Everything works better when it's clean. Not to mention that clutter kills. That is why it's important to clean your computer regularly and this jump is every bit good a time as any.

Merely as a computer with an uncluttered hard drive runs better and faster, a computer with no grit build-up in it runs cooler, and thus better and faster. Add a make clean monitor, keyboard, and mouse and the computer is merely more pleasurable to use.

At that place's a lot to doing a good cleaning, merely it tin go very quickly. Due to the number of steps and details, this article volition exist cleaved into two parts; physically cleaning your figurer and cleaning out the 'insides' of the computer meaning Windows and your hard drive.

Permit's expect at the all-time means to physically clean your Windows computer.

Cleaning the Physical Parts of Your Figurer

Exercise NOT do whatsoever of the physical cleaning of a computer that is turned on or has power still attached or in it. Unplug your computer or its components before cleaning them.

You'll too want to bleed whatsoever residual or static electricity from the calculator or laptop. Following are the steps to take for a desktop PC and a laptop. Static electricity is a real threat to you and your estimator. Information technology can give y'all nasty daze or permanently harm your computer.

Draining Residual and Static Electricity from a Desktop PC

  • Plow off the computer through your operating system, like you lot normally would.
  • Unplug the calculator from the wall.
  • Drain off whatsoever static electricity by touching a metal part of the case, not whatever of the components inside.
  • Drain residual electricity by pressing and holding in the power button for about twenty seconds.

Draining Residual and Static Electricity from a Laptop

  • Plough off your laptop through your operating system, like yous normally would.
  • Unplug the power cable from the wall and unplug the ability block or converter from your laptop.
  • Remove the laptop battery if possible. For some new laptops this is not possible unless you open the case of your laptop. Nosotros practice not suggest doing that.
  • Drain off any static electricity by touching a metallic part of the case, non any of the components inside.
  • Drain residual electricity by pressing and holding in the power button for nearly xx seconds.

Liquids and Computers

Never apply liquid cleaners or water directly to whatever function of the reckoner. Ever dampen the cloth, cotton swab, or magic eraser and apply that to clean. It should simply be clammy enough to merely know that information technology is not dry out.

Water, or liquids, and electricity do Not mix. Water and most liquids are excellent conductors of electricity, so even the smallest amount of it volition conduct electricity.

That can cause a short circuit in your computer or make an electrical connection between you and the computer causing you pain and possibly severe injury. In the extreme example, it can even result in death.

Likewise allow your computer enough fourth dimension to completely air dry out before reconnecting power and turning information technology on. It shouldn't take long if your material was only slightly damp, peradventure 5 minutes or and then. If you lot can wait longer, do so.

Using Canned or Compressed Air Safely with Computers

To remove loose dust and clay, nothing beats canned or compressed air. Just there are some safety concerns when using air under pressure, for yous and your figurer.

  • Do Not apply an air compressor that is non specifically designed for utilise with computers. Ordinary air compressors tin use too much pressure and dislodge pocket-sized reckoner components. They also can have moisture and grease in the air stream which tin can cause a short circuit in your computer.
  • Habiliment safety glasses and a dust mask. The glasses will assist protect your eyes from any droppings that may get diddled into them. The dust mask is to forestall you lot from inhaling the dust. Information technology's just nasty. Plus, the grit can incorporate traces of heavy metals like mercury or lead. If you lot're cleaning computers every day, these metals tin can build upwardly in your system and damage your health.
  • When using canned air, follow all the instructions on the can. Never spray information technology on yourself, and always go along the can upright when using it. The propellant can cause frostbite-similar burns to your skin. Keeping the tin can upright also prevents the propellant from coming out as a flare-up of liquid, which could cause damage to your computer.

Now that you're sufficiently prepared for safety, let's get on to cleaning the physical parts of the figurer.

What You'll Need for Cleaning

  • Two clean, dry microfiber wearing apparel or soft lint-free cloth. Ane to dampen and one to keep clean and dry out.
  • Cotton wool swabs, like Q-tips. At that place is a kind that has very pointed ends which are great at getting into the bezel edge and other hard to reach places.
  • Screen cleaning liquid. Practise NOT apply anything with ammonia or alcohol in information technology. You tin buy screen cleaning fluid, or you tin can brand a mix of virtually a half-cup of h2o and a half teaspoon of white vinegar or two drops of a gentle dish soap like original Dawn.
  • For the rest of the calculator, any cleaning solution meant for hard surfaces will piece of work. Your screen cleaning solution will work too.
  • Canned air.
  • 97% rubbing alcohol. (Optional for deep cleaning effectually electronic parts. If you're not comfortable with cleaning electrical contacts, skip this. Better safe than pitiful.)
  • Magic eraser if the keyboard or computer case is specially dirty.

How to Make clean a Computer Screen or Monitor

The computer screen, or monitor, is your view into your reckoner'due south earth. What shows up there is ultimately why we apply the computer in the first identify. So why not proceed it clean and clear? Easy to read and easy to run across means easier to use.

