Rocket said:
The insides of a computer should be cleaned of dust twice a year; more often
if the environment calls for it.
You can do this yourself with a can of compressed air (or with a strong
breath) if you're careful.
There is a reason stores sell cans of compressed air. They lack moisture
and do not produce static electricity - both of which can be lethal to
computers.
DO NOT use a compressor or vacuum cleaner to get at the dust!
Even the best compressors produce moisture. Even the best vacuum
cleaners produce static electricity.
You should NOT use a brush on electronic components either as they
produce static electricity as well. However, you can use a small brush
to get into some nooks and crannies like case fans and large heat sinks,
but don't let the brush fibres touch on any electronic components.
this something we could do ourselves?
You can do it yourself, if you have an idea what you're doing. Try a
search for computer case cleaning. You may find some places recommending
brushes and vacuum cleaners, but those items should be avoided as
mentioned above.
The intention is to simply remove the dust that is causing poor heat
transfer from the components. Take care, don't go crazy with the air
pressure, and you can do it yourself.
