How to clean my Macbook Pro fans?

[CleanMyFans]

I have a mid-2009 Macbook Pro and unfortunately it is my only computer so I do all of my gaming on it (I have Boot Camp).

The problem is whenever I play any game (whether on Mac OS or on Windows), there's a chance that after a few minutes my FPS will suddenly drop to around 2. It doesn't matter what game it is, whether it's Crysis or Warcraft 3 it happens eventually.

After trying to solve this for a couple of years (by reintalling OS, switching from XP to 7, etc) I've reached the conclusion that the only reasonable explanation for this is that there's dust in my fans and my GPU starts overheating whenever I play a game.

So my question is, how do I clean my Macbook's fans? Also I'm not really good with this kind of stuff, so is there anyone who would do this for me? (Can I take my Macbook to an Apple store and ask them to clean it?)

Thanks.

 

[Baklava]

Can I take my Macbook to an Apple store and ask them to clean it?

Yap, do it. I cleaned them myself and there is definitally a difference in noise.

 

[Chris 123]

Not sure if this is the correct way, but what I do is use SMS fan control and crank up the fans to max for about 30 seconds and you can see all the dust fly out.

 

[Baklava]

Not sure if this is the correct way, but what I do is use SMS fan control and crank up the fans to max for about 30 seconds and you can see all the dust fly out.

Not much effective, wouldn't recommend this.

 

[CleanMyFans]

Yap, do it. I cleaned them myself and there is definitally a difference in noise.

But will the Apple store take my Macbook and clean it?

Not sure if this is the correct way, but what I do is use SMS fan control and crank up the fans to max for about 30 seconds and you can see all the dust fly out.

Sorry that doesn't sound very healthy.

 

[Baklava]

But will the Apple store take my Macbook and clean it?

It's the Apple store! I don't think they wouldn't help you.

 

[mfuchs88]

Just take the bottom panel off your MBP if your MBP is a unibody model. Then just use pressurized air to blow gently into the fans and the dust will come out. Keep using the air can to blow into the fans until all the dust is gone. Enjoy!

 

[FreyGrimrod]

ground yourself first! and use duster or something like that and ground yourself again (touch the inside metal case of a desktop comp plugged in with a good house ground or something don't want static electricity to ruin your day is the big worry with this one) I suggest against an air compressor because there is a higher risk of lubricating oil getting mixed into the air which you don't want on your mother board.

Those two cautions and yup should be as easy as ^^^ I clean mine every 6 months or so?

 

[Ohrstrom]

It's the Apple store! I don't think they wouldn't help you.

The question is rather, what would they charge to help you? $$$$$

 

[yusukeaoki]

Just pop the back and vacuum it

 

[Ohrstrom]

Just pop the back and vacuum it

Uhm, Vacuuming may cause severe ESD issues, you are aware of this, yes?

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.

 

[Ohrstrom]

However, I noticed a product a while ago, compressed air on a spraycan, that might be useful

 

[yusukeaoki]

Hmm I've been doing it since PowerBook G4 and had no problem with vacuuming. It rather took all the dusts out.
I had no problem with ESD as well.

 

[Tea-Aholic]

I open my unibody aluminium MacBook and swab all the dust out

 

[dusk007]

After trying to solve this for a couple of years (by reintalling OS, switching from XP to 7, etc) I've reached the conclusion that the only reasonable explanation for this is that there's dust in my fans and my GPU starts overheating whenever I play a game.

A couple of years? And you think it is a dust problem?
That sound like a broken cooling system from the get go if the problem existed this long.