Sparkling Screens and Clean Keys
With the winter chill finally coming to an end, it’s that time of year again to spring clean our homes and offices in preparation for the brighter season ahead. This year, while you’re at it, why not spring clean your laptop too? Not only will it banish dirt and germs, but a good clean will lengthen your laptop’s lifecycle and also improve its everyday use.
It may appear to be a laborious process, but dirt and dust can damage the laptop display, affect the fan and block ports. These things ultimately affect the performance of your laptop. To avoid this, aim to clean your laptop properly at least once a year. Here are some tips to get you started.
Healthy typing
Before you clean your laptop keyboard, make sure it is unplugged and the power is off. Remove the mouse, discs, CDs, USB drives and any other accessories that are connected to your machine. The best way to clean your laptop is to use a micro-fibre cloth and an air duster. On some machines it is easy to pop the keys off and then put them back on once you have finished cleaning. Alternatively, spray a suitable cleaner onto a soft cloth and gently wipe the keys. Ideally you should do this every two to three weeks to keep your laptop in good condition.
How to clean your laptop LCD
Gently wipe the LCD screen in a circular motion with a clean cloth – again, micro-fibre is preferred – to remove any obvious dust. You can then clean it using a solution of water and isopropyl alcohol – just enough to moisten a clean cloth. Finish up by lightly wiping the edges with enough pressure so as to eliminate the dust deposits.
Keeping your fan cool and clean
The fan is essential to keep your laptop cool as it reduces the chances of your machine overheating. To keep your laptop fan in good working condition, first turn off the laptop and unplug the battery. Secondly, remove the RAM cover (which is typically located right next to the battery compartment) by removing the screws and slowly lifting it. Gently wipe and use compressed air on the laptop fan blades. Cotton swabs are useful for removing stubborn dust from the blades.
Keep your laptop’s heart healthy
To keep your laptop healthy, you need to look after its heart or CPU. Ensure that your laptop’s vents are cleaned periodically to allow for maximum airflow to cool the CPU. Wipe the outside casing with a soft cloth and use compressed air to clean the inside casing. Always check your warranty card before opening your CPU.
Comfort your laptop’s brain
Routinely carry out health check-ups on your laptop data. Do not store movies or other large files on your laptop (but rather on a CD or other storage device), to ensure that you have sufficient memory and storage space on your laptop. To run your machine efficiently, defragment your hard drive every month by clicking on Start Menu ˃ Programs ˃ Accessories ˃ Disk Defragmenter.
Don’t forget your accessories
Check that your carry case is clean and there are no sharp objects in it that could scratch your laptop. Unplug your mouse and take out the plastic ring and ball, wipe inside the area with cotton wool and wipe down the ball. If you have a digital mouse, just flip it over and clean the pads on the bottom of the mouse with a cloth.
Once you have finished, plug everything in and switch your laptop back on. And don’t forget to put your next laptop spring clean in your diary for 12 month’s time.
Story by Reon Coetzee, Toshiba Regional Sales Manager, Southern Africa
