Laptop overheating and fan cleaning
Hot keyboard, a fan that roars during video calls, or a laptop that switches off in the middle of work. Usually dust and dried thermal paste, and a cleaning fixes it.
We clean laptop fans and heatsinks, replace dried thermal paste and swap worn cooling fans at our shop in Tragad, Ahmedabad. Most cleanings are done in a few hours.
Signs your laptop is overheating
- The area above the keyboard or the bottom gets uncomfortably hot
- The fan runs loud even when you're only browsing
- The laptop slows down after 15–20 minutes, then speeds up when left idle
- Sudden shutdowns during video calls, games or Zoom classes
Ahmedabad's summers make this worse. A laptop that coped in January can start shutting down in May.
What a proper cleaning involves
- Open the bottomBattery disconnected before anything else.
- Remove the cooling assemblyFan and heatsink come out as one piece on most models.
- Clean the fins and fanThe layer of fluff packed against the heatsink fins is the main culprit. It's removed by hand, then the fan is cleaned.
- Fresh thermal pasteOld paste dries into a crust. New paste is applied to the processor and graphics chip.
- Stress testWe run the laptop at full load and watch the temperatures before handing it back.
Using the laptop on a bed? Soft surfaces block the air intake underneath. A simple stand or a cooling pad makes more difference than people expect.
Common questions
How often should a laptop be cleaned inside?
Once every one to two years for normal use. More often for gaming laptops, or if you use the laptop on a bed or carpet, which pulls fluff into the fan.
Can I clean the fan with a blower from outside?
It moves some dust, but the felt-like layer that blocks the heatsink fins usually stays. It can also spin the fan too fast and damage its bearing. Opening and cleaning properly works far better.
My fan makes a grinding or rattling sound.
That's a worn fan bearing or a blade touching something. Cleaning won't fix a worn bearing; the fan needs replacing.
Will cleaning make my laptop faster?
If it was slowing down from heat (thermal throttling), yes, noticeably under load. If it's slow because of an old hard disk, an SSD upgrade is what helps.
Something not working? Call before you come.
We can often tell over the phone whether it's a quick fix or a day's job.