Mar 17, 2020
How to Clean Your Filthy, Disgusting Laptop or iPad
Like any tool we use every day, our laptops and iPads accumulate dust, grime, oils from our skin and who knows what else. Yours is probably due for a cleaning, and here’s how to do it right.
Start of Right
The most critical thing when cleaning a laptop or iPad is to apply the cleaning product to the tool you’re using to clean, never ever directly onto the device.
Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean your laptop or iPad.
Here are some tips that apply to all products:
- Use only a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
- Avoid excessive wiping, which might cause damage.
- Unplug all external power sources, devices, and cables.
- Keep liquids away from the product, unless otherwise noted for specific products.
- Don't get moisture into any openings.
- Don't use aerosol sprays, bleaches, or abrasives.
- Don't spray cleaners directly onto the item.\
Get to Work
Laptops
When cleaning the outside of a laptop (not including the screen), first shut down your computer and unplug the power adapter. Then use a damp, soft, lint-free cloth to clean the computer's exterior. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. Do not spray liquid directly on the computer. Don't use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide that might damage the finish.
You can use a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your laptop or iPad product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Don't use bleach. Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don't submerge your device in any cleaning agents.
You may want to use cotton swabs for the keyboard keys and the small spaces between them. Be gentle with the keys on a keyboard to prevent damage. It may take a few passes to get all that grime off, but once you do, you should notice a dramatic difference.
Your screen is a slightly different matter. You should be able to wipe fingerprints off with a dry microfiber cloth, but if you need a bit more cleaning power, a little bit of water - again, poured onto the cloth and wrung out first - can go a long way.
To clean the screen on your laptop, first shut down the computer and unplug the power adapter. Dampen a soft, lint-free cloth with water only, then use it to clean the computer's screen.
iPad
To clean your iPad, unplug all cables and turn off iPad (press and hold the Sleep/Wake button, and then slide the on-screen slider).
Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Avoid getting moisture in openings. Don't use window cleaners, household cleaners, compressed air, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide to clean an iPad.
iPad has an oleophobic coating on the screen; simply wipe iPad's screen with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove oil left by your hands. The ability of this coating to repel oil will diminish over time with normal usage, and rubbing the screen with an abrasive material will further diminish its effect and may scratch your screen.
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