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How to Clean Your
Dirty Laptop
Author: David Kretchmar, Computer Technician Start With the Inside
Sun City Summerlin Computer Club, NV Starting with that dirt on the keyboard and screen
September 2019 issue, Gigabyte Gazette might be tempting, but you should start with the
www.scscc.club internals. Canned air will blow dust and dirt every-
dkretch at gmail.com where, so if you started by cleaning the screen,
you’ll just end up having to clean it again after
After being used regularly for months or years, our you’ve used canned air. Start by blowing out the
laptops accumulate dust, grime, skin oils, sneezes, dust, then move on to the outside.
and who knows what else. Your laptop is most like-
ly due for a cleaning, and I’m going to pass along You shouldn’t have to open your laptop to clean
some suggestions on how to do it effectively with- the inside. Turn off the laptop, unplug the power
out harming this delicate piece of equipment. cable and remove the battery, if it pops out
(removable batteries are becoming a thing of the
You know your laptop is filthy. You can see the dirt past). Give the canned air a quick burst away from
and grime on your keyboard. You might also be the laptop to get rid of any condensation, and then
able to see grime accumulated on your trackpad. start blowing air into any cracks and crevices: the
So, it’s time for a cleaning. keyboard, the vents and even the USB and other
ports. Blow in short bursts, since longer sprays can
A shining newly cleaned laptop is a joy to use; the cause moisture to accumulate inside your comput-
keys are clean; the screen is free of smudges and er. You can also damage the fans by making them
splatters. These cleaning suggestions might also spin too fast.
be useful if you buy a used laptop, since the previ-
ous owner doesn’t always leave them in pristine You probably won’t see a big change after doing
condition. this. The goal is to prevent
dust buildup over time,
Your Supplies which can cause your lap-
You don’t need much to top to overheat and possi-
clean a computer; rubbing bly spontaneously shut
alcohol, a mild dish deter- down. If you can see dust
gent, soft lint-free cloths bunnies in the vents,
(microfiber cloths are ide- you’ve let it go too long
al), Q-tips, and canned air. without a cleaning. If there
Ninety percent or higher is a dust bunny that you
isopropyl alcohol is what see is stuck behind the
you want, since it won’t
damage the internal components. And if you have vent that you can't dis-
lodge by blasting it with
some particularly embedded dirt, a Mr. Clean Mag- compressed air, consult your user manual on how
ic Eraser (or other melamine sponge) can also to open the case. Be sure you remember which
work wonders, though it should be an absolute last screws went where for the reassembly; snap a pic-
resort since it’s abrasive and can leave permanent ture or two of your laptops before opening the case
scratches. for a reference and be super-organized with the
screws as you remove them.
Don’t waste your money on specialty cleaners you
see at big box electronics stores like Best Buy. Smokers and pet owners should take special care
They work just fine but no better than what you to clean the inside often, since you’re likely to ex-
have at home.
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