Quote - so if i keep the vents clear  - do you think its safe to keep rendering without screwing up my laptop? i would be gutted if i couldnt render....

sure. you can download a program like SpeedFan to monitor your CPU core temp (as well as other stats like HDD SMART status). blow out the vents with compressed air now and then, and render with the laptop on a desk instead of a comforter, and you should be fine.

if you DO run into overheating issues you can throttle your processor, at the cost of rendering speed.