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Quick links
Introduction
General cleaning tips
Cleaning tools
Case cleaning
CD-ROM / other disc drive cleaning
CD / DVD cleaning
Floppy drive cleaning
Hard Disk Drive cleaning
Headphones cleaning
Keyboard cleaning
Laptop cleaning
LCD cleaning
Monitor cleaning
Motherboard cleaning
Mouse cleaning
Palm Pilot cleaning
Printer cleaning
Scanner cleaning
SuperDisk cleaning
Introduction
| Cleaning your computer and your
computer components and peripherals helps keep the components
and computer in good working condition and helps keep the
computers from spreading germs. To the right is an
example image of how dirty the inside of your computer
case can get. This example is a dirty computer case fan. Depending on the environment that your computer operates in
determines how often you should clean your computer case. The
below list is our recommendation and may change depending
upon your computer's environment.
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- User who does not
smoke and has no pets - Clean the computer every
five months.
- User who does not smoke and has pets - Clean
the computer every four months.
- User who smokes but
has no pets - Clean the computer every three months.
- User who smokes and
has pets - Clean the computer every two months.
- Business with clean
office environment - Clean the computers every five
months.
- Business with clean
office environment; however, multiple users use each
computer - Clean the computer every three months.
- Business that is a
factory environment or allows smoking - Clean the
computer every two months.
- School computers with
young adult users - Clean the computer every three
months.
- School computers with
pre-teen users - Clean the computer every month. In
some cases, this may need to be weekly or daily.
General cleaning Tips
Below
is a listing of general tips that should be taken when
cleaning any of the components or peripherals of a computer
as well as tips to help keep a computer clean.
- Never spray or squirt any
type of liquid onto any computer component. If a spray
is needed, spray the liquid onto a cloth and then use
that cloth to rub down the component.
- Users can use a vacuum to
suck up dirt, dust, or hair around their computer on the
outside case and on their keyboards. However, do not
use a vacuum for the inside of your computer as it
generates a lot of static electricity that can damage
the internal components of your computer. If you need to
use a vacuum to clean the inside of your computer, use a
portable battery powered vacuum designed to do this job.
- When cleaning a component and/or the computer, turn it
off before cleaning.
- Never get any component inside the computer or any
other circuit board
damp or wet.
- Be cautious when using any type of cleaning solvents;
some individuals may have allergic reactions to
chemicals in cleaning solvents and some solvents can
even damage the case. Try to always use water or a
highly diluted solvent.
- When cleaning, be careful not to accidentally adjust
any knobs or controls. In addition, when cleaning the back
of the computer, if anything is plugged in, make sure not
to disconnect any of the plugs.
- When cleaning fans, especially the smaller fans within
a portable computer or laptop it's suggested that you
either hold the fan or place something in-between the
fan blades to prevent it from spinning. Spraying
compressed air into a fan or cleaning a fan with a
vacuum may cause damage to some fans or in some cases
cause back voltage.
- Never eat or drink around
the computer.
- Limit smoking around the
computer.
Cleaning
tools
Although
many companies have created products to help improve the
process of cleaning your computer and peripherals, users can
also use household items to clean their computers and
peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need or
want to use while cleaning your computer or computer
peripherals. Keep
in mind that some components in your computer may only be
able to be cleaned using a product designed for cleaning
that component; if this is the case, it will be mentioned in
the cleaning tips.
- Cloth
- A cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down a
component; although paper towels can be used with most
hardware, we recommend using a cloth when ever possible.
Caution: We only suggest you use a cloth when
cleaning components such as the outside of the case, a
drive, mouse, etc. You should not use a cloth to clean
any circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard.
- Water
or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is
best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may
be bad for the plastics used with your computer.
- Portable
Vacuum
- Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette particles, and
other particles out of a computer can be one of the best
methods of cleaning a computer. Over time, these items
can restrict the airflow in a computer and cause
circuitry to corrode. Do not use a standard vacuum as it
can generate a lot of static electricity that can damage
your computer.
- Cotton
swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing alcohol
or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach
areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations.
- Foam
swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free
swabs such as foam swabs.
