What is the Best Way to Clean a Computer?
Computers, like other household appliances, should be cleaned regularly. However, it’s important to make sure you understand what is the best way to clean a computer. If you’re not careful, your cleaning efforts could cause more harm than good.
How often a computer should be cleaned depends on the environment in which it is stored. You should clean a computer used by young children once a month, while a computer used by multiple workers in a business location should be cleaned once every three months. A single adult user who does not smoke and lives in a home with no pets, however, only needs to clean a computer once every five months.
To clean a computer, wipe the external components down with a soft cloth that has been moistened with rubbing alcohol. Cotton swabs can be used to reach small spaces in your keyboard and mouse when you clean a computer. A vacuum may be helpful for removing dirt, dust, or hair around the computer, but vacuums generate enough static electricity that they should never be used to clean internal computer components.
To clean a computer with an LCD/flat panel display monitor, it’s very important to avoid spraying cleaning chemicals directly onto the screen. The use of paper towels should also be avoided, since the monitor is fragile and easily scratched. Simply wiping the monitor with a soft dry cloth should be sufficient to remove most traces of dirt and fingerprints. For an exceptionally dirty monitor, you can lightly moisten the cloth with rubbing alcohol.
If you need to clean your computer’s CD-ROM drive, you can purchase a special cleaner for this task from any major electronics store. This cleaner is designed to make sure the laser is able to read your discs properly.
Cleaning your computer’s motherboard can be a complicated task. Compressed air can be used to remove dust, dirt, and hair. If you’re not careful, however, ElectroStatic Discharge (ESD) can destroy vital parts of your computer hardware. It is also difficult to prevent when you clean a computer, since it can occur even if you don’t feel a noticeable shock.
When you clean a computer, you may also wish to clean its accessories. To clean your computer’s scanner, simply spray household window cleaner onto a paper towel and wipe the glass clean. The outside of your computer printer can be wiped clean using a soft cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol, but you should refer to your printer’s instruction manual before attempting to clean any internal components.
Written by Dana Hinders
