Cleaning guide: how to Clean your mobile, laptop, mouse and keyboard Spots

Now that the good weather is approaching, it may be a good time to clean all your equipment and face the summer with the setup already clean.

There are many devices that we use practically every day. From the laptop , to the mouse, headphones or even the keyboard, these are some of the tools that can be part of our daily lives. And as such, after a while we need to clean them .

Many people may be reluctant to clean electronic devices because of the impression that they are fragile or difficult . Even so, especially peripherals such as the keyboard or the mouse, they are tools that get dirty very easily and accumulate dust, or hair if we have pets, between the slots.

Especially now that summer is approaching and we start to open the windows and the wind and dust are blowing, how do you clean these devices? At DownGamer we have prepared four brief guides so that you can leave your mobile, laptop, keyboard or mouse pristine.

1. Clean the mobile

What we need: Microfiber cloth, isopropyl alcohol 70% or more, glasses cloth.

Steps:

1. Turn off the mobile and disconnect it.
2. Apply a little alcohol to the cloth and carefully rub against the screen and the back. Make sure it is isopropyl alcohol or soapy water, other products can damage the panel.
3. To clean camera lenses, it is advisable to use an eyeglass cloth, as they are specifically designed not to scratch or mar lenses.

2. Clean the laptop

What we need: 90% isopropyl alcohol -there is less risk of damaging the components-, microfiber cloths, cotton swabs, compressed air spray.

Optional: latex gloves, antistatic wrist strap or specific products -they sell cleaning kits, usually more expensive-.

Steps:

1. Turn it off. Remove the battery if possible.
2. Clean the slots and ports: The first thing is, using the compressed air spray, clean the slots and external portsof the laptop. You have to do it carefully and avoid shaking or moving the can abruptly, otherwise the compressed air can come out in liquid form. You can also reinforce the task with a cotton swab, although it is possible that it leaves some residue. The spray should be tilted to prevent dust from getting inside, the goal is to get it out of the slots. A priori, if this is done regularly , it will not be necessary to open it.
3. The next thing to clean may be the screen. It is very important not to use multi- purpose or dedicated mirror/window cleaners; these liquids usually contain ammonia, a compound that can affect screens. Normally, the most advisable thing is to do a dry cleaning. You can use microfiber cloths that are soft and free of dust: the cloth must be wiped carefully and without applying too much pressure, as it can affect the operation.
4. If it is necessary to do a wet cleaning-because there is a stain or a very dirty area-, distilled water can be mixed with isopropyl alcohol and, with a cloth, spread it carefully.
5. To clean the keyboard, we must use the swabs and pass them between the keys. It can also be accompanied by a compressed air spray to finish expelling the dust or particles that accumulate between the keys. In addition, once the swab and/or compressed air spray have been passed, it can be carefully turned upside down so that the rest of the particles fall out.
6. And finally, the exterior of the laptop. A little isopropyl alcohol is applied to the cloth -never do it directly on the computer- and the lid and sides are rubbed lightly.

3. Clean the mouse

What we need: 90% isopropyl alcohol, toilet paper, cotton swabs, toothpicks, microfiber cloths. Optional: compressed air spray.

Steps:

1. Turn off the computer and unplug the mouse. If it is bluetooth and it works by batteries, take them out.
2. For most of the surface, it will be enough to wet the microfiber cloth with a little isopropyl alcohol and we will rub all the areas of the mouse. From the top to the bottom, in such a way that we will clean most of the device.
3. To clean the sensor, the swab should be slightly moistened and the sensor gently rubbed from the bottom. Afterwards, it is advisable to leave it face up to dry.
4. If your mouse has details or, for example, stripes that serve as decoration but accumulate a lot of dust: wrap a toothpick in toilet paper. With this fix, we can clean small nooks and crannies and details of the mouse.

4. Clean the keyboard

What we need: Compressed air spray, a small brush (one with unused teeth, if possible, with hard bristles), a blunt-edged knife or a key extractor.

Steps:

1. Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. If it’s a laptop, turn it off and, if possible, remove the battery.
2. Turn the keyboard over and shake it or give it a little tap on the bottom to remove any dirt between the keys.
3. With a can of compressed air, blow into the spaces between the keys to try to remove any fluff or hair that may be present.
4. A toothbrush or small brush is passed over the surface of the keyboard.

Although the previous steps should be enough, in some cases it is necessary to ” disassemble” the keyboard -especially if it is not cleaned regularly-. In the event that we have not cleaned it for at least six months and we use it daily, it is recommended:

1. Turn Off the computer and unplug the keyboard.
2. Take a picture of the keyboard to later remember the order of the keys.
3. Using the blunt-edged knife or a special extractor, remove all the keys one by one, taking care not to lose them. Once we remove them, they are soaked with a denture cleaning tablet -they remove oils and sterilize without affecting the result- for 4 or 6 hours.
4. Once that time has elapsed, rinse them well, rub them gently and leave them to dry for at least one night.
5. While the keys are soaking, we rub the base of the keyboard dry with a stiff bristle brush; It will help us remove all the dirt.
6. It is also advisable to blow with compressed air, to finish cleaning it.
7. For the lower part, it would be enough to pass the microfiber cloth and a little alcohol.

Once you know how to clean the different peripherals of your PC and your laptop, it is best to clean them once a month if we use them daily. The more time that passes between cleanings, the longer it will take to leave them spotless.