Search for a vacuum cleaner compatible with ESD protection on a motherboard.
Search for a vacuum cleaner compatible with ESD protection on a motherboard.
I also thought it was worth mentioning that a vacuum cleaner is significantly inferior to a blower, such as a data vac. You shouldn't be concerned about static; instead, focus on avoiding damage to SMDs or other components. That’s why vacuum cleaners are problematic for most parts in a PC—don’t touch anything on the motherboard or similar circuits.
I own a "compu cleaner" essentially the same thing, it works really well and is quite straightforward to operate. The cleaning head is also simple to maintain. A cool tip: I regularly use my Philips Power Cyclone 5 vacuum cleaner to clean my PC, though it isn't ESD-safe—even vacuuming the GPU with it is fine as long as you're careful not to knock anything off. I don’t use it on any motherboards; when cleaning a board, I rely on PCB cleaner (a German brand called "Kontakt leiterplattenreiniger") along with brushes and a cleaning solution.
I've been polishing my computers with automotive detail brushes to remove surface dust and suck it up with my regular home vacuum for over 15 years, and I'll keep doing it. I haven't damaged anything because I'm not making mistakes. The vacuum shouldn't be in contact with parts—that's the job of the brushes. This method works much better for me than using a blower or compressed air and just blowing dust back around.
It's comforting knowing I haven't caused any damage, but my lack of understanding about electricity made me anxious. I thought I might damage my PC, even though I've handled a blower before and knew to keep it outside first. People generally don't want to handle huge dust amounts in their space—better not be me!
The number of individuals who think vacuums lead to ESD harm when they merely dislodged components is remarkable. Sure, it's possible "in theory," but that doesn't guarantee it occurred. (The likelihood of serious ESD damage from a vacuum is extremely low... probably around 0.01% or less.)