Case
cleaning
Why? Keeps the appearance of
the computer looking new. During cleaning,
if ventilation locations are found, these can be cleaned helping the case keep a steady airflow
to the computer, keeping components cool and in good working
condition.
Procedure: The plastic case that houses the PC components can be
cleaned with a lint-free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn
stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. It is
recommended that you never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.
Make sure all vents and air
holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes
and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of
the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to
use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a
computer; however, if you need to clean the inside of the
computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum to prevent
static electricity.
If you are looking for steps
on cleaning the inside of the computer, please see our
motherboard
cleaning section.
Additional help:
Case Page
CD-ROM or other disc drive cleaning
Why? A dirty CD-ROM drive
or other disc drive can cause read errors with CD discs.
These read errors could cause software installation issues
or issues while running the program.
Procedure: To clean the CD-ROM
drive we recommend purchasing a CD-ROM cleaner
from your local retailer such as a local
Radio Shack.
Using a CD-ROM cleaner should sufficiently clean the CD-ROM laser from dust, dirt, and hair.
In addition to cleaning the drive with a special disc
designed to clean drives users can also use a cloth dampened
with water to clean the tray that ejects from the drive.
Make sure however that after the tray has been cleaned that
it completely dry before putting the tray back into the
drive.
Also see our CD cleaning
recommendation for steps on cleaning each of your CDs.
Additional help:
CD-ROM Page
CD
/ DVD cleaning
Why? Dirty CDs can cause read errors
and/or cause CDs to not work
at all.
Procedure: Cleaning
CDs and DVDs should be done with a cleaning kit but
can also be done with a normal clean cotton cloth or shirt. When doing this with a clean
cotton cloth or shirt, wipe against the tracks, starting from the
middle of the CD or DVD and wiping towards the outer side as
shown in the below picture. Never wipe with the tracks;
doing so may put more scratches on the disc.
It is recommended when cleaning a CD
that water is used. However, if the substance on a CD cannot be
removed using water, pure alcohol can also be used.
Additional help:
CD-ROM Page
Floppy
drive cleaning
Why? Dirty read/write heads on the floppy drive can cause errors
during the reading and/or writing process.
Procedures: The floppy drive can be cleaned two different ways.
The first method of cleaning a floppy drive, and our recommended
method, is to purchase a kit at your local retail store designed to
clean the read/write heads on your floppy drive.
The second method of cleaning the
floppy drive is only recommended for experienced computer users.
Open the floppy drive casing and physically swab the
read/write heads with a lint-free foam swab soaked in pure
alcohol, free-on, or trichloroethane. When performing
these steps, be extremely careful when cleaning the heads to
ensure that you do not lock them out of alignment causing the floppy drive to
not work. To help prevent the heads from becoming out of alignment, use a dabbing motion lightly
putting the swab on the head and removing it, do not perform a side-to-side
motion with the swab.
Additional help:
Floppy Drive Page
Hard
disk drive cleaning
Why? While hard drives cannot be cleaned physically, they can be
cleaned with various utilities on the computer to help it run fast and more
efficiently. Utilizing these utilities will prevent the hard drive from slowing
down.
Procedure:
Refer to our basic troubleshooting section
for your operating system for steps that can be done to help
improve the performance of your computer.
Additional help:
Hard Disk Drive Page
Headphones
cleaning
Why? Headphones that are used by multiple people may
need to be cleaned frequently to help prevent the spreading of
germs and head lice.
Procedure: If the headphones being used are plastic
and/or vinyl, moisten a cloth with warm water and rub the head
and earpieces of the headphones. As mentioned earlier in our
cleaning tips, it is recommended that if your headphones are being
used for a library or school that you do not use any type of
disinfectant or cleaning solvent as users may have allergic
reactions to the chemicals they contain.
Headphones that have cushions also have the
availability of having the cushions replaced. Replacing these cushions
can also help keep the headphones clean.
Finally, in regards to headphones and the spreading of head
lice, if multiple students are using your headphones, you should
consider having the students use their own headphones, using
bags that are placed over the headphones, or having headphones
that can be wiped with warm water after each student has used
the headphones.
Keyboard
cleaning
If you're trying to clean
a laptop keyboard see document
CH000780 for additional help and information. All of the
below information applies to standard desktop computer
keyboards.
