Just to add a little bit to this thread.
Running the programs mentioned is definitely a good idea. But running these programs is a remedy, whereas you should be looking towards prevention.
In almost all cases you could've prevented the nasty things (that the spyware/adware removal tool finds) from getting onto your computer by following a few simple rules.
1. Stop and think before you install any program. Do you trust the creator ? Virus scan it before installing if you're not sure. Go to google and type in the name of the program and spyware, see if there have been complaints before. Many 'reputable' companies will piggyback spyware on the back of their software. Never run anything you receive by email from an untrusted source, even if they are trusted they may not realise what they send contains a virus of spyware.
2. Keep your software up to date. Run windows update regularly and it will keep your Operating System and Internet Explorer up to date. The only possible drawback to this is that an update may be incompatible with your existing 3rd party software. This incompatibility is very rare and most people pick the lesser of two evils and keep their software as up to date as possible.
3. Turn browser acceptance of Cookies off, if a site needs them you can grant it permission. Cookies in themselves aren't harmful they're just text. However the main reasons people dislike them are people can use them to track your website viewnig habits, a possible breach of your privacy. The other reason is that depending upon which sites you visit (I'm guilty) you may find cookies along the lines of 'sextracker.com' stored on your computer, some people don't want to leave files like that lying around.
4.Ensure you have a good firewall and up to date antivirus.
If these rules are new to you, follow them and you're in better shape than you were before
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