Cleaning your home is a pretty basic skill for many people. Or at least, it is believed so. But when it comes to cleaning office electronics safely, there are important details and knowledge to gain. Not only could you cause damage to the technology, but also hurt yourself or someone around you if the wrong methods and tools are used. Of course, your first point of reference should always be the manufacturer instructions in the manual. Then you must always unplug all electronics from the socket and remember to never spray any liquid directly onto electronic devices. There are more specific tips you can follow for different tech equipment.
Smartphones & Tablets
Smartphones and tablets host an incredible amount of germs. Remember you touch them with your hands almost constantly. The majority of people even take them to the toilet! Not very hygienic, indeed. To clean those devices safely and effectively use a microfiber cloth. They are best for the job because the fibres are so tiny they can reach the smallest cracks and scratches that you may not even notice. Spray a disinfectant on the cloth and then wipe the screen. To clean the crevices and the edges use a cotton swab. Finish off by using a lint-free cloth to give the device a final wipe with a disinfectant.
Laptops
Switch off your laptop before you start any cleaning. Then shake gently the keyboard to get rid of any crumbs that may have gotten stuck. Next step would be using a keyboard cleaner, which is mostly compressed air. It should remove any other solid particles that should not be there. The process of cleaning the screen is the same as the one for smartphones and tablets. If you have a touchscreen, use an eyeglass cleaner on the microfibre cloth before you start wiping. To disinfect the keyboard and other parts of the laptop, spray the solution on the cloth and wipe gently.
Desktop Computers
You already know what to do with the screen and keyboard of the desktop computer. When it comes to the mouse, use a cotton swab to get to the hard to reach tiny spaces. For the tower you can use a vacuum cleaner. Again, make sure your computer is NOT on. Vacuum the front and the ventilator panels, then use a damp cloth to wipe the rest of the tower. Finish off with a disinfectant.
TV and Flat Screens
Because most TVs and flat screens have anti-reflective coating, it is not recommended to use heavy chemicals on them. A clean damp cloth should do just fine for wiping. Any buttons can be blasted with compressed air. The same goes for the remote control. After you have applied the air, you can use a cotton swab to go between buttons and complete the process with a careful wipe with a disinfectant. That’s the way to clean your bluetooth speakers and voice controlled devices, too.
Cables and Cords
These are the most frequently neglected pieces of equipment. They too need good cleaning and disinfection, though. You can remove the dust on the cables using a dry microfiber cloth. If there is visible dirt that needs to be cleaned, you can dampen the cloth and wipe the cable and cords. Make sure you don’t leave them wet! Give all cables a final wipe with a disinfectant, especially the laptop and phone power cord!