Finally stopped using compressed air for cleaning PS4s after a huge mess

I used to blast dust out with canned air on every console repair. Last month I cleaned a PS4 Pro for a friend and that stuff just blew the dust deeper into the power supply. Ended up shorting something and had to replace a fuse on the board. Now I use a $25 anti-static brush set and a small handheld vacuum with a soft tip. Way cleaner and I can actually see where the dust is going. You guys still rocking cans or did you switch to something else?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmaclark6d ago

Whaaat, that's wild that the compressed air actually made things worse and shorted the board. I've always figured canned air was safe for electronics, but hearing about your fuse replacement makes me rethink every console I've ever cleaned. I'd freak out if I fried a friend's PS4 from something that simple. So the anti-static brush and vacuum combo really gets the job done without the risk?

murphy.mason6d ago

Yeah @emmaclark you're not wrong, I learned that one the hard way. Blew a cap right off a motherboard once, scared the hell out of me. Felt like a total idiot explaining to my buddy why his PC smelled like burnt plastic. The brush and vacuum method is boring but it works. Way better than accidentally turning your friend's console into a fire hazard.

jana_jones6d ago

Jumping right in, yeah it's totally a thing where the simple fix ends up being the worst one. It's like in everyday life too, you know? You think you're taking the easy shortcut but it just creates a bigger mess. Like when you try to microwave a fork to heat up leftovers faster, you just end up with a burnt microwave and a spark show. Or when you use a hairdryer to defrost your car windshield and crack the glass instead of just waiting. We all try to cut corners and it backfires. The boring safe method is always the one that actually saves you time and money in the long run. So brushed and vacuum is definitely the way to go, even if it takes longer.