There are several programs available online that you can download that will assist in detecting and eradicating spyware from your computer. My personal favorite is download.com, which is a great and trusted source for software downloads. Simply choose from an array of free programs, download and install and you're on your way. Be sure to read the comments from previous users to help you decide which one to use.

What if you don't want to download an actual program to your computer to scan for spyware files? Well, you are in luck because there are sites out there that will help you out but those are much harder to find.

Free spyware removal sites generally are fronts. Many of these sites will scan your computer but you won't be able to remove them unless you download the program that they are promoting, usually at a cost. Some of these sites will even put spyware onto your computer to increase the numbers on your computer and make you think that you need the program much more desperately than you did a few moments earlier.

It is for this reason that you are much better off trying to find a program of your own to download and use at your own leisure. Most of these programs are small, easy to download and take up very little memory on your computer.

According to download.com, the best programs available are Spybot and Bazooka Adware. Both of these programs boast strong user reviews and features which will help knock out your spyware. Other great programs that I can recommend to readers out there would be Ad-Aware and Spyware Doctor.

Both of these programs are very well programmed to update automatically to protect you against the latest forms of spyware that have found their ways online. I have Spyware Doctor installed on my computer at this moment and I have yet to find a single complaint about it.

Naturally not all programs out there are going to be useful or even helpful to you. You should always do some checking on each program to find out what its pros and cons are. If you are still in doubt, check the publisher's site and really take a close look at the details of each program to find out if it's right for you.

If all else fails, ask around. Chances are you already know someone who can help you with your search for a good scanner and then you'll be on your way to safe surfing.