Presented By: Abarquez

Mendez

Gonzaga, H

First of all, it’s easier to see smudges andstuff on a black screen, so turning off yourmonitor makes it easier to see what you aredoing. It’s also safer for you and for yourcomputer: cleaning your monitor while its onand the pixels are all fired up could damageyour screen or potentially give you anunpleasant electrical jolt. So, turn it off!

If you’re going to clean your computer’s monitor, you mightas well clean the whole thing. Spray Windex or some othergentle cleaning product onto a cloth and wipe the casing,frame, and keyboard. Don’t spray directly onto thecomputer though: you could accidentally get Windex onyour monitor, which would be bad. Windex is ammonia-based, and ammonia (along with alcohol) can seriouslydamage your screen by stripping it of anti-reflectivecoating or by causing it to cloud up. Use a Q-tip to cleanspaces you can’t reach with the cloth.

Do not use paper towels. Paper towels are meant to clean up spillsaround the house–if you look at them super closely, they are fuzzyand abrasive. They can mess up the finely crafted, delicate piece oftechnology that is your computer’s monitor. So, use a clean clothinstead. Do you wear glasses? If so, use the cloth that you getwhenever you go in for a new pair of glasses, known as aMICROFIBER cloth. Buy some MICROFIBER CLOTH, which youcan get at Bed Bath & Beyond or any home-supply store. Microfibercloth won’t scratch your monitor and it won’t leave behind any lintresidue, so it’s perfect. Wipe the monitor with a dry cloth in broad,straight strokes, pressing as lightly as possible. Then, dampen thecloth with water and wipe again until all the smudges and grime aregone.

If you have a stubbornly dirty monitor to deal with,you can make your own cleaning solution bymixing white vinegar and water in equalproportions. This will be strong enough to get rid ofthe worst of smudges but mild enough to notdamage the screen. Dampen a MICROFIBER clothwith this homemade concoction and wipe asnormal. Again, do not use ammonia- or alcohol-based cleaners!

Gently dry your monitor with a MICROFIBERCLOTH or let nature do the work for you. To avoidany moisture or electrical damage, make sure yourscreen is completely dry before turning yourcomputer back on.

Shut down your computer. If you’re using awired desktop keyboard, unplug it.

Tilt the keyboard upside down and shake itto remove any loose debris. If you have a canof compressed air, you can spray it inbetween the keys as well.

Dip a cotton swab into some gentle isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and brush itin the area surrounding each key. You may need to use multiple swabs, dependingon the amount of dirt. If you’re unsure of the alcohol's strength, try it on a small,inconspicuous area first to make sure that it doesn’t cause discoloration or removethe lettering on the keys.

Dip a cloth or towelette into the isopropyl alcohol, and brush it along the tops ofall the keys and surfaces, taking care to scrub heavily used areas (such as theEnter key and spacebar) to remove buildup. For particularly dirty spots, you canuse a toothpick.

Use a dry, lint-free cloth to remove dust and polish the keyboard.

If you’re using a wired desktop keyboard, plug it back in.

Most desktop keyboard letter keys are designed to allow you toremove them with a blunt tool such as a butter knife or flatheadscrewdriver. Simply place the tool under a corner of a key, and pry itoff. If you’re unsure of your particular model, or if you are using alaptop, consult your device's manufacturer to learn whether keyremoval is supported, so that you avoid damaging your keyboard.

Once you've removed the letter keys, you can wash themindividually with water and soap, or alcohol, to remove dirt.

After washing, dry the keys, and then place them on a towel tocontinue drying.

With most of the keys removed, you should have betteraccess to the area underneath. Thoroughly blow out thisarea with compressed air, or even a gentle vacuum.

Dip a cloth or towelette into isopropyl alcohol, and wipe italong the inner surfaces.

As soon as the keys are totally dry, pop them back into place. Eachkey should snap back on with a small amount of pressure. If youforget where each key goes, consult a keyboard map.

Give everything one last wipe with a dry, lint-free cloth.

If you’re using a wired desktop keyboard, plug it back in.

An optical mouse uses a light-emitting diode (LED) and anoptical sensor to navigate the pointer. If the pointer on thescreen does not move smoothly with the optical mouse, youmight need to clean the mouse. To clean the optical mouse,follow these simple steps:

Turn off your computer.

Disconnect the mouse cable from the computer.

Turn the mouse upside down to look at the lens.

If there is a smudge on the lens, gently clean the area with a plain cotton-tipped swab.

If there is debris in the lens, gently blow the debris away from the area.

Check the surface on which you are using the mouse. If you have a very intricate picture or pattern

beneath the mouse it may be difficult for the digital signal processor (DSP) to determine changes in

the mouse position. Also, Mouse Pads get dirty and need to be replaced - it is recommended that you

replace your mouse pad every year.

Reconnect the mouse cable to the computer.

Turn your computer back on.

The non-optical mouse uses a ball to navigate the pointer. To clean a non-optical mouse:

Turn off your computer.

Disconnect the mouse cable from the computer.

Turn the mouse upside down. Twist the retainer ring to the unlocked position to remove the ball.

Place your hand over the retainer ring and ball , and then turn the mouse right-side up, so that the retainer ring and ball fall out into your hand.

Wash the ball in warm, soapy water then dry it with a clean cloth.

Blow air carefully into the ball cage to dislodge dust and lint.

Look for a build up of dirt on the plastic rollers inside the ball cage. This build up usually appears as a stripe running across the middle of the rollers.

If the rollers are dirty, clean them by using a cotton swab soaked in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Turn the rollers with your finger and continue swabbing them until all the dirt is removed. Be sure the rollers are still centered in their channels after you clean them.

Remove any fibers from the swab that might be remaining on the rollers.

Replace the ball and the retainer ring. Twist the retainer ring to the locked position.

Reconnect the mouse cable to the computer.

Turn your computer back on.

Hope your monitor’s screen, keyboard, and mouse get clean! =D