Cleaning, disinfection and maintenance – how to take care of your computer equipment
In addition to regular hand disinfection and washing, whether you work in an office or at home, it is a good habit to regularly clean and tidy up your workspace. How to do it safely?
Daily and periodic cleaning of computer equipment
When we think about maintaining computers or laptops, we usually focus on the need to make backups, delete unnecessary files, and “clean up” the computer after months of mess in the downloads folder or trash. Let’s not forget, however, that the external elements of our equipment also deserve a little attention and care – it is worth wiping the keyboard, monitor, or mouse from dust and dirt from time to time, and also blowing compressed air through the computer fans so that they do not become completely clogged with dust and cat fluff over time. How regularly should you do this?
Daily care of computer equipment
The most frequently cleaned computer equipment should be the keyboard and mouse. During the pandemic, when we are all trying to protect ourselves from bacteria, viruses and all kinds of germs, a quick wipe can be done even every day, preferably after finishing work. Remember that we carry the most germs on our hands, which can then easily be transferred to the keyboard and from there, for example, to the face. To clean the keyboard and mouse, you can use commercially available computer cleaning agents, but also isopropyl alcohol, the high concentration of which means that it evaporates quickly and is safe for electronics, but at the same time effectively removes greasy dirt and germs.
Disconnect the keyboard and mouse from the computer, clean the spaces between the keys with compressed air (to blow out crumbs and dust), then use a cloth or cotton swab soaked in a solution of isopropyl alcohol and demineralized water (7:3 ratio) and clean all the keys and spaces between the keys. Clean the mouse and touchpad on the laptop in the same way.
Periodical computer maintenance
You don’t have to wipe your computer or laptop screen every day, but it’s worth doing so when you notice dust or fingerprints on it. Use a special preparation or damp cloths for this purpose, and always use only soft materials, such as microfiber cloths. It’s also worth dusting your computer periodically – both laptops with small ventilation holes and larger desktop computers absorb a lot of dust during the airing process. This, getting into individual internal components, can disrupt their operation over time, cause the computer to hang up, and in some cases even stop the fans completely.
You can clean the inside of your laptop every six months, or once a year if you use your computer relatively infrequently. However, to ensure the process is safe, it is a good idea to do it after opening the device so as not to squeeze dust inside. If you are not sure and do not want to disassemble it yourself, take the device to a service center. You can also ask the service to replace the thermal paste – fresh paste will reduce the risk of overheating and in some models may affect the speed of the device.
How to safely clean computer equipment?
How you clean and maintain your computer and its accessories has a huge impact on the safety of your equipment, its durability and service life. Plain water, products not intended for contact with electronics or scratching surfaces will not work well on the screen, touchpad or keys and can cause a lot of damage – from unsightly scratches to internal destruction of electronics, the effects of which may only become visible after some time. What is worth remembering?
Never spray products directly onto your equipment, unless it is a special mist (so-called dry mist) or compressed air designed for cleaning and vacuuming equipment. Always sprinkle special foams, sprays or even a solution of isopropanol with demineralized water first onto a soft microfiber cloth or a cotton bud (if you want to reach smaller spaces), and only wipe the equipment when it is switched off and unplugged. If you do not feel confident, do not disassemble the computer yourself, and if you feel it is necessary (to clean the fans and remove dust from the inside of the laptop), take it to a service center to ensure complete safety and to avoid accidentally damaging sensitive components.
