Before doing any cleaning, shut down the machine and turn off the mains power. Leave the mains plugs in the wall sockets, however, as this maintains the ground circuit to conduct away static.
| Be Gentle! |
| Mouse |
Use the vacuum cleaner's brush to suck out any bits of hair, dust etc. Use the foam cleaner as instructed on the can to clean the outer case and remove grime.
Then turn it upside down, twist the circular retainer-clip for the ball, remove the ball and wash it in warm water. Rinse and dry it thoroughly, leaving no bits of cloth, and replace. |
| Mousepad |
Use the vacuum cleaner's 'stair' attachment to suck dust etc off the surface if it is cloth-covered. Otherwise simply wash it in warm water and dry it. |
| Keyboard |
Use the vacuum cleaner to suck out small amounts of dust, hairs, crumbs and anything else which has fallen inside. If metal objects fall down between the keys, turn the board upside down and gently shake them out; do not prod about inside with anything to try to loosen them, or take the keyboard apart.
Clean the keys and case with the foam cleaner - do not spray directly onto the board. Use a cotton bud to get into spaces between the keys, but don't use force.
Most keyboards' keys will lift off if gently lifted or prised. Before doing so, make a diagram of exactly where all your keys are. Once off, they can be individually washed in a mild detergent, rinsed and dried thoroughly. This method is best for very dirty keys, and boards known to have a lot of debris inside. The larger keys may be on springs; take care not to lose these - and to put keys back in the right place! |
| Monitor |
- Glass-screen CRT Monitors: Use the Screen Cleaner on the screen, and the foam cleaner on the casing. Do not spray through the heat outlet holes.
- TFT / LCD (flat) Monitors: Cleaners intended for glass must not sprayed onto these as any liquid will be absorbed into the porous surface and cause damage. Most manufacturers give little or no advice on how to clean their screens, but follow any instructions given with yours.
In the absence of instructions, use a very soft cloth or a hair-dryer set to 'cold' to remove dust. Don't wipe the surface with any force as that will result in scratches. If yours has spots or areas of dirt which won't blow away, use a soft cloth which won't shed bits of fabric (usually called 'lint-free'), barely dampened with either plain water or a short spray of glass-screen cleaner. Wipe gently.
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| Printer |
Remove any paper, open the lid or whatever gives access to the cartridges, and use the vacuum cleaner to suck out dust etc. Use the foam cleaner on the outer case and paper trays, taking care not to force any mechanical parts. |
| Scanner |
Use Foam Cleaner on the casing, and Screen Cleaner on the glass. A damp cloth is best for the white 'pad' inside the lid; be sure to allow it to dry before closing it. |
| Speakers |
The grills will probably benefit from a quick brush with the vacuum cleaner. Foam surface-cleaner will suffice for the rest. |
| Main Case |
Unless you know it needs attention inside, don't open it. The outside of the drive bays and openings in the back or sides can be dusted with the vacuum cleaner. Use foam surface-cleaner on the rest, being careful not to spray any directly into any openings.
Do not prod about inside drive bays with cotton buds or anything else! |
| Be Very Gentle! |
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If you have an 'old-style' CRT monitor and want evidence, turn off all power and unplug your monitor. Undo the casing screws. Be very sure to undo those only, and do not touch anything except the case; there are high-voltage electrical capacitors in there with a potentially lethal kick! Lift the case off and look at its inside ... How do you think the rest is like, where it matters and where electric currents have attracted more particles? Now put the case back on. You can clean it if you wish, especially round the air circulation holes. Do not touch the rest of the monitor's innards.