Spring clean your PC

Just like a house that needs regular dusting, your home computer needs a good clean once in a while too. Many people might not realise it but home computers can collect enough dust and grime to make the presenters of How Clean is your House squirm.

Nobody wants a filthy computer but the problems caused by dirt go beyond the cosmetic. Almost all computers are cooled by fans and these suck in air ­ and the dust that’s in it. If this dust isn’t removed it can make the computer noisy or, in extreme cases, cause it to overheat and fail. Similarly a mouse with a barrier of dust between it and the desk will give erratic pointer movements or fail to respond at all.

The murky threats don’t end there. A keyboard with crumbs between the keys can cause malfunctions or even collect harmful bacteria, potentially making you ill. A monitor covered with enough fingerprints to fill a police database and various other bits of dirt will soon have you squinting to see your screen, running the risk of eye problems. Fortunately cleaning a PC is simple, and we’ll show you how.

The cleaning challenge
Computers can be surprisingly good at collecting dust and dirt. Most are cooled using fans that draw in air from the outside, push it through the PC and expel it again. As the air that is sucked in contains dust, some of this remains inside the computer. What’s more, some monitors generate static electricity, drawing in dust from the air. This, coupled with the fact that a grubby monitor makes the computer hard to use, means the monitor is the ideal starting point for a spring clean.

Flat-screen LCD monitors and chunkier CRT displays must be cleaned in different ways but in both cases it’s best to switch off and unplug the screen before cleaning it. CRT screens can have a static charge, so leave the display switched off overnight before cleaning it.

When cleaning a CRT monitor, the best weapon is a lint-free cloth, as they are soft and won’t scratch your screen. Although it’s possible to buy various monitor glass cleaners, a standard glass cleaner such as Windex can also be used. It is important never to spray this directly on the screen because the liquid could seep under the edges of the monitor and damage the internal parts. Instead, squirt the cleaner on the cloth and then wipe the glass.

For LCD screens, steer clear of ammonia-based cleaners such as Windex and use a soft cloth dampened with a little water. Wipe very gently and do not press into the display as you may damage it.

Key issues
Once the monitor is clean, you can move onto the keyboard. Even if you haven’t fallen into the trap of eating lunch at the computer, filling the keyboard with an assortment of crumbs, the chances are that it has collected quite a bit of dust. Eventually this can even stop the keys from working properly, so it’s best to take action. Before cleaning it, turn off the computer and disconnect the keyboard.

There are several ways to make a keyboard sparkly clean. The easiest is to hold the keyboard upside down over a dustbin and tap the bottom to knock out any crumbs or dust. For a more thorough clean, buy an aerosol of compressed air ­ these can be found in office supply or photography shops ­ and spray it into the cracks in the keyboard. Running a moistened cotton bud through the keys can help to clean any dirt stuck between them, and wiping the entire keyboard with an antibacterial wipe (these can be found in supermarkets) will help to remove any nasties that may lurk there.

If this still isn’t enough it’s possible to get an even more thorough clean by removing the keys, although it takes time and patience. Before attempting this, be sure to make a note of which keys go where: the easiest method is to take digital photographs as a reminder, or simply write the sequence down.

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