How To Clean Your Computer¹

See also: How-To..., Lesson #10, Maintaining your Computer

Once you've owned your computer for awhile, you'll realize that electrical equipment attracts dust and dirt like nobody's business. Even in the most carefully kept household, dust and dirt will find their way into and onto your computer.

When dust settles onto the circuit board inside your machine casing, the efficiency of the electrical pathway is compromised, and performance suffers.

Eventually damage occurs and expensive repairs become necessary. Here's how to keep your computer clean and running smoothly.

Take a look at your monitor owner's manual. If it specifically warns the user not to use commercial glass cleaner, it's got a particularly delicate anti-glare coating. In this case, you should follow the manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedure. This is a rare consideration.

Use very little soap in your water (about one drop dishwashing liquid to a quart of water), as you don't want to leave any residue on the computer casing.

Turn off and unplug both the computer and the monitor. If you are going to clean the inside of the computer, disconnect the monitor, keyboard, and all peripherals. Move the computer away from them, as you'll be blowing dust all over the place. Let the monitor cool down for at least ten minutes before cleaning it, so that moisture won't come in contact with it while still hot.

Cleaning the monitor casing and screen

First, spray a bit of the soapy water onto a clean cloth. Then:

• Wipe down the monitors' casing, being careful not to let the cloth get wet enough to drip liquid into the vents.
• If the casing is particularly smudged, scrub a little, but try hard not to let the cloth touch the screen. When cleaning around any control knobs or buttons, be extra sure that the cloth is not too wet.
• Now spray a little glass cleaner onto another clean rag, not directly on the screen itself. Wipe gently, making sure to get the corners. Be careful not to squeeze any liquid between the casing and the screen. By doing the screen last, any stray water residue left from cleaning the casing will be removed.

Clean up the keyboard

To do a proper job, you'll need a can of compressed air, available at your computer supply store.

• Insert the plastic extension into the compressed air can's nozzle. Next, insert the end of the extension between the rows of keys, and blow out any dust that's accumulated. Be careful to use short bursts of air, as longer bursts increase the chance of condensation inside the can which can blow into the keyboard.
• Now wipe down the keys and surfaces with a clean part of the cloth sprayed with a bit of the soapy water. Again, be careful not to let the cloth get wet enough to allow any water into crevices.
• Clean the keyboard cable as well, by wrapping your cloth around it and passing it through.

Dust that computer box, inside and out

• The inside of your computer does not have to be cleaned often, but it should be cleaned several times a year.
• Look in your owner's manual: it will tell you how to open your computer casing. (These instructions are generally found in the section that tells you how to add expansion cards.) Check that the unit is unplugged. Before cracking the case, be careful to dissipate any static electricity by touching heavy metal objects, such as chairs and desks. Don't shuffle your feet on the carpet, and move around as little as possible while the casing is open.
• Once the top of the case is off, you'll be able to see the circuit board and lots of other stuff. Take the can of air and with the extension, blow out all the dust. Work in one constant direction, and reach into crevices to get it all (don't force the extension between anything, though). There's no need to touch any part of the circuit board. Finish it off by removing the extension from the can, and blowing a few short blasts over the computer, to help keep any disturbed dust from settling back in. Before putting the top back on, blow out the stuff that's collected in the vents.
• Once you've put the top back onto your computer, you can clean the outside. Spray some cleaning water onto a clean section of cloth, and wipe down the case. Be careful not to let water get into any openings or into the drives.
• It's a good idea to clean floppy drives every once in a while. Now's a good time to do it. Just follow the instructions that come with the floppy cleaner.

Sponge bathe your mouse

When your mouse starts to skip, it's time for a cleaning. You can minimize the amount of stuff that's picked up by keeping it clean and using a mouse pad. Always turn off the computer before disconnecting your mouse.

• Disconnect the mouse, and turn it upside down. You'll find a little cover that either rotates counterclockwise or slides in one direction.
• Rotate or slide the little cover, and it will come off and allow you to take out the ball inside. Wipe the ball with the cloth that's been sprayed with cleaning water, and black gunk will come off. Dry it off and set it aside.
• Inside the mouse itself, you'll find three little rollers, or rolling bars. Take a cotton swab and twirl the tip between your fingers to reduce the chance of any material coming off of it. Slightly dampen the cotton swab with just a little water or alcohol. Clean the rollers with the swab, using your fingers if necessary to pick out bits of gunk.
• Place the dry ball back in the mouse and close it up.
• Put it back together again.

Make sure that everything's dry before plugging it all together again. Nothing should have gotten wet enough to be a problem. But if "dry" is in any way doubtful, wait a bit longer.

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¹Reference: computerjournal.com, Sept, 2000.