Tips On Computer Cleaning

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How To Properly Clean Your Computer

Your computer is a magnet for dust, hair, dirt, and all kinds of well… gunk!

To keep your computer working properly, it’s important to keep it clean. Dust builds up over time inside and on top of the components, clogging filters, reducing air circulation, and eventually causing overheating. The problem is that most people are afraid that while cleaning their computers and peripherals, they will end up damaging the the sensitive electrical components in some way.

The majority of computer owners won’t even open up their computer cases.

If you want to keep it in excellent shape, we can help you clean your computer the right way.

Cleaning Your Monitor

Keeping your monitor clean is the easiest maintenance project you can do.

If you have an older, CRT monitor, dusting your monitor is simple. You can even use a tissue.

Newer LCD monitors shouldn’t be dusted with tissues as they tend to pull the lint from the tissue at an alarming rate.

All you need, however, is a soft, lint-free cloth. Microfiber cloths used to clean eye glasses work very well.

Keep one on your computer desk for periodic dusting of your monitor as it’s needed.

If you have spots on your monitor, it’s safest to buy a container of cloths specifically designed for cleaning LCD monitors. If you use products containing ammonia or ethyl alcohol, you can do damage. The cloths are expensive, but if you use a soft cloth for dusting your monitor on a regular basis, you won’t go through the container of disposable cloths for a long time.

Don’t press too hard when cleaning your monitor. When you clean fingerprints and dirt from the monitor frame, an all-purpose cleaner sprayed on a cloth (never spray close to the monitor) will do fine.

Cleaning Keyboards and the Mouse

The parts of your computer that get the dirtiest are your keyboard and mouse. Even if you don’t eat or drink near your computer, your hands transfer all kinds of oil, dirt, and germs.

Particles and crumbs easily fall into the keyboard, and you might not even notice it’s dirty until a key begins to stick.

The good news is that your keyboard is remarkably tough. Below the keys, all of the parts are fairly well protected under a layer of plastic film.

The first step is to power down your computer. Then you should disconnect the keyboard from the computer and hold it upside down over a trash can. Shake and tap the back of the keyboard to help crumbs and dirt fall out of the keyboard. You can get special keyboard vacuums, but quite frankly, they are not very effective. Vacuuming usually isn’t necessary, but if you want to, you can simply use the brush attachment from your vacuum cleaner.

If the keys are dirty, you can put a little bit of alcohol on a cloth and run it over the keys.

If you have a sticky key, you can dip a Q-tip into rubbing alcohol and trace around the outside of the key. Unless you have a problem, don’t take apart your keyboard. Even with a few particles or hair in the keyboard, it will function just fine. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

After periods of illness, it’s a good idea to spray the keyboard with Lysol or go over it with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol.

If you have an older mouse with a ball, unlock the ball compartment, clean the ball with a damp cloth and blow out the ball area.

Optical mice are easier to clean. Simply use a cloth dampened with alcohol or all-purpose spray and wipe down the mouse.

Cleaning Computer Components

It’s time to open up your computer. Don’t worry – it’s very easy, and you won’t ruin it.

Power down your computer, disconnect everything from the back (you might make a few notes if you’re unsure where everything goes or your computer isn’t clearly color-coded).

Now it’s time to figure out how your computer opens. Most of the newer computers have one large twist screw that you easily unscrew with your fingers (to the left).

Older computers may require that you unscrew two small screws. Once the screw is out, one panel should easily slide off the computer case.

You should now be gasping at all of the hair and dust bunnies inside your computer! Now it’s time to get out the can of compressed air.

Before you go nuts spraying everywhere, there are a few guidelines you need to remember:

• Pay attention to where you’re spraying. The dust bunnies don’t just disappear, so you have to make sure that you spray toward an opening in the computer case.
• Don’t shake the can of compressed air!
• When you spray, make sure that the spray opening is at least 4” away from where you are spraying.
• Don’t touch anything you don’t have to including ribbons, cards, and cables.
• Spray out the power supply fan. It’s the fan right next to where you plug in the electrical cord.
• Don’t use any kind of cleaners, cloth, or paper towels inside the computer.

Cleaning Your Computer Peripherals

It’s time to give your other computer gadgets a once over.

CD/DVD laser cleaning discs are inexpensive and will clean the laser on your CD/DVD-ROM drive. It’s simple, and you can use it periodically to keep your drive running smoothly.

The inside of your printer can be sprayed with compressed air. Your printer software likely has an option to clean your printer nozzles.

Be careful when cleaning flatbed scanners. Don’t spray cleaner directly onto the glass surface. A cleanser that is used for eyeglasses and a soft cloth (your monitor cloth or an old T-shirt) will work well.