Cleaning Around Your Computer
teresa@drakehs.com

Most times, when I dig someone's computer out from underneath their desk, they immediately start apologizing for how dirty and dusty it is. The carpet has dustbunnies. There's a layer of fuzz on the top of the PC tower. Maybe the fan inside is semi-clogged with lint and the wires are coated with dust. Having a dusty computer on the inside is nothing to be ashamed of. Let's face it, computers are going to accumulate dust on the inside no matter how clean of an environment they are in. With all the fans moving air about dirt is bound to get stuck on the inside of your computer.

The outside, however is a different story!

Recently, I have been told by three different clients that they have a cleaning service clean their office. All three clients expressed the same concern: the cleaning staff never cleans the computers, monitors or printers. Give it some thought-that may not be a bad thing. The cleaning staff doesn't want to be responsible for damaging expensive equipment they aren't familiar with, so they clean around it the best they can. It may be a good idea to assign the task of cleaning the electronic equipment in your office to the person or persons who actually use it.

Below are some tips to help keep your computer clean and tidy, and free of exterior dust. That way, when the Drake consultant shows up to dig out your computer, you can proudly point to the spic-and-span tower underneath your desk and say "that one's mine."

First, invest in a Swiffer Duster. A Swiffer Duster is available just about everywhere regular cleaning supplies are sold, will fluff out and can be used on places that harsh chemicals shouldn't be used - such as LCD screens, CRT monitors, keyboards, and some plastic components. Dust attracts to Swiffer Dusters, so rather than smearing it around, you're actually picking it up. These can be used on top of keyboards, behind the monitor, around the tower, any place that may be tight to get to.

Next, we need to clean that delicate LCD. You know you aren't supposed to touch it and poke at it, because it isn't made of glass like the old CRT you had. Instead, the LCD is made with a soft film that can easily become damaged by poking and prodding it. So, how do we clean this ever-so-precious piece of electronics? Check with the owner's manual before doing anything - READ what they suggest you do to clean their product. For safety purposes, shut down the computer and power off the LCD (this goes for CRT monitors as well). Using a lint-free cloth and NOT a paper towel, tissue or napkin, you can gently wipe the screen clean.

Sometimes, LCD monitors develop fingerprints and smudges which may need something more powerful than a dry cloth. If this is the case, then you could use distilled water or a mixture of ½ distilled water and ½ isopropyl alcohol. Put a little bit of this mixture on the cloth and apply gentle pressure to the stubborn smudges in a circular motion. Wipe clean and let it dry before powering on again. As mentioned, refer to the owner's manual for the manufactures recommendation to clean the equipment.

It is a good idea to clean out the inside of your computer on a regular basis as well. How often you do it is dependant upon how dirty of an environment you have the computer. Usually once a year is enough for normal operating conditions. Dustier environments may want to have their systems blown out more than that. I've seen computer towers so filthy that even the air holes were plugged with dust and dirt. This obviously isn't good, as the computer can no longer 'breathe' properly because airflow is severely restricted. If you are not comfortable opening up your computer's case and blowing it out, DON'T DO IT. Have your IT department do it for you. Lack of proper tools and know-how may end up blowing dirt right into the places you intended to avoid, or packing it into small spaces that become nearly impossible to clean. Use canned air to blow out a system. Air compressors can build up condensation, and that moisture can be blown into the computer - a very bad thing. Also, some air compressors can put out a hard stream of air, and too much pressure can be harmful to the equipment. Use of too much pressure from an air compressor can result in broken fan blades, loosened RAM clasps and data cables which could then cause bent pins on a hard drive or optical drive.

You can take a proactive role in keeping your computer clean as well. If you know your office is going to undergo some re-construction after hours, then do what is necessary to cover the equipment or move it to a safer place.