Most PC owners are aware that they should keep the glass surfaces of their monitor and scanner clean - but beware, because you can do more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing.
Mice and keyboards also can get grimy - fast - because your PC's keyboard and pointing device are constantly in use, and they get pawed by human hands.
Cleaning monitors and scanners
Follow these guidelines when working with monitor and scanner glass:
- Abrasives are taboo! Even some household glass cleaners - which you might think could be trusted - can scratch the glass in your monitor or flatbed scanner when used with a rag or paper towel. With a scanner, small scratches can mean real trouble because a scratch can easily show up in your images at higher resolutions. Therefore, you should use only a dry, soft photographer's lens cloth (which won't scratch) or lens cloths with alcohol that are made specifically for monitors and scanners.
- Never spray liquids onto a flatbed scanner. If liquid gets under the glass and into the body of the scanner, you could end up with condensation on the inside of the scanner when you use it. Again, a dry, photographer's lens cloth is a good choice . . . or pre-moistened lens cloths, which don't carry enough alcohol to do any harm.
- Monitors should never be opened. Never take the cover off any type of monitor, even if it needs cleaning. Why? Well, your PC's monitor is one of the two components of your system that carry enough voltage to seriously hurt you (the other being your PC's power supply). If your monitor needs to be serviced or cleaned on the inside, take it to your local computer shop.
- Use a cover for your scanner. Scanners are somewhat different from most external peripherals. They don't generate any heat while they're on (unlike an external hard drive), and most of us only use a scanner once or twice a week. Therefore, your scanner is a perfect candidate for a cover that will keep it clean . . . and, by no small coincidence, you'll find such covers at your local office supply store.
Cleaning your mouse and keyboard
These guidelines will help you keep your pointing device and keyboard clean and working:
- Buy an optical mouse or trackball. If you're still using an old-style mouse with a ball - how very '80s - clean it once a month. Unscrew the retaining ring on the bottom, remove the mouse ball, and use a cotton-tipped swab dipped in tape-cleaning alcohol (which is 90+ proof and will leave no residue) to clean the rollers inside. Also, make sure that your mousepad is clean and dust-free and you'll prolong its life.
An optical mouse or trackball doesn't need to be cleaned anywhere near as often (if ever).
- Do the Keyboard Shake! No, it's not a new dance craze, but it is the best method of cleaning accumulated gunk from your keyboard. At least once a month, turn your keyboard upside down and shake it vigorously back and forth; prepare to be amazed (or grossed out, especially if the whole family uses your PC).
- Find yet another use for your compressed air. Your keyboard can collect debris that can't be shaken free. If so, using compressed air will likely blow it free.
