Anybody know how to clean the fan etc on 5738zg?

I read an article on lifehacker( Clean Your Laptop to Keep It Running Smooth and Cool) and thought, "hell, I should do that" since my laptop is full of dust and have been running 3 years this christmas without cleaning. But I removed the cover etc before realizing that that instructable had nothing to do with my computer since I couldn't reach the fan by removing the backplate like that.
Does anybody have instructions on how to reach and clean the fan on Acer Aspire 5738zg? The ventilation and fan part looks pretty unreachable from the back(no screws).

Or are there a better way to clean it than to take the laptop apart?

 

You have to dismantle it pretty much completely. Look for "Aspire 5738 service guide" on the net for a service manual with photos.

Another thing you can do- not nearly as thorough but still helpful- is to use a gas duster (aka canned air) to blow through the vents.

 

Thanks! Just found the service manual. And looks like a PITA(pardon my french) to clean the fan. I mean, I was proud over myself that I just managed to get off the back plate...

But if you use canned air, wouldn't that mean that you just blow the dust further inside the computer?
Can't I instead use a vacuum cleaner to suck the dust out?

 

It can't go anywhere else- if you blow some air in the air-outlet it unsettles the dust and blows some if it through the inlet and some stays inside.
Then is you blow through the inlet most of the dust gets blown between the "leafs" of the radiator.
This method works best if you do that routinely- like once a month- before there's a lot of dust accumulated.

Vacuum cleaner works too but it might be a bit to powerful and you wouldn't want the fan to rotate at high rpm in the opposite direction to its normal direction. But in general it can be done although I would recommend you buy a gas duster anyway and use it once a month- that will keep your cooling system working at its 100% capacity.

 

Thanks for the explanation.
You see, I haven't cleaned this laptop for 3 years or so(amazing that it have lasted so long since it runs for about 8 hour each day in a dusty environment) so I'm thinking too much dust have already been accumulated for that method. I'll try to vacuum it and see if it works, then buy a can of air for regular maintenance(although I'm due for an upgrade anyway, this fella has done his duty already).