How to keep your laptop clean

Whether you’ve just bought a new laptop, or have had one for a few years, it’s never too late to start keeping it clean, and more importantly, in good working order.

Aside from the aesthetic value of a clean machine, keeping the ports and vents clear of dust and debris helps keep your machine at its best. You’ll be amazed at how a single piece of debris in your fan or under a key can start a chain of deterioration, so arm yourself with the knowledge now to save yourself potential trouble later.

You won’t need much, just a damp cloth, some cotton buds, a can of compressed air, and an ammonia-free cleaning solution.

Turn off your Laptop before cleaning
Before you start cleaning your laptop, turn it off, and disconnect the power supply. Remember, you’re dealing with electricity here.

Cleaning your laptop keyboard
A good place to start cleaning is the keyboard. Most laptop keyboards are quite simple to replace, but that’s no reason not to look after it from the start. Use the compressed air to blow away any dust or other particles from between the keys. Larger particles may be gently removed using a cotton bud. Be careful not to pull too hard on any of the keys, as the fixture can sometimes break easily.

Next, clean the casing, and the keyboard surface, simply by wiping with a damp cloth. It’s important to make sure that there isn’t any excess moisture in your cloth that could drip into your computer. Remember, we’re cleaning it, not shorting it.

Cleaning your laptop screen

Cleaning the screen is also very simple. Using the same damp cloth, apply a small amount of cleaning solution. Don’t squirt solution directly onto the screen as it may drip. Apply to the cloth, then clean the screen with a gentle pressure, using smooth, consistent movement. It’s important to use a cleaning solution that contains no ammonia – this can damage the screen.

You can make your own solution by mixing equal parts of water and rubbing alcohol (also known as surgical spirit).

Don’t forget to clean the vents, ports and fans!
To clean the ports and vents, simply wipe clean with a cotton bud, and blow away any remaining dust with the compressed air. A word of warning – if you’re cleaning the fan vent, make sure you press the end of a cotton bud against one of the fan blades. Failure to do this may cause the fan to spin too fast when you spray the compressed air, which can damage the fan.

When you’ve finished, you can plug your laptop back in, switch on, and carry on. It’s that simple.