How to Clean Electronic Equipment
October 26th, 2006 (Cleaning)
Telephones: To clean and disinfect telephone receivers, apply Listerine mouthwash with a soft cotton pad or rag. Do not rinse off. This is great advice for offices during cold and flu season.
Television Screens: Denatured alcohol (available at hardware stores) makes a great cleaner for many pieces of electronic equipment. To clean the TV screen, turn off the power to the TV. Apply alcohol to a rag or paper towel and wipe the screen thoroughly, then buff.
Stop Dust from Settling: Apply antistatic product to a rag and wipe the screen and cabinet, or mix 1 part liquid fabric softener to 4 parts water and apply with a soft cloth and buff.
Radios: These need to be dusted often. Clean them occasionally with denatured alcohol applied with a cotton ball. Do not use alcohol on wood.
Cameras: Cameras should always be stored in their cases when not in use. This prevents them from becoming dusty. Except for wiping off the outside of the lens with a cotton ball and a little alcohol, leave the cleaning to the professionals.
Videocassette Recorders: These need to be kept free of dust to stay in good working order. It is best to cover them with a plastic cover when not in use. If the room is damp, keep silica packets (available from florists or many times found in new leather shoes or purses) on top of the VCR (keep these packets away from children). Clean the VCR occasionally using a cleaning tape to ensure good-quality pictures on playback. Store video-tapes in cardboard or plastic cases to keep them clean and in good condition for playback or recording.
Answering Machines: These need to be dusted with a lambswool duster, particularly inside the machine. You can use an aerosol cleaner, but make sure that the machine is dry before you replace the cassette.
Fax Machines: These also need to be kept dusted and occasionally wiped with denatured alcohol.
Compact Discs: To keep your compact discs clean, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 pint of water in a spray bottle. Shake well to mix and spray on the disc, wiping with a soft cloth. Do not wipe in a circular motion; wipe from the center hole in the disc out to the outside edge.
Computers: To avoid costly problems with computers, it is important that they be kept dust-free. Dust between the keys of your keyboard with a cotton swab, or vacuum with the duster-brush on your vacuum or with a special computer vacuum that helps you get between the keys. Mix 1 part water and 1 part alcohol and apply to the keys with a cotton swab. Don’t overwet. Undiluted denatured alcohol may also be used in the same manner. Dust the screen and spray with an antistatic product. Make sure that computers are situated out of direct sun- light, which can cause overheating. Sunlight also makes it difficult for the user to see the computer screen clearly.