How to Spring Clean Your Computer
by www.SixWise.com
As you tackle the clutter, dirt and grime in the rest of your home come spring, don’t overlook one of the germiest yet least cleaned items in your possession: your computer.
Use the tips that follow to turn your computer from a hazardous waste zone into a clean and smooth-running machine. |
Most people use their computer on a daily basis, and each time you do you may be transferring two or more types of bacteria onto your fingertips while you type, according to a study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Further, outbreaks of the norovirus, which accounts for more than 90 percent of stomach flu outbreaks in the United States each year, have been linked to contaminated computer keyboards and mice, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last January.
Aside from the germs, an unkempt computer can become a data overload nightmare, running slower and crashing, not to mention making it difficult for you to keep track of your documents, music and photos.
So as you gear up to do your spring cleaning, here’s what you need to do to get your computer back in tip-top condition:
Cleaning the Outside
- Wipe down the outside of your computer and mouse. Grab a PerfectClean terry cloth and go over the surface of your computer and mouse (they can be used wet or dry). Unlike ordinary cleaning rags that simply push dirt around, PerfectClean's revolutionary ultramicrofiber construction enables them to reach deep into microscopic crevices (NO other cleaning tool available even comes close!) and remove everything in their path: all forms of dirt, dust, hair, dander, and the biological contaminants too small to see with the naked eye. That is because at an astonishing 3 microns, the ultramicrofibers are even smaller than most bacteria (each cleaning cloth contains over 300 miles of actual cleaning surface!).
That year’s worth of germs and dirt that has gummed up your computer’s mouse? Gone in a few swipes of a PerfectClean cloth!
Everything You Need for a Clean Computer and Office
 The PerfectClean OfficePure Pack cleans all the way down to the microscopic level! Its revolutionary ultramicrofiber construction enables them to reach deep into microscopic crevices (NO other cleaning tool available even comes close!) to actually remove dirt and bacteria, not just push it around like ordinary cleaning rags.
- Hospitals, schools & other commercial organizations that require ultra-clean environments use PerfectClean ultramicrofiber terry cloths over 100 TIMES before replacing them.
- Unlike the old common types of rags that simply spread microscopic contaminants around when you wipe with them, PerfectClean terry cloths hold fast to everything they pick up!
- Used wet with water or dry, you don't need to use chemical cleaners to achieve the deepest clean ... Traditional chemical-based cleaners can still be used, but you'll use considerably less as the ultramicrofiber can hold up to eight times its weight in liquid!
- PerfectClean products including mops used in more Hospitals than any other commercial mop are hypoallergenic, perfect for those with allergies.
Two (2) All-Purpose Terry Cloths
- Use these on your desktop, telephone, keyboard, doorknobs & frames, chair-arms/back, file cabinets, other office furniture and surfaces. Can be used dry or lightly dampened.
Two (2) Super Silk Finesse Cloths
- Use these on your monitor & other more sensitive surfaces. Can be used dry or lightly dampened.
Clean surfaces once per day or, depending on need, more frequently if others use your office equipment regularly.
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- Make your monitor crystal clear. Flat-screen monitors become easily smudged with fingerprints and other dirt, but the surface is easily damaged by harsh cleaners and cleaning cloths. Contact the manufacturer to find out what type of cleaner is safe for your monitor, then lightly spray a PerfectClean Super Silk cloth with it.
PerfectClean Super Silk cloths are ideal for cleaning sensitive computer monitors (also flat screen TVs) and will leave a lint- and smudge-free screen. They’re made with the 100% safe ultramicrofibers used in all PerfectClean products, but are designed with a proprietary construction to make them “super silky” and ideal to prevent scratching while cleaning the most sensitive surfaces like nothing else can. You can even use these cloths dry, with no cleaner at all!
- Get the grime off your keyboard. Grab your PerfectClean terry cloth again and thoroughly wipe down your keyboard to get rid of germs. These are the same cleaning tools used by leading hospitals, hotels, and other organizations that depend on environments that are clean down to the biological level, so they can easily compete with the germs on your keyboard.
Next, use a small brush or even a toothbrush to sweep the crumbs in your keyboard into a trash bin (hold it on its edge). You can also unplug the keyboard and turn it upside down on a towel, then pat the back gently to remove debris. A vacuum with the brush or slim tip attachment also works well for this purpose.
Cleaning the Inside
- Declutter your desktop. Unused icons take extra time to load when your computer starts up. If you’re not using something, such as Live Messenger, remove it or turn it off. Photos, documents and MP3s on your desktop should also be organized into their appropriate folders.
- Remove old programs. If you haven’t used a program in over a year, consider getting rid of it to free up hard drive space. To do so you must use the “uninstall” command (found under Programs and Features in the Control Panel), then empty out your “recycle bin” when it’s finished.
- Get rid of temporary files. These temp files accumulate history of your Internet browsing and cause your computer to run more slowly. Using your Web browser, find the section that allows you to “clear browsing history” or “cache” and do it regularly.
- Defragment your hard drive. Information on your computer may be stored in bits and pieces, which take time to find.
By wiping down your computer keyboard at least once a day you can help prevent the spread of germs, bacteria and viruses. |
“Think of it as having various chapters of a book on shelves throughout your home and having to find all the sections when you want to read the full text,” Patrick Norton, host of online technology show DL.TV, said in Microsoft Home Magazine.
To defragment your computer, access the defrag tool (Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter) and it will automatically reorder your hard drive.
Really, cleaning your computer from the inside out shouldn’t happen just once a year. Make a habit of regularly wiping down your computer, keyboard and mouse with PerfectClean cloths, and purging your hard drive of unnecessary files, and you’ll enjoy a cleaner, more productive work environment all year long.
Recommended Reading
The Little-Known Danger of Computer Printers ... and of Other Common Office Machines
Computer Keyboard Germs: Your Fingers aren't the Only Things Dancing All Over Your Computer Keyboard
Sources
ShoreNewsToday.com April 11, 2007
Microsoft Home Magazine
Helium.com
PCWorld.com April 24, 2002