Keeping Clean - How to Make Your Mac Look And Feel Good
Submitted by BDub on January 24, 2004 - 3:35am.
Macintosh, 68K | Hardware
Most of us eat at our computer at one time or another. A bag of chips or a six course meal, it doesn't make much difference. We also drink by them. Remember that rootbeer you spilled last Monday?
Once again, a small, low powered, vacuum cleaner will do wonders. For tough sticky situations, it may be a requirement to take apart the mouse and wash it in soapy water. Dry well, and allow at least 24 hours. And, like all ADB devices (which are powered), remember to unplug before you scrub.
A vacuuming is a good idea for a cloth mousepad, or for one with a non-fabric surface, wiping it off is the easiest way to keep a mousepad clean.
A dry cloth to wipe off collected dust, possibly with some monitor cleaning fluid is a smart move. This dust can cause the image to be blurry if it builds up too much. Excessive use of liquids is not recommended when cleaning these off.
So you just bought that shiny new, or old, Macintosh and you're wondering how many stickers you can put on it before the sheer weight of the glue makes the case collapse. How many crumbs you can spill in the keyboard before the letter "J" refuses to move. How much dust can collect in your mouse before the little ball actually starts leaving a trail of dirt behind it when you move it.
Can the disk drive be used to open bottles? Is submerging the monitor the way to clean it? When can you plant vegetables on your mousepad?
If you think I'm not kidding, hit the back button.
The Keyboard
Most of us eat at our computer at one time or another. A bag of chips or a six course meal, it doesn't make much difference. We also drink by them. Remember that rootbeer you spilled last Monday?
There may be a reason why your keyboard is failing...and its probably not being worn out by all those long hours you put in at the office
Please, don't drink sugary liquids directly over the keyboard. Leaning over a few inches can do a world of good for your keyboard. And yes, we know, there will be some chip bad to mouth motion while you are playing that new game, but cleaning a keyboard can be done very simply.
- A low powered hand vacuum or dustbuster can get out some of the stuff stuck between keys. Many vacuum cleaners include "keyboard cleaning" attachments. Use them.
- When you drop something in a crack, pick it up rather than grinding it in with further typing.
- If you must wash your keyboard, remove the key tops (DO NOT REMOVE THE SPACE BAR!) and after unplugging it, wash it with a soap and water solution. Make sure to rinse thoroughly, and give it a day to dry. Spare keyboards are always handy for situations like this.
The Mouse
Once again, a small, low powered, vacuum cleaner will do wonders. For tough sticky situations, it may be a requirement to take apart the mouse and wash it in soapy water. Dry well, and allow at least 24 hours. And, like all ADB devices (which are powered), remember to unplug before you scrub.
The mousepad being clean can also have an impact on your mouses performance, as it won't pick up so much dirt. Which brings us to...
The Mousepad
A vacuuming is a good idea for a cloth mousepad, or for one with a non-fabric surface, wiping it off is the easiest way to keep a mousepad clean.
The Monitor
A dry cloth to wipe off collected dust, possibly with some monitor cleaning fluid is a smart move. This dust can cause the image to be blurry if it builds up too much. Excessive use of liquids is not recommended when cleaning these off.