How to Clean A Laptop Computer

June 26, 2007

Before attempting to clean your laptop, read the User's Manual to learn what the recommended procedure for cleaning your particular laptop is. Most laptop manufacturer's recommend thoroughly cleaning a laptop once a year but frequent travelers may wish to clean their laptop more often. When cleaning a laptop computer do not use any harsh cleaning agents or those which contain ammonia in them on any part of the laptop.

Dirt that can build up inside and on your laptop computer includes pet hair and dander, dust, cigarette ashes and residue. This dirt can mar your display, affect the performance of the fans and block or cause problems with I/O ports.

You'll need the following to clean your laptop computer:

Compressed Air
Cotton swabs
Cleaning solution
Soft cleaning cloth such as a cotton t-shirt.

EXTERIOR:

Use a soft damp cloth such as an old cotton t-shirt to clean the casing.
Do not use a scratchy or abrasive cleaning cloth.]
Don't use harsh cleaning products.
Never spray any cleaning solution directly onto the casing - spray onto a cloth first.
COOLING VENTS:

Use a can of compressed air to clean the cooling vents.
Be careful with the compressed air that you don't spray too hard and get liquid on the fan blades.
Use cotton swabs to hold fans in place while you clean them.
Spraying directly on the fan and making them spin could cause them to over spin.

I/O PORTS:

After the vents are cleaned, move to the I/O Ports.
Use cotton swabs to wipe away large pieces of dirt that have accumulated.
Compressed air can be used as well to blow the rest of the dirt away.
Just be careful to not blow dirt into the I/O Ports.

DISPLAY:

Turn off the laptop before cleaning the display as you will dirt more easily on the screen.
Always use a non-abrasive cloth such as a cotton t-shirt.
Never use paper towels or tissues to clean your display.
Do not use any ammonia based cleaners on the display - they will leave a film.
You can purchase monitor cleaning solutions in spray or pre-moistened wipes.
Always spray on a cloth first then wipe the screen from left to right, top to bottom.
You can make your own cleaning solution using isopropyl alcohol and water.
Use one part water and one part isopropyl alcohol.

KEYBOARD:

In order to keep your keyboard cleaner and prevent keys from sticking or malfunctioning, do your best to keep food and drink away from where you are working.
Even if you don't spill something directly on the laptop keyboard, you will get residue on your fingers and transfer that to the keyboard.
Compressed air can be used on the keyboard to get rid of dirt build-up.
Read your User's Manual to learn if the keys can be removed for cleaning.
Just be sure that you put the keys back in their proper place when you are done cleaning them.
Cotton swabs are useful for cleaning in and around keys.