Cleaning Your Laptop
We take our laptops all over the place, and as such, they need to be cleaned occasionally. Before setting out to clean your laptop it is a good idea to give your owners manual at least a cursory read to see what they recommend. Always make sure your laptop is unplugged and powered down before cleaning.
You should wipe down your laptop anytime it gets dirty, but it is important to do a thorough cleanup once a year, or more if you drag it around. Exterior dirt can actually cause damage to your computer over time. You can also develop keyboard issues if there is a significant accumulation of dirt and gunk under the keys.
In order to clean your computer you should have on hand soft cleaning cloths (I recommend old t-shirts, just make sure to wash them first), cotton swabs, compressed air, a gentle cleaning agent, and a monitor cleaning solution. It is important to make sure your cleaning agent does not contain ammonia. You should NEVER use a cleaner that contains ammonia on any part of your computer. Also, NEVER spray cleaning solutions directly on to the computer. ALWAYS have your computer turned off and unplugged when you are cleaning it.
To clean the exterior of your computer you should use a soft cotton cloth. I keep a box of old t shirts for this purpose. I launder them and cut them down to rag size squares and keep them in a box in the closet. Simply dampen the rag (reminder: no ammonia) and gently wipe the casing. If the case is not sticky or too dirty, you can just use water. Then I use a dry cotton rag to wipe down the casing and remove any moisture.
To clean your monitor you will want to use a monitor-cleaning solution. You can either buy this solution in liquid form or you can buy pre-moistened towelettes. I usually keep a few towelettes in my laptop bag to clean up any messes as they happen. Do not use paper towels or tissues on your monitor. Dampen your cloth directly and then wipe the display area using light strokes. If your display has significant buildup, wait a minute or two and go over it again.
To clean your keyboard, first check your laptop manual to see if you can remove your keys. If you can do this, you will be able to clean more effectively. In either event, gently blow your compressed air around the keyboard area. You never want to allow the compressed air too close to the computer. Use cotton swabs and a mild cleaning solution to wipe down the keys. If you have removed the keys, you can place them in a bowl of water and cleaning solution and let them soak a bit. Just make sure that they are COMPLETELY dry before affixing them to your laptop.
To clean the cooling vents, you will need cotton swabs and compressed air. Use the cotton swabs to hold the fan in place. (Note: the computer should be turned off and unplugged when you are cleaning it, especially during this stage of cleaning). When spraying the fan blades, keep the compressed air can at least six inches from the blades.
To clean your I/O ports, first gently wipe away the dirt that has accumulated on them with a clean cotton swab. Follow up with compressed air. Do not blow the air directly into the fan, and keep the can at least six inches from the vent. It is important that you do not blow the air directly into the ports as you may push dirt and dust into the ports rendering them ineffective.
You should also make it a practice to clean power cord. Use a soft cotton rag and mild cleaning solution. If the cord is relatively clean, you can simply use a damp cloth. While you are wiping down the cord, it is a good practice to check for any signs of damage. Before using your laptop again, make sure the power cord is completely dry. As you are cleaning, nothing should be wet, but things will be damp. Allow adequate time for things to dry off, this will usually be just a few minutes.
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