For most of us, our primary lifeline is our smartphones. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak times, smartphones and gadgets have been our source of entertainment. And if you have Spectrum Internet just as I do, you would be hooked to screen streaming and playing online games hence taking your device everywhere you go. This exposes it to all kinds of germs and bacteria.
The devices that we use a hundred times a day deserve to be cleaned and disinfected just like any other item at home. Did you know a study revealed that smartphones carry 10 times more bacteria than a toilet seat? The same goes for your desktops and laptops.
Why Cleaning Is Critical?
Phones, laptops and other gadgets travel with us starting from bathrooms, kitchens, restaurants, workplaces, and buses. Gadgets, like our hands, pick germs along the way. These contaminated surfaces become an entry point for bacteria to transmit our bodies. Infections can then reach your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Cleaning dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a great practice to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 virus. Washing hands is not enough. You need to wipe the virus away from the surface of your gadgets as well. Coronavirus or no, it’s pertinent to clean your gadgets as often as you use them.
How To Clean And Disinfect?
But wait, didn’t Apple prevent its users from wiping their products using disinfecting wipes? It certainly did but now, they are saying it’s ok to use wipes with 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Depending on what device or gadget it is, this is how you clean each one:
Smartphones And Tablets
It is safe to use rubbing alcohol or disinfecting wipes to clean the screen and chassis of your smartphone and tablet. The shiny look of your device might fade away if you keep on using either of the two options to clean the surface.
Some of us keep our tablets and phones in cases.
As important it is to clean the gadgets, the case needs thorough washing too. Use soapy water to clean the case. Never submerge your gadget in water or a liquid even if it has a waterproof rating.
To maintain the oleophobic coating (the shiny screen), avoid using cleaners containing bleach and detergent-based agents.
Laptops And PCs
Laptops and desktops don’t just need cleaning on the outside but the inside too. This would require some cleaning tools for tasks such as blowing out dust. Then, you would need ethanol or Isopropyl alcohol for disinfecting the keyboard and other surfaces.
A majority of the screens of modern devices are made from glass. That makes it totally safe to use an alcohol-based cleaner. Make sure you get yourself familiar with the heat dissipation system of your gadget before dusting the inside chassis.
Keyboards
Keyboards are a house of germs, bacteria, hair, dust and food particles we munch on while using the desktop or laptop. We don’t replace them. When they break down, we simply toss them away. You can always blow out the dust from the keyboard but the right way to clean it is piece by piece.
Start by removing the keys and clean them with a brush. Blast dust or pieces of crumbs out of the keyboard’s chassis using compressed air. Invest in hand vacuums or small brushes designed for deep cleaning keycaps.
Earphones & Headphones
These also fall into the category of the most used gadgets. Earphones get gross faster than we can imagine. Cleaning them is simple. Cotton balls, damp cloth or Q-tip are some tools for cleaning. To fully disinfect them, isopropyl alcohol is ideal.
Headphones are different. They don’t sit inside the ears hence they are not that simple to clean. Plus, the material for the cup differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. It’s recommended to consult the manual for instructions on cleaning and disinfecting them.
Game Controllers
They are filled with dirt and grime just like keyboards. For some deep cleaning, you are going to need a toothpick, Q-tips and alcohol. The toothpick will help you pick dirt from the hard to reach places.
I am sure you have spilled soda on them while playing. And boy they must be sticky. Use alcohol to clean them. Make sure you reach the buttons too.
Don’ts On Cleaning Gadgets
Before I go, I will leave you with a list of don’ts of cleaning your electronics and gadgets:
- Never let moisture get into ports.
- Don’t use window cleaners, solvents, and cleaners with hydrogen peroxide or households cleaners on your agents.
- Stay away from bleach agents.
- Avoid using paper towels and other abrasive materials.
- Never submerge the gadget in water or a cleaning solution.
- Avoid excessive wiping.
- Look for cleaning advice on the manufacturer’s website or manual.
Final Words
Instead of waiting for months and months to clean and disinfect your gadgets, make a schedule. I have set a monthly reminder for myself. Every time I pay my Spectrum cable bill, I clean all my gadgets. This way, I stay on top of my monthly gadget cleaning routine.
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