Computer components that become contaminated can cause your PC to run hotter, create a cloudy display, lead to paper jams in printers, make keyboards harder to type on, or result in scanners producing scratched images.
You can use various types of soft cloths with fine fibers—such as those used for cleaning glasses or camera lenses—to wipe surfaces, or you can use warm water with a cloth made from a clean 100% cotton t-shirt or fine fabric to remove dirt and stubborn stains.
For dry, soft cloths, you can use them to wipe away dust or fingerprints from surfaces. Remember to avoid using paper products like napkins, tissues, or toilet paper, as these types often have coarse fibers that can scratch your equipment.
Additionally, you can utilize compressed air cans—currently primarily gas-powered—to help clean hard-to-reach crevices that cloths cannot access, or areas with electrical wires.
Screens
CRT screens have glass surfaces, while LCD screens have plastic surfaces, which are also relatively easy to clean. First, use a dry, soft cloth along with a fine dust brush to remove any dust from the screen surface. For stubborn stains that are difficult to clean, you can use a slightly damp soft cloth.
Be careful to avoid using cleaning products that are alkaline. Soft cloths also help reduce static electricity on CRT screens after prolonged use. For ventilation slots on the screen, it’s best to use a vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust; avoid using compressed air cans as they can blow dust into the internal structure of the screen.
Computers
Laptops require soft cloths for gentle cleaning, or you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust, avoiding compressed air cans.
For keyboards, you should use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust, along with a fine brush or soft cloth. Remember never to remove the keys for cleaning, as this can damage your keyboard.
When cleaning inside the CPU, make sure to turn off the power and unplug all cables. When cleaning inside the case, ensure you are grounded and wear an anti-static wrist strap to prevent damage to electronic components. Use a vacuum cleaner to suck dust from areas with electrical circuits, electronic devices, and slots… avoid using cloth in these cases. Use compressed air to blow dust out of the case.
Scanners
When cleaning the scanning surface of a scanner—the area where the electronic eye moves to identify—you must use very fine damp cloths or specialized cloths designed for cleaning glass surfaces. Cleaning cloths or products containing alcohol or alkaline substances can scratch the scanner’s surface, reducing the quality of scanned images.
For scanners that scan one sheet of paper at a time, you should use a vacuum cleaner to remove paper dust or you can use specific cleaning paper designed for fax machines or ADFs to clean your scanner, or you can use regular paper treated with appropriate cleaning agents.
Printers and Other Devices…
For laser printers, you can use specialized cleaning paper. For dot matrix printers, you should run a cleaning cycle. If toner spills inside the printer cartridge, the best solution is to remove the cartridge and wash it.
For standard mice, you can use a vacuum cleaner, compressed air can, or a regular cloth to clean the exterior and the ball or scroll wheel. For optical mice, you should clean the light-emitting surface with a soft cloth dampened with alcohol. Remember to thoroughly clean the mouse’s cable system and connection ports.
