Computers cases mostly seem only designed for the rarefied, and purified, realms of corporate data centers. The cooling fans whir away behind gratings with holes big enough to let ball bearings through.

Unfortunately, most homes - and most offices - are dusty, just by virtue of being occupied by people. If you're in the city, airborne particulate matter is even worse. And if you have a cat, you usually end up with more cat inside the PC than dashing madly from one of the house to the other.

What we need are real filters, removable like the ones in our dryers and air conditioners and air purifiers. Then, the insides of our PCs will be pristine and pure, not coated with thick layers of dust and fur.

And on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis, depending on the local wildlife population, we can simply pull the filter out and clean it off.
-- DrCurry, Jul 31 2009

DirtBag http://www.dirtbag.biz/
Computer Dust Filter [ericscottf, Jul 31 2009]

Subwoofer Air Cleaner Subwoofer_20Air_20Cleaner
Possible relevant (relevent?) info. [csea, Aug 01 2009]

I thought I had seen it before... Computer_20Air_20Filter
[FlyingToaster, Aug 03 2009]

err... switch the power contacts on the fan and tape a piece of filter material to the outside on the port. Best outlet is the slot next to the graphics card or make a little conduit from the processor fan to the outside.

"pro" computer cases come equipped with what you mentioned. I honestly wonder why normal ones don't.
-- FlyingToaster, Jul 31 2009


Let's find out ! <evil giggle>

<scuttles off to steal matches>
-- 8th of 7, Jul 31 2009


Does anyone remember those air "ionisers" that you used to be able to get - amazingly faddy (I used to work in a consumer-electronics retail establishment, and remember we had a whole shelf devoted to these) I'm not sure if anyone makes them anymore - but I remember noting that they somehow managed to pull dust, lint etc out of the air by attracting it to themselves using only the power of ions. Could it be that the goings on inside your computer have a similar effect?
-- zen_tom, Jul 31 2009


An electrostatic precipitator, that's what you need.
-- Jinbish, Jul 31 2009


I like the idea of an air scrubber (essentially a bong) to filter out dust. I have no idea how effective it would be and whether side-effects such as increasing humidity of the scrubbed air would be a problem.
-- xaviergisz, Jul 31 2009


Legionella Pneumophilla might be .....
-- 8th of 7, Jul 31 2009


You could spice it up by including an air-freshener tablet feature.... Each computer could then generate its own odour - fragrance of curry fills the room.
-- xenzag, Jul 31 2009


In the industry in which i work (CNC machines controlled by computers), we frequently make use of products which completely encapsulate the computer in a bag that allows airflow but traps most dust. They're ugly and messy, but better than a PC full of wood chips/coolant mist.

I personally hate working on computers of smokers, or people with pets. ick.
-- ericscottf, Jul 31 2009


It's even worse when the pets smoke.
-- 8th of 7, Jul 31 2009


I have long advocated keeping computers remote from the user; ideally in an equipment room or external cage. The only reason to have that noisy machine so close to you is to save a few dollars on cabling.
-- vincevincevince, Aug 01 2009


a "thin client" PC (ie: smart terminal) can give desktop workers a tiny, passively cooled box that can even be mounted on the back of an LCD display for a zero footprint.
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 01 2009


redundant [link]
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 03 2009



random, halfbakery