Why?
Dirt, dust and hair can build up causing the keyboard to
not function properly.
Procedure: Many people clean the keyboard by turning it upside down
and shaking. A more effective method is to use compressed air. Compressed air is
pressurized air contained in a can with a very long nozzle. Simply aim the air between the
keys and blow away all of the dust and debris that has gathered there. A vacuum cleaner
can also be used, but make sure the keyboard doesn't have
loose "pop off" keys that could
possibly be sucked up by the vacuum.
Why?
If the keyboard has anything spilt into it (ie: pop, Pepsi,
Coke, beer, wine, coffee, milk, etc.), not taking the
proper steps can cause the keyboard to be destroyed.
Procedure: Below
are a few recommendations to help prevent a
keyboard from becoming bad once a substance has been spilt within it.
If anything is spilt onto the keyboard turn the computer
off immediately. Once the computer is turned off, quickly flip the keyboard over helping to
prevent the substance from penetrating circuits. While the keyboard is upside down, shake the
keyboard over a surface you do not mind getting wet or that can be cleaned
up later. While still
upside down, use a cloth to help clean out what can be reached.
After you you have cleaned the keyboard to the best of your
ability leave the keyboard upside down for at least one night
allowing it to dry.
If a keyboard does not work after
trying it again later it is recommended that it be
replaced. If the keyboard works but some of the keys are
sticky or cannot be pressed in you can attempt to do
additional cleaning in attempt to resolve the issue.
Unfortunately many times when any sticky substance such as a
non-diet pop is spilt directly onto the keyboard it's usually
a loss unless you plan on spending dozens of hours attempting
to clean each key.
Why? A keyboard that is
used by multiple people, such as students or different
employees, may need to be disinfected to help the spread of
germs.
Procedure: Turn off the
computer. Spray a disinfectant onto a cloth or damp a cloth
with alcohol and rub each of the keys on the keyboard. As
mentioned in our general cleaning tips, never spray any type of
liquid onto the keyboard.
Additional Information:
Keyboard Page
Laptop cleaning
Additional help and
information about cleaning your laptop or portable computer can
be found on document CH000780.
LCD
cleaning
Why? Dirt, dust, and finger prints can cause the
computer screen to be difficult to read.
Procedure: Unlike a computer monitor, the LCD
/ flat-panel display is not made of glass,
therefore requires special cleaning procedures.
When cleaning the LCD screen it is important to remember to not spray any liquids onto
the LCD directly; do not use a paper towel as it may cause the LCD to become scratched.
To clean the LCD screen we recommend that you use a soft cotton cloth; if a dry cloth
does not completely clean the screen, you can apply rubbing alcohol to the cloth and wipe
the screen with the damp cloth. Rubbing alcohol is actually used to clean the LCD before
it leaves the factory.
Monitor
cleaning
Note:
This section is for computer monitors if you have a
LCD
or flat-panel see our
LCD cleaning section.
Why? Dirt,
dust, and fingerprints can cause the computer screen to be
difficult to read.
Procedure: The glass monitor screen can be cleaned with ordinary household
glass cleaner*. Be sure to remove power from the monitor and spray the cleaner onto a lint
free-cloth so the fluid doesn't leak into the electrical components inside the monitor.
Vacuum off any dust that has settled on top of the monitor, and make sure no books or
papers have been placed on the air vents. Obstructed monitor vents can cause the monitor
to overheat or even catch on fire.
*Warning: We suggest using a cloth dampened with
water when cleaning monitor on a screen that is not made of
glass or has any type of anti-glare protection on the
screen. Using ordinary household glass cleaner on special
screens, especially cleaners with ammonia can remove
anti-glare protection and/or other special surfaces.
Additional help:
Monitor page
Motherboard
cleaning
Why? Dust and especially particles of cigarette smoke can build
up and corrode circuitry causing various problems such as computer lockups
Note:
When inside the computer take the necessary ESD
precautions and try to avoid unplugging any cables or
other connections.
Procedure: Our recommendation when cleaning the Motherboard from dust,
dirt, or hair is to use compressed air. When using compressed air, hold it in the up-right position;
otherwise, it is possible chemicals may come out of the container that could damage or corrode the
Motherboard or other component within the computer. Also, ensure when using compressed air that you always blow the dust or dirt
away from the motherboard, or out of the case.