Steps to Make clean Your Screen

  • Turn off your monitor and unplug it from the power if possible. If it'southward a laptop, ability off the laptop. This is to preclude damage or injury to you or the screen if some liquid should somehow get in to the electronics.
  • Use the dry microfiber fabric to wipe downward the entire screen, the bezel or outside edge, and the back of the screen. This volition remove the loose dust and clay.
  • With the canned air, spray it into any tight spots that look similar they have dust in them.
  • Use the Q-tip to get into the tight corners where the bezel meets the screen to get any wedged in dust or dirt.
  • Spray or wet the microfiber cloth with your screen cleaning solution. The cloth should exist but slightly clammy to the touch. You don't want it wet enough that information technology might baste. Do NOT spray information technology on the screen or computer. Liquids and electronics practise not mix. Wipe down the screen to remove whatever remaining dust, dirt, or fingerprints.
  • Using the 2nd dry out microfiber cloth, dry out off and polish your screen. Going in circles helps avoid leaving streaks.
  • Leave the screen to completely air dry before turning it on once again.
  • Plow on the screen again and check for whatever missed spots. If you missed a spot or two, you tin can probably clean them up with the dry cloth. If it needs the moisture fabric, unplug the monitor and effort cleaning information technology again.

How to Clean a Keyboard and Mouse

Steps to Clean Your Keyboard

  • Unplug your keyboard from the estimator. If you have a laptop, ensure it is turned off, unplugged, battery removed, and follow the Draining Residual and Static Electricity steps above.
  • Plough your keyboard upside-downwards and shake it out. If it's not a laptop keyboard, you tin try gently borer information technology on a hard surface while it's upside-down. Exist prepared to be a fiddling grossed out. Fifty-fifty if y'all never eat effectually your reckoner, stuff will fall out that only looks a bit nasty. Make clean that off with your cloth before proceeding.
  • Utilise the canned air to blow off any remaining dust or debris.
  • Gently wipe your soft, dry, lint-complimentary material across the keys to get the very terminal bits.
  • If possible, apply a damp cotton swab to clean just under the keys and the crevices of the keyboard.
  • Dampen your cloth with your cleaning solution and wipe down the keyboard, so clean each key individually. If in that location's a build-up of dirt on some keys, you lot may need to scrub a little bit harder or use a slightly damp magic eraser.
  • Use the dampened material to clean the entire length of the keyboard cable. Pay attention to whether it snags or non. If information technology snags, in that location is likely damage to the cablevision which tin can crusade bug. Information technology is safest to replace the keyboard.

Steps to Clean Your Mouse or Touchpad

  • Unplug your mouse from the reckoner. If you have a laptop, ensure it is turned off, unplugged, battery removed, and the power drained.
  • Use the canned air to blow off any loose dust or debris.
  • Gently wipe your soft, dry, lint-free material across the entire mouse or touchpad surface.
  • If needed, use a clammy cotton swab to clean in the crevices of the mouse or touchpad.
  • Dampen your material with your cleaning solution and wipe down the mouse or touchpad. If there'due south a buildup of dirt, you may need to scrub a little fleck harder or use a slightly clammy magic eraser.
  • Employ the dampened fabric to clean the entire length of the mouse cable. Pay attention to whether it snags or non. If it snags, there is likely harm to the cable which can crusade issues. Over again, your safest option is to replace the mouse.

Steps to Make clean Your Computer or Laptop in General

Turn off your computer or laptop and follow the Draining Residual and Static Electricity steps to a higher place.

Remove all cables from the calculator.

Apply the canned air to blow out whatever vents or ports on the computer. Be prepared for large puffs of dust. Exercise this until no more than visible grit comes out.

If you're working on a PC that you can take the cover off, do that and blow out all dust within. This is a good alter to visually inspect your computer components for any damage or degradation.  Then go back to cleaning the exterior of the reckoner.

If you're working on a laptop, at that place may exist panels that tin be removed for access to your hard drive or RAM. If you're comfortable with doing this, remove the panels and use the canned air to accident out any dust.

  • Use a cotton swab dampened with cleaning fluid to work dirt out of any crevices or vents.
  • Utilise a cotton swab dampened with rubbing booze to piece of work dirt out of any ports.
  • Use your dry cloth to wipe off any loose dust or debris.
  • Dampen your cloth with your cleaner and wipe down the exterior of the PC or laptop.
  • If necessary, use the magic eraser to go any tough marks off it.
  • With your damp cloth, clean the entire length of whatever cables continued to the reckoner; power, monitor, USB, whatever. Cheque the cables and ends for whatever sort of damage and repair or replace them. This too gives you an opportunity to organize your cables so there'south less ataxia around y'all.
  • A cotton wool swab dampened with rubbing alcohol tin be used to clean the contacts in the ends of the cables, if you feel it's necessary. Once y'all have, let the cables sit and air dry for at least 5 minutes earlier reconnecting them. Inspect them to make sure they are completely dry out.
  • Replace the cables making sure they are fully seated and secured and go back to enjoy using your computer.

All Make clean

Your estimator is now almost as clean as when it came out of the box. And I bet you feel meliorate almost it as well. I guarantee your computer feels better too. Now air can properly flow through the computer keeping it cool and running fast.

The contacts on your cables are now clean and well-seated assuasive the components of your computer to talk to each other better. If you've tidied up the cables, you probably accept more than room on your desktop and less tripping hazards around you.

If you found damaged cables and repaired or replaced them, your computer will run better AND safer. This whole procedure took yous about a half an hour.

Was that 30 minutes' worth information technology to y'all? Stay tuned for part two of this article on how to clean out the 'insides' of your computer past tuning up Windows and your hard drive.