere and use Cotton to clean it. Dip the cotton in the bowl and then start cleaning it because cotton swapping is more suitable for sticky and stubborn dust and stains instead of pouring alcohol directly on the motherboard.
• You can also use this method if your motherboard has extreme dust. It is how you can properly clean the pc.

How To Clean Motherboard With Petrol?

You can use spirit and petrol to clean your motherboard after properly shutdown the device. But even if it is properly disconnected and unplugged, some components may have some electricity on some parts.

Liquid can cause a short circuit or if you are using petrol that will be more dangerous for yourself and also for your device. Because petrol is a toxic, sticky, and flammable liquid, it may have good cleaning power for iron and some other materials to live them long last, but I don’t think it’s suitable for motherboard cleaning.

How To Clean Motherboard With Water?

Sinking any electronic device in water or liquid may cause damage. Water can be considered the most damaging and worst enemy for your computer or electronic device. If it touch-sensitive components, it will destroy them completely. Every computer part is sensitive to water, including the motherboard and components etc. Instead of using water, you can use alcohol to clean up your motherboard.

But in some cases, you can use a soft cloth and then dampen it into some water after making sure it’s partially dry. Then swap it in the corner and components without worrying because it was safe to use.

How To Clean Motherboard With Thinner?

Here is the solution to your problem if you are concerned about how to clean motherboard RAM slots. You can use a soft brush to clean the ram slots of the motherboard. You can also clean your motherboard and its ram slots by using thinners. It has the same way of working as you can use to clean with alcohol.

• The first step is removing the motherboard from a computer by removing the cover of case.
• Then you can use a piece of cloth to remove dust from the surface of the motherboard and other components. After clothing your motherboard, its stains may have visible to you.  You can use a rag to remove dust but keep it soft. Don’t use it harshly because it can cause damage.
• The thinner is good to go for removing stains. They may contain alcohol as well. That’s why they can remove dust and stubborn stains easily. You can dip cloth or cotton in it and rub it gently to clean it.
• If your motherboard is extremely dirty, you can soak it in the solution for 5 minutes, and stains will disappear after that.
• Soaking also loses down the dust from difficult areas. They will also clean easily. After dipping it clean it with the help of a dry cloth.
• When the motherboard is completely dry, you can use it after installation.

How To Clean Motherboard With Cleaning Spray?

You should power off the device and then remove the motherboard carefully. After doing that, you may clean up with a piece of cloth and use compressed air to remove dust from the surface. You can also use a soft brush with compressed air.

• When done with the initial cleaning, the brush will remove the dusty cracks from thinner motherboard areas.
• Now you can use cleaning spray to clean the dirt from motherboard areas. Usually, cleaning sprays have long and narrow tubes that can easily reach the difficult area to approach. And it can also clean corners.
• As you soak your cloth in water to loosen stains, just like that spray makes the dirt loosen, you have to swap it with a brush and cloth. But do it gently because it can cause scratches on the surface of the motherboard.
• Inspect all areas of the motherboard, so if you are sure it’s clean, then swap it with a dry cloth to remove the remaining spray and keep it dry.
• Install it and use it when you are sure that the motherboard is completely dry. But don’t use it before drying out completely.

How To Clean Motherboard Without Compressed Air?

Cleaning pc and motherboard is important for getting outstanding performance from it.  Cleaning the motherboard without compressed air is possible. You can use the general method alcohol method for that purpose.

If you want to clean motherboard pins, you should have small and soft bristles brush. You can use alcohol to clean your pins. But cleaning pins is also tricky. You must be aware of which areas you have to clean or how. 

If they are metal base pins, you have to be more careful because they have electricity, which may cause huge damage and short circuits. Just use alcohol and rub it gently, so they are cleaned.