If you’re wondering what is the best way to keep your workspace clean, you should know that besides decluttering your office desk and keeping your desk tidy, by removing the dust and germs from its surface, you should also pay attention to your office items.
For example, if you work in an IT office, you get to use a lot of items on a daily basis. Things like a laptop or computer, a mouse, a mouse pad, a mobile phone, headphones and a badge are indispensable when it comes to getting your tasks done.
And since you’re using them so often and for so many hours a day, have you ever wondered how many germs and bacteria they hide? Several studies have shown that the items and devices we use in our office life carry a lot of dust and germs. You might be surprised to find out that your keyboard is way dirtier than a toilet seat.
So these office items definitely shouldn’t be neglected when you get to clean your office desk. If you can’t remember when was the last time when you cleaned your keyboard, your mouse or your badge or even worse, you haven’t do it at all by now, here are a few tips for you to clean your office items like a pro:
1. How to clean a keyboard
2. How to clean a mouse and mouse pad
3. How to clean your ID Badge
4. How to clean your headphones
Even if you use a computer or a laptop at work, it’s necessary to clean its keyboard properly and regularly. Over time, dust, bacteria and other grime affect a keyboard’s performance and puts your health at risk, by exposing you to allergies or other different medical affections.
So if you want to know how to clean a laptop keyboard or a computer keyboard, here’s what you need to do:
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If you’re working on a computer and your keyboard is wired, you first need to shut down the computer, then pull out the plug connecting the keyboard to the computer. If you want to clean a laptop keyboard, just unplug and turn off your laptop to eliminate the risk of electrical shock. If you plan to deep clean the keys of a wireless keyboard, take the batteries out.
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Turn your laptop or computer keyboard upside down and tap or shake to dislodge debris. According to Apple’s website, if you're cleaning a laptop, you must hold it at a 75 degree angle, with the screen open while supporting the laptop’s base with your other hand. If you want to deep clean a mechanical keyboard, you can even consider taking the keyboard apart.
The next thing in cleaning your keyboard is to use a compressed air can to blow the dust and debris from the keys. Hold the keyboard at a 75 degree angle and the canister at a 45 degree angle and make sure the straw’s attached to control the airflow. Let out controlled bursts of air, to remove the crumbs out of the areas between keys and don’t turn the can of compressed air upside down while spraying.
To completely clean the keyboard, tilt it and blow at it from different angles, top to bottom. Remove the extra debris with a soft toothbrush. For this step, you can use only a toothbrush in order to clean an external keyboard, but if you plan to clean a laptop, you should know that the compressed air is gentler.
The suction power from a dust vacuum will remove the most stubborn crumbles stuck between the keys. Make sure that none of your keys are loose, then use a dust vacuum with a hose or a regular vacuum with a brush attachment to go over the entire keyboard. If a key still comes off, just retrieve it from the vacuum, wash it off and place it back on the keyboard.
Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol and wipe each key to remove leftover dust. Make sure you clean the sides of each key and the space around it. Replace the swab when it gets dirty. After you finished with the sides of each key, use a microfibre cloth dampened in isopropyl alcohol to clean the top portion of each keyboard. Make sure the cloth isn’t dripping.
Wipe the keyboard one last time with a lint-free cloth, in order to remove excess moisture. After this last step, your keyboard should look like new. You can now plug it in and get back to work.
But the keyboard isn’t the only office item that needs to be carefully cleaned. If you want to work in a healthy and clean environment maybe you also want to find out more about how to properly clean your office desk and other office items or about the benefits of hiring a janitorial cleaning company.