Another good alternative to compressed air is to use a
portable battery powered vacuum that can effectively
remove the dust, dirt, and hair from the motherboard completely and prevent it from getting
trapped within the case. However, do not use a standard
electricity powered vacuum as it can cause a lot of static
electricity that can damage the computer. When using the vacuum it is vital that you stay a couple inches
away from the motherboard and all other components to help prevent contact as well as to
help prevent anything from being sucked into the vacuum. Ensure that you do not remove any
small components with the vacuum such as jumpers.
Tip: When cleaning the
inside of the case also look at any fans and/or
heat
sinks. Dust, dirt, and hair collects around these
components the most.
Additional help: Motherboard Page
Mouse
cleaning
Why?
A dirty optical-mechanical mouse (mouse with a ball) can cause the mouse to be difficult to move
as well as cause strange mouse movement.
Procedure: To clean the rollers
of an optical-mechanical mouse, you must first remove the bottom cover
of the mouse. To do this, examine the bottom of the mouse to see which direction the mouse
cover should be rotated. As you can see in the below illustration, the mouse cover must be moved counter clockwise.
Place two fingers on the mouse
cover and push the direction of the arrows.
Once the cover has rotated about an inch, rotate the mouse into its normal position,
covering the bottom of the mouse with one hand and the bottom should fall off including
the mouse ball. If this does not occur, attempt to shake the mouse gently.
Once the bottom cover and the ball are removed, you should be able to see three rollers
located within the mouse. Use a cotton swab, your finger, and/or fingernail and move in a horizontal
direction of the rollers. Usually, there will be a small line of hair and or dirt in the
middle of the roller, remove this dirt and/or hair as much as possible.
Once you have removed as much dirt and hair as possible, place the ball back within the
mouse and place the cover back on.
If the mouse still appears to be having the same issue, repeat the above process; if
after several attempts the mouse is still having the same issues, it's
likely that
your mouse has other hardware issues and we recommend that it
be replaced.
Note: Cleaning your
mouse pad with a damp cloth can also help improve a
computer's mouse movement.
Why? To help keep a
mouse clean and germ free it can be helpful to clean the
mouse.
Procedure: Use a cloth
moistened with rubbing alcohol or warm water and rub the
surface of the mouse and each of its buttons.
Additional help:
Mouse Page
Palm
pilot cleaning
Why? Dirty touch screens can cause difficult navigation.
Procedure: To clean the Palm Pilot Screen, use a soft cloth moistened
with rubbing alcohol and rub the screen and the casing of the
palm pilot. It is not recommended to use glass cleaner as it could damage
plastics over time.
Printer
cleaning
Why? Cleaning the outside of a printer can help keep
the printer's appearance looking good; and in the case of a
printer that is used by many different people, keep the printer
clean of germs.
Procedure: First, make sure to turn off the printer
before cleaning it. Dampen a cloth with water or rubbing
alcohol and wipe the case and each of the buttons or knobs on
the printer. As mentioned earlier, never spray any liquid
directly onto the printer.
Why? With some printers it may be necessary to clean
the inside of the printer to help keep the printer running
smoothly.
Procedure: Because of numerous types of printers,
different steps in cleaning printers, and printer
manufacturer policies on cleaning the inside of the printer,
we recommend you obtain the printer cleaning steps from your
printer
manufacturer.
Scanner
cleaning
Why? Flatbed scanners commonly become dirty with
dust, fingerprints, and hair. When a scanner is dirty, the images may
have distortions.
Procedure: Clean a flatbed scanner's surface by spraying a window cleaner
onto a paper towel or cotton cloth and wipe the glass until clean.
As mentioned earlier, never spray a liquid directly onto the
component.
To clean the outside of the scanner, the same towel or
cotton cloth can be used.
Superdisk
/ LS120 cleaning
Why? It is recommended that the SuperDisk
/ LS120 drive be cleaned regularly to prevent drive heads from becoming dirty.
Procedure: Purchase the SuperDisk cleaning kit
available through Imation. Using any other method will void
the warranty on your drive.
Additional help:
Super disk page
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