Cleaning your laptop might help you and it last longer. Computer keyboards are breeding grounds for pathogens (source: Wall Street Journal). In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge that you clean your computer keyboard and mouse, as well as any other commonly handled surfaces [source: CDC]. While you're cleaning the keyboard and mouse, also clean your laptop's screen. Cleaning your screen will make it easier and more enjoyable to complete your work.
Here's how to clean your keyboard:
- Turn off the laptop and disconnect the battery.
- Open the laptop.
- Turn the laptop upside down and gently tap it to get rid of any loose crumbs.
- Spray some canned air on the keyboard. This will loosen some of the gunk that's stuck in between the keys.
- Put the laptop on a flat surface and vacuum the keyboard with a small brush attachment.
- Dampen some cotton swabs with rubbing alcohol, and wipe them over and in between the keys (if possible). Make sure the swabs are just damp, and not wet.
- Apply some CyberClean to the keyboard, following the instructions on the package [source: Griffith]. You can purchase Cyberclean at your local office supply store [source: Garafour].
