Cleaning Your Laptop

Cleaning Your Laptop

Have you made the switch from a desktop PC to a laptop? Several people have and although they may be easier to carry around and travel with, they still need to be cleaned, don’t they?

Laptops aren’t as easy to open up and clean as desktops are, but it still can be done. To get started, just make sure your computer is turned off and unplugged. You should also remove the laptop battery just for some extra safety.

Laptop Case

Now, we’re going to start with cleaning the outer case of your laptop so you can keep it looking new and fresh. Use a damp cotton cloth to clean the exterior of the laptop. It is recommended that you just use water, but if there is something on the case that cannot be cleaned with water, it is suitable to use rubbing alcohol. Do not use any household cleaners though.

Case Openings

Debris such as dirt, dust and hair can get into the case openings of the laptop and make it hard for the air it needs to pass through. This can cause the heat of the laptop to increase, which can cause later problems like random reboots. We definitely want to combat all of that, don’t we? So, look for any of the openings that help cool air come in through the laptop and let hot air out. These are usually located on the back, the sides or even on the bottom of the laptop. The easiest way to clean these out is to use a cotton swab or compressed air.

If you use compressed air, you want to be careful that you don’t spray directly at the fans that may be in the openings. It’s easy to cause them to over spin, which can cause permanent damage. Before you use the air, place something in between the fan blades, such as a toothpick.

Laptop Keyboard

The keys on a laptop keyboard are different from a standard keyboard and they usually cannot be removed. So, to clean this, use the same damp cotton cloth you used to clean the exterior of your laptop. Just wipe the cloth over the keys and some of the dust and dirt particles will be removed. You can also use compressed air to get some of the debris out from in and around the keys.

Laptop Touchpad (Mouse)

It’s a very good idea to clean your laptop’s touchpad every once in awhile. It can help your laptop to look new, as well as, improve the quality of the motion and response of the touchpad. You can use the same damp cloth to clean this one too. Just run the cloth over the touchpad area and make sure you squeeze in around the corners to catch any debris that may be sitting there.

LCD Screen

Lots of things can fog up your laptop screen (like dirt, dust, fingerprints, etc.) and it’s such a good idea to clean all of that off so your screen doesn’t look like it just went through a whirlwind of yuckiness! An LCD screen is not like a regular desktop monitor, so it requires some special cleaning.

First of all, do not spray any liquids directly onto the screen. Doing this may cause some distortions on your screen. Also, do not use a paper towel to clean off the screen, because that could cause some scratching. Instead, use a soft cotton cloth. Try using a dry one at first and if that doesn’t get everything off, you can put a little rubbing alcohol on the cloth and remove any other smudges that remain. Rubbing alcohol is used to clean the LCD screens before they leave the factory and shipped out, so it is safe to use.

Internal Components

This isn’t the easiest task to perform, but with all of the debris that can get caught inside, it’s important to do. If too much builds up, it can prohibit your laptop from running properly and smoothly.

I know this may have been the part you’ve been waiting on, but unfortunately, all laptops are very different and it’s difficult to know what each one would need for cleaning. The best thing to do if you think your laptop needs special cleaning care is to take it to a repair center. They are professionals and they will be able to tell you exactly what would need to be done. It would be nice if we could do this step on our own, but with all the money you spend on your laptop and with all of the special uses you have for it, it’s best to maintain that by letting a professional help you clean the inside components. You wouldn’t want to mess anything up internally and permanently.

~ Erin