While this isn’t new information to me, I’m sure that most people don’t really think about it much if at all. In a recent article from Which? Online (see link below), it is revealed that one of the most filthy things you will willingly touch on a regular basis is your computer keyboard. They go so far as to suggest that your keyboard may have more bacteria and other nasties than your toilet. Starts to make you regret eating that sandwich while surfing for the ultimate recipe for dinner, doesn’t it?
Everyone should go out, get some alcohol, cotton balls and swabs, and begin cleaning their keyboards right now. Just be sure to turn off your computer and unplug the keyboard. If you are using a notebook, you should remove the battery instead of the keyboard unless you know exactly what you’re doing. Don’t forget the mouse while you’re at it. I wouldn’t blame you if you took this opportunity to upgrade to a better keyboard than the one you have now.
What the article doesn’t discuss is that that’s not the only dirt in your computer. If you’ve been using your computer for any length of time, there is undoubtedly a build-up of dust and other debris within the case itself. I tried to dig up some pictures of what this may look like but I couldn’t find any in my collection and I didn’t want to use someone else’s picture for this purpose.
Depending upon the environment your computer is in, it will have either a light layer or a thick block of dust hiding within. I’ve seen many situations that surprised me from the light layer on a computer that’s been in service for years to the nearly impenetrable block in one that was new only a few months ago. While this dust may not be as much of a health hazard as the grime on your keyboard, its presence can certainly lessen the life of your computer. As the dust builds up, it prevents air from circulating and getting to the components so that they can cool. I once had a computer that was so sensitive to this, I would get overheating warnings about every six months. . I knew it was time to open its case and blow everything out.
From start to finish, it will take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to give your computer a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. If your keyboard is really messy, you may want to take its keys off and wash them while removing the crumbs and all from below. This will take an hour on its own, but it’s worth it for a good keyboard that you want to keep working.
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