How to remove malware from a Windows PC

There are two very obvious truths which need to be stated before going any further: Truth 1 - prevention is better than cure, so don't visit 'dodgy' sites or download anything anyone sends you a link to, and do keep your PC as secure as possible with the help of security software such as real-time malware scanners and firewalls. Truth 2 - when it comes to malware there is no single 'removes it all' solution, there are far too many malware variations out there from rootkits and zero-day exploits through to long-established malware families which are continuously evolving in order to thwart detection and removal attempts. That said, there is a third truth which probably also needs mentioning; namely that shit happens and sometimes computers do become infected despite the best efforts of responsible users.