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PROCEDURE FOR PROPER CLEANING OF COMPUTER COMPONENTS

KEYBOARD:

To clean your keyboard, turn it upside down, and gently shake it to remove any dust, dirt, or crumbs. It's not uncommon for stuff to get stuck inside, which can affect the way your keyboard works. You can also use a can of compressed air to really get between the keys.

To clean the keyboard surface, the lab has Lysol disinfecting wipes for CIT students’ and CIT Lab tutors’ use. If you are at home and don’t have access to disinfecting wipes, use a cotton cloth or paper towel that's moistened with rubbing alcohol. Never actually pour alcohol (or any other liquid) on your keyboard. If you spill something by accident, don't panic. Shut your computer down immediately, then disconnect the keyboard, and turn it upside down so the liquid can drain.  If the liquid is sticky, you can rinse your keyboard under running water just like this, turned to the side. Then let it drain upside down for two days before reconnecting it. It may not be repairable at this point, but it's worth a try. The best way to avoid this is to keep drinks away from the computer area all together.

MOUSE:

Next, take a look at your mouse. If you have an optical mouse, good news - these don't require much cleaning at all, because they don't have any moving parts. Just keep an eye on the light emitter underneath. If something gets stuck here (even a piece of dust), it can keep your mouse from working smoothly. 

To clean a mechanical mouse - again, make sure it's unplugged. Then remove the tracking ball by turning the ring counter-clockwise. It should pop right out. Use a cotton cloth or paper towel to wipe it with a little rubbing alcohol. You can wipe the inside of the mouse too. Make sure all the parts are dry before you put them back together. Here's an easy tip. You can give your mouse a quick cleaning by rubbing it back and forth on a clean, white sheet of paper. Sometimes this is enough to remove the dust and dirt that can get stuck underneath.

To clean the surfaces of either an optical mouse or a mechanical mouse, the lab has Lysol disinfecting wipes for CIT students’ and CIT Lab tutors’ use. Regular cleaning of surfaces is recommended for any type of mouse.
 
MONITOR:

Your monitor is going to be even easier to clean, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

DO NOT EVER use disinfecting wipes on monitor screens!

Never spray the screen directly - with water, cleaner, or any other kind of liquid. It can leak into the monitor, and damage the components inside. Never use glass cleaner (like Windex). This can damage your screen if it has an anti-glare coating.  The safest method is to unplug the monitor, then then wipe it with a soft cloth moistened with water.

COMPUTER CASING:

You should also give some thought to cleaning other parts of your workspace, like the back of your monitor, and your computer case. These areas can get pretty dusty if you're not careful. To clean theses surfaces, the lab has Lysol disinfecting wipes for CIT students’ and CIT Lab tutors’ use.

A lint-free cloth (sometimes called a microfiber cloth) is great for wiping the casings. If you see a lot of build-up in the ventilation fans, you can use a can of compressed air to clean them out.

Never use furniture cleaner or strong solvents on any of these surfaces. Instead, take your cloth or even a paper towel, and spray it with glass cleaner. Now wipe the case and monitor housing (but not the monitor screen) in a downward motion. You can make your own solution using ammonia diluted with water - the milder the better.
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