Your office is, or at least it should be, professionally cleaned. But it turns out the dirtiest, grossest, germiest places in the office are still dirty and it is all your fault! Studies have shown that the two germiest places in the office are employees’ keyboards and phones. In fact, both have been shown to have more germs than your public restroom. The average computer keyboard has over 3 times as many germs as the bottom of a purse and a phone has even more than that! We all know that we really shouldn’t eat at our desk but 39% of American workers regularly eat at their desk. It is like eating with dirty dishes every single day.
So before all of the hypochondriacs planning on calling in sick tomorrow, here is what you can do to keep your computer and phone clean:
How To Clean Your Monitor/Screen
Whether you are cleaning your phone screen, your computer monitor, or a touchscreen laptop screen, you will need to be careful. Modern screens are impressive from a technological standpoint but they also tend to be very sensitive. And they are also dirt magnets. Literally! The static electricity generated by your device attracts dust. So even if you aren’t the type of person who touches your non-touchscreen every once in awhile or someone always seems to have something on their fingers when using a touch screen, screens get dirty.
And because they are sensitive, it is a bad idea to use soapy water or even windex. You can find a dedicated screen cleaning solution in a spray bottle with a microfiber cloth online or in stores for pretty cheap. But if you are in a more of a DIY person, you can make a vinegar/water solution, gently dab a microfiber cloth (like those that come with a pair of glasses) and gently wipe off your screen. Kleenexes or other paper tissues have very small wood pulp pieces in them that can scratch or scuff your screen permanently damaging it, so please avoid them. Feel free to use a can of air to blow off the dust from the corners and back as well. If your monitor has vents, make sure to blow those out to keep your monitor running smooth and efficiently.
How To Clean Your Keyboard
Keyboards are disgusting. Seriously, look at your keyboard right now. Mmhmm, I hope you’re ashamed of yourself, what would your mother say? 😉 Keyboards are tricker to clean because of their various nooks and crannies. But it is important since we spend all day, every day touching our keyboards.
First of all, turn your keyboard off, unplug it, or turn off your laptop. Next, if you have a wired or wireless keyboard (not attached to a laptop), turn your keyboard over and gently shake it out, letting some of the loose crumbs, lint, etc fall out. Pretty gross, isn’t it?
Next take your can of compressed air and go through the individual rows of keys and try to angle the straw underneath the keys. Next using a q-tip dabbed in some rubbing alcohol, go through and clean each key and each row in between the keys. You’ll probably need several cotton swabs if it has been a while. Go over it again with the compressed air one more time and let it dry completely. Now you are good to go. It will look and feel like a brand new keyboard. You can follow these same steps for your mouse or trackpad, but you might want to use a cotton ball to work with the larger, flatter surfaces.
How To Clean Your Desktop/Laptop
If you have laptop, you can clean the body with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball. For a desktop, a duster should be fine. Once you’ve cleaned all of the external portions, take your compressed air and make sure to thoroughly go over the vents and ports. Dust and hair get trapped in the computer fans and vents over time and lead to slower fans, higher internal temperatures, and a shorter lifespan for your computer. If you are able to take the bottom off of your laptop or the side off of your desktop, do so and continue to blow the dust and dirt out. This will keep your computer living longer and running quieter because the fans don’t have to work so hard.
How To Clean Your Phone
Your phone or tablet is going to be very similar to the other devices. First make sure to take your case off. Cases tend to collect all that dirt and gunk and trapping it against your phone. If you don’t clean out your case every so often that dirt can scratch your phone. Even “water and dust proof” cases should be cleaned out occasionally.
Use your rubbing alcohol and cotton ball to clean the back and sides of your phone/tablet. Then take the screen cleaner solution and microfiber cloth and clean the screen. If you screen isn’t that dirty, thanks to the case, you can just use the cloth and wipe it off without the solution. Next, take your q-tip and alcohol and clean out the speaker and microphone. Don’t shove anything into the headphone jack or charging port. Use your compressed air to clean those. Out
That should cover it. Now you are all set and ready to go with devices that are all clean and feeling new. Keeping your phone and computer clean will not only keep them looking better, but performing better as well, and keep you healthier! For everything else in the office, let Environmental Cleaning Services handle it! We are professionally trained with professional equipment and the experience to keep any workplace in the Dallas Fort Worth area clean, productive and efficient. Contact us for your free quote!