How clean is your computer?

How often do you clean your laptop or computer keyboard?

I bet it’s not that frequent. You might wipe your screen with the odd wipe every now and then but actually cleaning the keyboard, come on admit, not that often.

What can you do to keep your laptop or keyboard clean?

You will be surprised to know that your keyboard can harbour more germs than a public toilet seat! Of course, not all germs are harmful but some can make you really unwell.

The recent Coronavirus pandemic has encouraged us to wash our hands with soap and water more often and wipe down surfaces such as worktops, desks, door knobs and high traffic areas, but little has been said of the devices we use.

Viruses and bacteria left on computers and laptops increase when the devices are shared i.e., in education, hot desking and even in our homes. This is why, just as you wash your hands to stop the spread, you should clean your devices.

How do I clean my laptop or keyboard

Here is some advice on how to go about cleaning your laptop or keyboard:

1. Firstly, shut down the device and unplug from the mains power.
2. If possible, turn the laptop or keyboard upside down to empty any debris that has accumulated.
3. To clean in between the keys, you can purchase a can of suppressed air which can help to remove stubborn particles trapped between keys. Cotton swabs such as Q-tips can be dampened (not wet) with water to clean keys and in between also.
4. Use a damp lint-free cloth together with an anti-bacterial spray (spray cloth not directly onto the keyboard) to clean the rest of the keyboard. Anti-bacterial disinfectant wipes can also be used.
5. Some keyboards are designed to let you remove the actual keys to do a thorough clean, this should be done carefully to ensure you do not break the keys.
6. Do not use anything other than a specific computer screen cleaner to clean the laptop or computer screen.
7. If using a desktop PC, you can wipe down other surfaces with your damp cloth also.

Helpful hints to keeping clean

You should always wash or sanitise your hands before using the keyboard.

If you are sharing a device then you should always wash or sanitise your hands after touching it. You should discourage eating or drinking near your laptop or desktop.

Where devices are shared in education there is an easier and less time-consuming way. In the autumn of 2021 LapSafe Self-Service Solutions Ltd will launch its Diplomat UV-C sanitising station that can sanitise a laptop in just 15 seconds!

A semi-automated UV-C sanitising unit that sanitises your device quickly and effectively. Place your device into the cleaning bay and leave the unit to do the rest.

While waiting users should sanitise their hands, leaving them with clean hands and devices ready to use with confidence. 99 per cent of bacteria and some viruses are inactivated when exposed to high-intensity UV-C light.

Fitted with Phillips UV-C bulbs, you can have confidence that the Diplomat UV-C can help with your protection strategy and help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Denise Crouch is Head of Sales and Marketing at Lapsafe.