How Do I Clean My Computer?

You know you shouldn't, but admit it, sometimes you eat and drink near your computer. Maybe you have kids who like to poke at your screen or you just take your computer with you everywhere. No matter how you treat your computer, it's bound to need a good cleaning sooner or later. Smears on the screen, gunk on the trackpad or mouse, stuff under the keyboard, all kinds of things can make your computer not only look gross, but also affect its functionality.

The first thing I generally recommend is to give it a good spray down with some canned air. You can buy canned air from most electronic stores or departments (picture below), and it really is just pressurized air in a can. Keep the can upright, aim at the keyboard and/or heat vents and spray. This will kick up a lot of the small things hiding out below your keys or in the vents that keep your computer from working smoothly. Note: Do NOT hold the can upside down! Canned air contains small amounts of liquid nitrogen that can freeze items on contact. This can be dangerous not only to your computer, but to yourself as well.

To clean the body of the computer you have more options. There are numerous sprays, wipes and other things sold that you can apply to the outside of your computer to get stuck on gunk off.  Make sure you verify that it's safe to use on your kind of computer and the parts of the computer you're looking to clean. For example, Macs are made out of an aluminum alloy that may smear when cleaned with some products (I've had good luck with iClear on my Macbook Pro), and even on PCs, some cleaners aren't designed to work on the screen of the computer and can discolor or smear as well.

If you're looking for something cheaper than actual computer cleaner, a common item held in my electronic-cleaning arsenal is good old denatured alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Microfiber clothes are inexpensive and don't leave any small fibers when used for cleaning unlike paper towels, cotton balls or dish rags. Put a small amount of alcohol on the cloth (NOT on the computer directly) and wipe the area that needs cleaning. The added benefit of using alcohol is that it also works as an anti-microbial, killing any germs that may be lingering on your precious device. This is also the way I recommend cleaning a computer monitor, or any electronic screen for that matter.

Practical Tip of the Day: NEVER EVER ever use water to clean your computer! Remember, water is bad for electronics, so keep it far away. Most computer cleaners are made to be used sparingly, and if you use alcohol to clean your computer, make sure the cloth is damp, but not dripping. Even a small amount of liquid can cause irreparable damage to your computer!


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