Electronics, such as computers and peripherals, get dirty so fast. One day you make some time to have the dust-free and the next day it feels like you did nothing to clean them! What you really need is to give them a good scrub down to be able to prologue their life by keeping them clean.
No, we are not just talking about blowing out that loose dust bunny or shake out that bread crumb. The point is to make cleaning your gadgets a habit and get down to it not when it’s absolutely necessary.
Here, you will find some useful tips as to how to clean the most used gadgets effectively and, of course, with the speed of light!
1. Laptop & TVs
Don’t feel intimidated. Cleaning your laptop and maintaining its sparkly looks is not as difficult as you might think. As long as you are willing to provide that extra care required, you’ll have no issues making your laptop feel like new.
Steps:
• Shut down properly and unplug from the wall.
• Remove the battery.
• Get rid of debris lodged underneath or between the keys (like you’d do with a normal keyboard –see below).
• Blot some rubbing alcohol onto a microfiber cloth.
• Go over the keys with the cloth (gently).
• Blow out dust bunnies using spray compressed air into the ports and vents of the laptop.
• Use another lint-free cloth (dry) and go over the screen to remove stains and smudges.
As for computer monitors and HDTVs, they can be cleaned with just a lint-free cloth. However, for that little extra treatment, you can use warm water and add a drop of dish soap, although a Swiffer is more than effective in removing dust.
Points to Note:
- Never use abrasives (see Windex), solvents or sprays to clean your laptop and TV.
- Only use warm water and no other solution.
- Any kinds of liquids should not be used.
- Don’t spray liquid on the screen (directly).
- Don’t use a hard cloth that might scratch the surface.
- Don’t remove stubborn stains with a sharp object or your fingernails. You’ll most likely damage the device.
2. Keyboards & Mice
It’s like a bomb of dust particles explodes every night. The truth is that whether we use our keyboards at home or the office – or even both – chances are they don’t get cleaned on a regular basis. To save ourselves the guilt, here’s what we can do to sleep sound at nights!
• Shut down your computer or unplug your keyboard.
• Turn it upside down and try to loosen any crumbs, hair, and other debris (shake vigorously).
• Get rid of any remaining debris by spraying compressed air between the keys. This will loosen debris a bit more so that it’s effectively removed.
• Give your keyboard a spa-like treatment and go over the keys with a cotton swab dabbed (just lightly) with rubbing alcohol. And, don’t forget the empty spaces, too! The accumulated grime and dirt that will come out will definitely surprise you.
Since you’ll be giving your keyboard and other peripherals a good clean, it wouldn’t hurt to go over the mouse with a couple of cotton swabs dabbed with rubbing alcohol, tool! Although mice are impressively resilient to dirt, they could use a scrub down every now and then!
3. Game Controllers
Don’t be mistaken here. Game controllers may seem easy to clean, but once you get down to cleaning, you’ll quickly find out that they aren’t. Yes, you can scrub them with a baby wipe and be done with, but if you want to give them a good cleaning, you’ll have to use toothpicks to get into the seams and crevices that hold them together! Since they are used my many people over the years (see friends with sticky hands), it’s good to be more thorough when it comes to their hygiene, every once in a while. For more details on how to properly clean your control pads, check out our blog!
4. Tablets & Smartphones
I am sure most of you wipe your tablet or smartphone with a clean, soft cloth when you come across one, but touch devices need a bit more than that. Better get a microfiber cloth and get in the habit of cleaning everyone’s favorite devices with it.
5. Cameras
If you were willing to spend a ton of money on a new digital Mamiya Leaf Credo 80 and some lenses, then you should definitely know how to keep it in mint condition for as long as possible. The great news is that it won’t be as difficult as you may have imagined. In fact, if you are careful not to expose the camera in harmful debris, water or sand, you’ve done half the job already. Even if you are using a weather-proof model, it’s best to stay on the safe side and take extra care when the weather conditions are not ideal.
To clean the body, remove any debris using a soft brush (lenses on). Do the same for the LCD screen and Viewfinder and finish your cleaning with a soft cloth that will allow you to remove smudges. As for the filters and lenses, use either a soft brush or a blower to remove dirt. Follow with a cleaning cloth that has been specifically designed for that purpose and wipe the glass.
Tip: Lenspen products are much preferred due to their effectiveness in cleaning such gear. Keep a couple of them handy (they are easy to carry around) for when you’ll need them.
6. Speakers
Like keyboards, speakers are dirt magnets. Luckily, cleaning them doesn’t take much time, special materials or effort. To clean your computer or home theatre speakers, you only need to gently go over their grille with a lint roller.
All in all, you should enrich your cleaning armory with some soft cloths and be careful not to pour any liquid or solution directly onto your favorite devices. And, for the times you are in doubt, better search for more refined cleaning and maintenance instructions that you can find in the particular product’s manual.
Oh, BTW, did you know that the home is a germ paradise? Don’t worry, though. You can easily have a super-clean and germ-free home in just a few minutes every day! And, here’re some eco-friendly cleaning products you could use!
You may also want to check out some cool office cleaning hacks, too! Happy browsing!