Keyboards, mobile phone screens, headphones… These are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. It’s important to clean them regularly, but there are a few precautions you should take. We’ll fill you in on all the details.
Products to avoid and essentials
Before you start cleaning your electronic devices, here are a few things to remember:
- Always unplug your devices;
- Forget conventional household products, multi-purpose cleaners, window cleaners, bleach, etc.
- Look at the instructions and use the products recommended by the manufacturer, or hot soapy water.
- A microfibre cloth will be your best friend, but you’ll also need cotton buds, alcohol, a toothpick, a small soft brush, etc.
No matter what device you’re using, whether it’s your TV, laptop, or desktop, the best way to remove accumulated dust is with a microfibre cloth. There are products out there that are designed to get rid of fingerprints, but here’s a solution that’s just as effective and much more economical! Just dampen your cloth and rub gently. You can also add a few drops of white vinegar, but don’t go overboard.
Laptops, keyboards, phone screens… These gadgets are breeding grounds for bacteria. It’s important to clean them regularly. For screens, just use warm water and a little white vinegar, but make sure your cloth isn’t too wet. If you’re dealing with stubborn stains or want to disinfect, you can mix 50% isopropyl alcohol with 50% distilled water. Once you’ve dusted your computer keyboard, you can use a cotton bud soaked in white vinegar or rubbing alcohol to clean and disinfect the keys. And don’t forget the mouse!
The second biggest enemy of computer keyboards after bacteria, dust and crumbs! Here’s how you can get rid of them:
- Turn your keyboard upside down to remove as much residue as possible from between the keys;
- Use a can of compressed air to remove stubborn dust and residue. Make sure you use it the right way round (usually head downwards).
To get rid of the dust, crumbs and other residues stuck in your computer keyboards, here are three unusual objects for gentle cleaning:
- Tape: unroll some tape over the keys of your laptop keyboard. All the dirt will stick to it.
- Make-up brush or small paintbrush: ideal for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
- Pen: slips easily between the keys.
One thing to keep in mind is that speakers attract dust. If you don’t take care of them regularly, they won’t perform as well as they should. Here’s a great way to get rid of dust: just run a roller or a sticky clothes brush over your speakers to catch all the dust. Make sure you do this regularly. Just a heads-up: don’t use your vacuum cleaner to clean your speakers, as this could damage them.
There’s nothing complicated about cleaning a mobile phone or tablet. Remember to clean the shell of your phone too:
- Use a dry microfibre cloth to remove any marks;
- Moisten your cloth with water and white vinegar to disinfect;
- Rub with a special glasses cloth (ideal for removing fingerprints);
