How to Clean Your Devices, Part 2

Yesterday, we covered how to clean a desktop computer.  Today, we will look at how to clean our mobile devices.

Laptop - Obviously, you will want to unplug the laptop and remove the battery before any cleaning.  To clean the monitor, use the same procedure for cleaning a desktop monitor.  (Monitor wipes or soap and water.)

To clean underneath a laptop's keyboard, compressed air is your best option.  If you are comfortable removing the keyboard, you may want to remove it for easier cleaning.  Next, use isopropyl alcohol to clean the keys.  (You can use a soap and water mixture, but be sure to squeeze any excess water off the towel before wiping and give your computer plenty of time to dry before starting it.)

Space has to be sacrificed in order to create a portable computer, so the ability to thoroughly clean a laptop is limited unless you are comfortable completely disassembling your computer.  Your only remaining option is to try and remove dust from any place you can.  Use compressed air to clean the vents.  Remove any panels on the bottom and blow dust out of those areas.  If you removed the keyboard earlier, blow dust out before putting it back in place.

Phone/Tablet - Smartphones and tablets are generally not made to be disassembled, so cleaning dust out of them will be difficult.  Fortunately, these devices do not attract as much dust since they have limited ventilation.  If there are any vents, try using compressed air inside of them.  I also found that my mother's smartphone had trouble charging due to dirt and dust inside the charging port.  A couple shots of compressed air in the charging port solved the problem.

If your phone has a battery that can be easily removed, take the cover off and remove it.  Then use compressed air to clean any exposed areas.  You can also clean these areas with a cotton swab using a soap and water mixture.  Use a damp microfiber cloth to clean your screen.  If the screen is cracked, use a dry cloth to prevent moisture from entering your device.  When cleaning the screen, do not use a circular motion, as this can scratch the screen.