Physical Maintenance of computer

Physical Maintenance

Don’t touch the screen.

The oils from your fingers will leave fingerprints that are hard to remove. Avoid touching the screen if you can. To clean an LCD screen try a dry cloth for dust or a moist cloth for stuck-on stains. If the dirt is persistent, pick up an LCD cleaner or cleaning cloths sold at most computer and electronics stores. Don’t spray anything directly on the screen, and do NOT use regular surface cleaners. Make sure you only press gently, as pressing too hard may damage the screen.

Keep drinks and food away from the computer.

This is tough, but one cup of coffee or can of pop can ruin your keyboard. Also crumbs can be a problem. To clean a keyboard, use compressed air, or a small clean paint brush to brush out lint and other debris. 

Keep magnets away from your hard drive.

This isn’t housekeeping, but a magnet can ruin your hard drive, so don’t put any around the computer.

Clean the CPU and Monitor.

Dust and clean your case, paying particular attention to any air intake slots and the power supply fan located at the back of the units. A soft lint-free towel will do the job, or you can use used dryer sheets, "Swipe It" type dusting products, or other cleaning wipes.

You may even want to dust the inside of your computer as dust build-up can cause your computer to overheat. Make sure your computer is off and unplugged before you begin. Unscrew the back or side and remove it. Use a can of compressed air to spray out the dust. Don’t overdo it! A few quick sprays are sufficient.

Make sure the CPU has room to breathe.

The greatest enemy to your computer is heat. It causes the internal components and chips to wear out. Heat also lowers the performance of your system.

The first thing to check is the ventilation around your system. Many of the standard computer desks force you to place your computer in an enclosed cabinet. If your system is in an enclosed space, cut a hole in the back of the cabinet behind your cooling fan. This will allow it to draw cool air into the system. Your system should have at least 4in of space to the rear, with no clutter, loose paper, etc., to block the flow of air into the computer.

Make sure the top and rear of your monitor are also kept clean and clear of debris. Do not put paper, books, boxes, etc. on top of your monitor. You will notice ventilation slots in the monitor case. This allows the excess heat to escape. If that heat is not released, you can cause excess wear to your monitor’s internal electronics. This can create color shifting, screen flicker, and failure.