Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Top Tips for PC Hygiene

PCs, like furniture, collect dust and grime--but unlike a chair or desk, your computer can malfunction if not cleaned periodically. Here's how.

Kirk Steers

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

Cleanse Your Keys

Unplug your keyboard and clean the tops of the keys and the rest of the outside surfaces with an alcohol-moistened wipe. You can also use mild soap and water (or just plain water) with a damp rag or paper towel. Stay away from commercial cleaners--they tend to leave a residue that attracts dirt.

If you have a small computer vacuum or a regular vacuum with a soft brush attachment or crevice tool, suck up any debris beneath and between the keys. If you don't, no problem; turning the keyboard upside down and blasting it with compressed air is just as effective, if not more so. Use the plastic tube that comes with the compressed air can to direct a series of short blasts between the keys. You could also reverse the vacuum and use the crevice tool to create a very powerful, non-condensed stream of air.

If you have a key that sticks, try pulling it off with your fingers. If you can't, insert a pair of blunt, nonmetallic objects like clean, dry Popsicle sticks on either side of the key and gently lift it off its mount. Apply even pressure to both sides of the key as you lift. Take care not to loosen or misplace any springs or grommets that may be on the underside of the key, and keep the cleaning solution away from the contacts under the key.

In some dire cases--say, after spilling a can of soda or dribbling your ice-cream sundae on your keyboard--you can remove all the keys to clean the keyboard underneath. You can wash the keys themselves in mild soap and water. Of course, make sure they're all completely dry before you re-assemble the keyboard.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No
  • Great year-end deals
    for small business!

  • Get 24/7 live remote AT&T Tech Support 360* service along with select Lenovo* PCs (with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors) and save up to 200!

    Learn more

  • HP EliteBook* 6930p Notebook with Intel® vPro™ technology and a free HP Basic Docking Station - $641 instant savings!

    Learn more

  • *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. ©2009 Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, vPro and Core trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
Learn more about the Windows Phone PCWorld Gift Guide

Focus on Personal Productivitysponsored by Microsoft

  • Personal Finance 2.0 These free and fee-based Web services not only aggregate data from your online bank accounts, they give you tools for managing your money.
  • High-Tech Travel Tips Plenty of stories provide advice for elite mobile professionals. But what about you, the unproductive traveler?

People who read this also read:

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links