You know what would make spring cleaning a lot more fun?
A MAID!
Spring is here!! Last week I did a tribute to John Denver. I played “Sunshine on My Shoulders Makes Me Happy!” multiple times throughout the day.
I’m curious how many of my readers are going to google “Sunshine On My Shoulders”. Respond back and let me know.
Anyway… On to more traditional spring activities… cleaning. If you’ve got the spring cleaning bug here are some tips for spiffing up your computer.
To clean a LED or LCD monitor: LED and LCD montiors are skinny, this is most probably what you have, you will need a microfiber cloth and maybe, some distilled water. Don’t use Window Cleaners (I know it’s tempting because it has Windows right there in the name!) or other kitchen cleaners, makeup remover is a bad idea, as is dish soap and hand soap.
It’s best to clean the screen without the use of liquids and definitely turn the computer off. Use a gentle, circular motion with a microfiber cloth to clean the screen. If this doesn’t get all of the grime off, then add distilled water. I never spray anything directly on to the screen. Instead, spritz the cloth and then wipe the screen.
While the frame and base are less sensitive, I recommend using the microfiber cloth and distilled water. You’ve already got it out, take a couple of extras swipes and clean the frame.
Keyboards need love too. If you are working on a desktop computer, turn it off and unplug the keyboard. You can lay down a towel to catch the dirt, or go all commando and dump the dirt onto your desk or floor. Turn the keyboard over and GENTLY, I said GENTLY, shake it the get the big crumbs off. If you are cleaning a laptop keyboard, skip the shaking and just turn it over. Shaking a laptop can be hazardous to its health. Now that the big stuff is gone, grab a portable vacuum cleaner and suck the rest of the grime from the keyboard. Avoid using a full sized vacuum, as they have stronger suction and can pop keys off of the keyboard. A Q-Tip dipped in rubbing alcohol will get the grime between the keys. Again, don’t pour liquids onto your keyboard. Pour a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol onto a saucer and then dip the Q-Tip there.
If you have a desktop computer, remove the side panel, grab a can of compressed air and blow the dust out. If there is enough dirt inside the computer to grow panseys, then pack it outside before you clean it. Give the fans a good blast, if gunk is stuck to the fan blades, then use the microfiber cloth to clean them. Your goal is to blow the dirt out, not in, so point the nozzle accordingly. The inside of the computer is sensitive to static, so touch the metal computer frame to discharge static before you touch anything inside.
If you would rather leave the cleaning to the professionals, then bring it in. Besides cleaning the physical machine we will also clean the operating system, removing temp files and turning off all sorts of random services that don’t need to run constantly. De-gunking the operating system will make the computer run faster. Normally, we charge $95 for this service, but for the month of April, we will help you out for just $45. Come see us. We can sing “Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy”, together!
Janet
Because It Made Me Laugh!!
