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June 23, 2006
Spring Cleaning
Dear Larry,
How can I go about cleaning my computer...the actual
machine, that is?
D. R.
Dear D. R.,
Good question! We spend so much time worrying about cleaning
the virtual information on our computers that we sometimes overlook the actual
physical hardware. And while cleaning a computer won’t cause it to run faster or
better, it will help it to last longer and look nicer.
The first question is how often. This is going to vary from
user to user, but start with every three months. If after three months, your
computer appears especially pristine, you can probably go as long as six months.
But if you see a build-up of pet hair, carpet fibers, or smoke residue, clean it
more often.
First of all, unplug the power cord from the computer. Start
with the outside of the case or tower. Use a lint-free cloth that’s lightly damp
with a household spray cleaner. Be sure to clean any fans or vent holes, and use
a vacuum attachment if you can see hair, fibers, or dust bunnies in these areas.
Use a compressed air can (available at Staples or Radio Shack) to get at
hard-to-reach places. You might also want to be a little brave and clean the
inside of the computer (it can get pretty murky in there and, believe it or not,
over time spiders will find it conducive to building webs). Every computer case
is different so you’ll have to figure out how to open your particular computer
tower. Once again, compressed air is best for cleaning the inside. A battery
operated vacuum made for computer cleaning can also be used as long as you don’t
touch any of the components. If you’re very careful, you can use the plastic
tube attachment on a handheld power vacuum, but keep it several inches away from
the actual hardware; if you’re careless, you can damage part of the computer
circuitry or zap the motherboard with static electricity.
Before cleaning your LCD monitor screen, a few precautions are
in order. Never apply too much pressure to the screen or touch it directly with
your fingers. In addition, never spray any liquids directly on the screen. Start
with a dry, soft cotton or anti-static cloth (a paper towel will likely cause
scratching). If necessary, apply a small amount of regular rubbing alcohol to
the cloth or dampen it slightly with water to remove stains or fingerprints, but
again be careful not to apply too much pressure. Note that a standard glass, CRT
monitor (as opposed to a flat panel monitor) can be cleaned as if it were a pane
of glass.
Use compressed air to clean your computer keyboard. You can
also spray a little disinfectant on a lint-free cloth to clean the keys. If you
spill something on the keyboard, I suggest you simply replace it (assuming it’s
not part of a laptop).
If there’s a ball on the bottom of your mouse, you can easily
twist off the retaining cover, remove the ball, and clean the inside rollers
(there are usually three of them) with a small, flat-head screwdriver by
scraping away the build-up of muck. If repeated cleanings don’t help, replace
the mouse, preferably with an optical mouse that doesn’t require cleaning.
Again, use a disinfectant on a lint-free cloth to clean the outside of the
mouse. And don’t forget to keep your mouse pad clean, too!
Compressed air and a lightly damp cloth can also be used on a
printer. But dirt build-up on rollers and other internal parts may require a
professional.
Finally, remember: a clean computer is a happy computer...or
at least a clean computer!
This is Larry Schneider, logging off.
