The Do’s and Dont’s of Cleaning Your Electronics

The Do’s and Dont’s of Cleaning Your Electronics

What’s a guy or gal to do when their most coveted electronics are covered in crud? Sensitive and persnickety, electronics surfaces and the fragile working components they house must be carefully addressed with the correct cleaning methods and supplies. If your gadgets are covered in germs because you fear for their lives, read-on to uncover safe, effective methods to clean electronics without bringing about bodily harm

                

What Do You Use to Clean Electronics?

Cleaning electronics is essential to proper function, but more importantly, stopping the spread of disease. More ick-infested than even public restroom toilet seats, electronics in your family’s grubby grasp can harbor everything from strep and staphylococcus to cold and flu bacteria, MRSA, norovirus, and even fecal matter. Among the worst offenders? Smartphones, tablets and e-readers, game controllers, keyboards, and remote controls.

Never Fear – You CAN Safely De-Germ Your Electronics…

• How to clean touch screen laptop or tablet
  With touch screens, gentleness and a microfiber cloth are key. Using very slight pressure, wipe horizontally, then vertically across the screen. (A solid white or black background makes it easier to see dirt.) If the screen is still dirty or greasy, mix a solution of 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar, spraying it onto a clean cloth (NOT your device). Turn it off, then wipe in the same manner. Turn it on only when dry.
• Cleaning computers/laptops with keyboards
  Turn off laptops or unplug keyboards, carefully upending and gently shaking loose debris. Spray with compressed air between keys, then brush around keys with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol. Use a clean cloth dipped in isopropyl to clean keys and surfaces. Do NOT use alcohol on the monitor. Instead, unplug and follow instructions for touch screen monitors (above).
• Mouse cleaning
  For standard laser models, simply unplug, and slide gently back-and-forth over a clean sheet of paper till streak marks disappear.
• Clean your phone screen with alcohol
  Household chemicals and disinfectants are too harsh for smartphones. To clean, turn off your phone and remove its case/cover and battery if possible. Cleaning electronics with alcohol and a microfiber cloth works well for the cover, case, buttons and keyboard, but not on metal or touchscreen surfaces, which contain an oil-repellant coating that can be prematurely worn with alcohol cleaning. When using any solutions, be certain not to get fluid under the keyboard or inside the phone. Refer to touch screen laptop/tablet cleaning instructions for the screen.
• Keeping TV screens clean
  Today’s LCD and LED flat screens, like touch screens, are easily scratched and damaged, and are thus cleaned in the same manner as cleaning touch screen monitors (above).
• DVD players
  Clean the exterior of your DVD player and buttons with a dry microfiber cloth and a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove fingerprints and germs. Water is corrosive and may ruin the player.
• Remote controls
  Remove remote batteries, using a dry toothbrush to remove debris stuck between buttons. Then lightly mist a cleaning cloth with a 50/50 solution of rubbing alcohol and water, tapping to remove excess moisture, then wiping along the sides, back, and then down buttons. Don’t let any water seep-in.