Well, no more! Let us resolve to scrub away any crud that may have built up on our electronics.
All devices can be cleaned, just in different ways. For example, monitors require a different approach than keyboard. So let’s break them down by categories. But first, let us gather the needed supplies.
Electronics Cleaning Supplies List
- Lint free Microfibre cloth (terrycloth texture)
- Cotton swabs
- Distilled, filtered or boiled water
- Vinegar
- Rubbing alcohol
- Compressed air or vacuum
- Elbow grease
Never apply liquids directly to electronics. Never use paper towels.
Electronics Cleaning Dump List
- Windex and other solvents
- Disinfectant
- Paper towels and tissue paper
Monitors and LCD TVs
If your TV or computer monitors screen looks spotty, smudges, marks and dried saliva are the common culprits. Rub them with a clean microfibre cloth and light elbow grease. Be firm, but don’t press too hard or risk damaging the liquid crystals inside the screen. Dampen - never wet - the cloth with diluted vinegar, to amplify the effects of the elbow grease as needed.
Phones, phablets, and other mobile devices
Since mobile device screens are made to be touched (for the most part), feel free to add more elbow grease for maximum cleaning power. And, since mobile device screens tend to touch our faces, feel free to replace the diluted vinegar with diluted rubbing alcohol to power punch gems to oblivion.
Keyboards, mice and other input devices
Input devices are generally quick hardy, after all, they were designed to handled. They also tend to be a reservoir for spilt juices, coffee and other liquids (read as nesting ground for slime). Feel free to pull these devices apart and attack with compressed air or a vacuum depending on your preference. Next, hit them with cotton swabs dampened rubbing alcohol. Then wipe them down using the microfibre cloth. Then hit them with air again before reassembling.
Whether your motivation is aesthetic or antiseptic, a cleaning regimen is definitely rewarding.