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How to disinfect and clean your laptop

Like any other device we spend hours on every day, laptops are magnets for germs, dust, and dirt. There's never been a better time to do a little spring cleaning for your computer. When was the last time you even considered giving it a facelift? Basic maintenance only takes a few minutes, and the payoff is well worth it and can extend the life of your laptop. Not to mention, it's just good hygiene. We've shown you how to clean your phone, now let's look at the best ways to clean your laptop.

ContentsWhat do you needA quick reminder before you startStart with the keyboardSwitch to the displayDisinfect the laptop body

What do you need

How to disinfect and clean your laptop

Next, grab your isopropyl alcohol and a cotton ball or two. It is important not to completely wet the swab. You want it to be wet but not dripping. Move the ball(s) around the keyboard, between the keys, and if you need to, add a q-tip to this step to make sure you hit every inch of the keyboard. You can perform this step as many times as you want. Just make sure you don't go overboard or you might end up with condensation under some keys.

Switch to display

How to disinfect and clean your laptop

While keyboards are quite durable, your laptop screen is very sensitive, so you should approach these steps with great care. Once again, take your microfiber cloth and gently wipe it over the screen. Do it in a horizontal or vertical motion, but not both. If you do, you could run the risk of leaving stains or scratches. If you are not comfortable with isopropyl alcohol on the screen, the best alternative is a dedicated screen cleaning kit for a laptop. These dedicated cleaners work on almost all types of screens for Windows and Apple computers.

Disinfect the laptop body

With the keyboard and screen covered, you now want to get the rest of the laptop — the case. This focuses on the opposite side of the screen, touchpad, and under the keyboard near the battery. You can also rely on your microfiber cloth and isopropyl alcohol to clean the rest of the surfaces. As you're looking to disinfect, it's good to stick with alcohol, otherwise you can use the same spray as the screen cleaning kit to remove dust and grime.

Once you have gone through all the steps, there is only one final grade. Before turning on your laptop, make sure everything is completely dry. Other than that, you now have a laptop free of dirt, grime, and most importantly, bacteria and germs. If you want to be thorough, you can also open the case and clean the inside of your computer.