Dust, coffee stains, oil from your fingertips, food residue, or just plain dirt: If your laptop has any of these characteristics, it's time to clean and disinfect it. With simple cleaning products and 15 minutes of your time, your laptop can look like new again. Below, we'll cover all aspects of laptop cleaning, including cleaning the screen, keyboard, exterior surfaces, vents, and ports. We'll show you what to do, what to avoid, and give you practical tips on how to clean your laptop!
Clean your laptop with canned air – start with the connections
Particles, dust and hair can build up anywhere there are gaps in your notebook: under the keyboard keys, on the edges of the screen (inside the frame), in and around the touchpad buttons, in the physical ports and vents. It is logical to clean up these contaminants before doing anything else. You don't want to clean a larger area only to have the dirt from the cracks spread over the entire area a moment later.
Start with the canned air. Follow the instructions and warnings on the package. If a straw is included, insert it into the nozzle to concentrate the airflow. Use short bursts of less than a second and hold the can at arm's length. Very important: keep a small distance between the nozzle and the target of the airflow and only get as close as you need to to loosen the material. Touching the target with the nozzle or sticking the nozzle into an opening and then releasing the can can cause condensation, a dangerous side effect of canned air. The last thing you want is moisture forming, for example in a USB port or under a keyboard key. It's better to be on the safe side.
How should you clean the keyboard?
To clean the keyboard, start at the bottom row and work your way up.
Clean laptop – use canned air
Two sprays per button should be successful. You may have to approach the keyboard from different angles, such as the side, to catch everything. Some crumbs are really stubborn.
Clean the notebook keyboard with interdental brushes
Canned air is not a panacea for removing pollution. Try interdental brushes if a few sprays aren't enough. Focus onthe pollutionloosen gently with the brushes. If necessary, you can use the air from the can to blow out the debris once it has been stirred up. As with canned air, don't overdo it or be too aggressive. Do not press the interdental brush with force, do not push too hard or dig underthe keys on the keyboard.
Clean the keyboard with a microfiber cloth and household products
The delicate keyboard is an obvious candidate for a thorough cleaning - use microfiber cloths for this. Start by lightly dampening a quarter-sized area of the microfiber cloth with your favorite cleaning product. For a disinfectant effect, we recommend using natural products - for example vinegar, rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. If liquid comes out when you squeeze the towel, you have used too much. You don't want droplets getting into anything. Apply just enough pressure to press the button, then slowly move the microfiber cloth in a circular motion with one finger.
Clean laptop – case and touchpad
Now you should see the outside surfaces of the notebookget clean again. Moisten a larger area of your microfiber cloth with the cleaning agent (again, not so much that it drips). Start with the touchpad and then move to the edge of the screen (cleaning the screen itself is the next step). Then close the laptop and work on the lid and the bottom.
For stubborn stains, especially coffee, you can apply a tiny amount of diluted dish soap solution directly to the stain and let it sit for a minute to loosen the stain. Try this only on flat surfaces so that the soap doesn't leak or drip anywhere. Then treat the stain with a microfiber cloth moistened with water and remove any soap residue.
Lastly, clean the screen
Dampen a fresh section of your microfiber cloth with water and see how much you can accomplish with it. Start at the edges and work your way inward to avoid pushing detergent or debris under the panel as you wipe.
It is important to support the notebook lid with your free hand behind the area you are cleaning to prevent the notebook from tipping backwards and the lid from twisting. Do not apply more pressure than is necessary for the microfiber to touch the display: the cloth should do the work, not the pressure.
As with cleaning the case, diluted dishwashing liquid works well for stubborn stains or dirt. You can also use a dedicated screen cleaner as mentioned earlier. Be careful not to let any liquid drip into the edges of the monitor, regardlesswhich cleaner you use. And very important: Never spray the screen directly with a cleaner or water. Always apply the liquid to your cleaning cloth first and check that it is not dripping before placing the cloth on the screen. If you spray the liquid directly onto the screen, it can easily get below the bottom of the screen, where important electronic components are often located.
