You’re not alone if you spend your days attached to your laptop, tablet, or other electronic gadgets, and if your smartphone has become virtually a part of your hand. But when was the last time any of those electronics were cleaned?
While it’s simple to remember to clean the bathroom and kitchen, your beloved electronics are likely in need of a scrub. Dirt and filth can collect on your keypad, underneath your phone case, and even in your headphones. Here’s how I usually get the dirt out of my most-used electronics.
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Smartphones
Because phones and tablets have a fingerprint-resistant coating that can wear off, manufacturers recommend wiping them down with distilled water and a barely textured microfiber cloth, then cleaning around crevices with cotton swabs, such as the edges of the screen and buttons.
Get some hand sanitizer (I feel it’s good enough plus there is probably stock at home due to the pandemic) and a disposable microfiber cloth if you want to disinfect thoroughly. After that, take off any cases from your phone or tablet, dispense some liquid on the cloth and give your phone a thorough wipe on all sides before cleaning the edges too.
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Laptops
As soon as you sit down to type, anything your fingers touch—from food to dirt to anything else—ends up on your keyboard. Dirt and grim accumulates over time and usually you can see a yellow or white-ish residue that builds up if you don’t have the habit of cleaning it frequently.
With most keyboards, there is usually a small gap under the keycaps that can accumulate dust. For those who do not own a compressed air duster at home (like me), what I usually do is switch on my hair dryer (on the cold setting) to blow air while using a small clean brush to wipe the nooks and crannies of the keyboard. Next, the handy dandy hand sanitizer solution is used with a cloth and used to wipe the entire surface.
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Earbud & Headphones
With most of us always listening to music or having zoom meetings frequently, our earbuds and headphones are definitely a high touch point item as they go in and out of our ears on a regular basis. However, because it’s crucial not to get these accessories wet, you cant exactly dunk them in water like how one washes their clothes.
What you can do is wipe them down with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth each time after use for maintenance. If necessary, a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (or more hand sanitizer) can be used to scrape away any tenacious filth.
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Game Console and Controllers
When lockdown first started, there was a slight craze where everyone was snatching up all the available Nintendo Switches, Xbox or PS5 to play while stuck at home. It has been a good two years since but do you remember when you last cleaned it?
To start, clean up the nooks and crannies with a toothpick. Drag the toothpick through all of the little seams and openings between the controller sections. To clean the casing and buttons where dust can accumulate, use a Q-tip or a dry toothbrush. Finally, wipe it all down with some hand sanitizer to effectively clean and kill some germs while you’re at it.
Keep your devices clean often and maintain it as a habit for good hygiene. You wouldn’t want to touch someone else’s equipment who was smearing grease or grime over their phone or controller. So, keep your equipment clean, and don’t be afraid to ask others to keep their devices clean too!
This article was brought to you by Raj who is currently fleeing the battle~
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