How to clean your laptop and make it look 'brand new'

Cleaning a laptop usually refers to file management and deleting junk content on its hard drive. However, very few pay attention to seriously cleaning its look. We spend most of our work hours on our laptops and it is bound to get dirty over time. Tea or coffee stains, dust, food crumbs, hairs and other unwanted things comfortably make it way on the laptop without our notice. The moment we have to step out for a meeting, we helplessly take out a dirty looking work machine from our in front of 'important people'.

The least we do in the name of cleaning is just wipe it with a piece of cloth. Note that laptops, mobile phones and other personal electronics items are breeding ground for germs. So, here is what you can do to clean your laptop professionally and make it look brand new and germ-free.

Follow these steps to clean.

1) Switch off and take off the battery from the laptop.

2) Open the screen of the laptop and turn it upside down to take out particles.

3) Spray compressed air on the keyboard while it is upside down to get rid of particles stuck in between the key.


4) If you have a vacuum cleaner then attach the small brush. Keep the laptop flat and clean it.

5) Pour some rubbing alcohol or cleaning solution on the microfiber cloth and clean every inch of the device. Don’t wet the cloth too much as the solution may make it way to the internal circuit of the laptop. Let it dry.

6) Spray some canned air on the edges of the screen too. Then use the cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol to clean the display gently.

Cleaning a laptop needs a bit of investment in the form of rubbing alcohol, canned air and a microfiber cloth. Using the right cloth is important, else, the fibres of the cloth may add to the pain of cleaning. You can buy these online too from websites like Flipkart or Amazon. A can of compressed air will cost around Rs 300, while a small 200ml bottle of iso-Propyl alcohol will come for Rs 200. Alternatively, you can even buy a laptop cleaning solution. Note, you can also make a solution of equal parts of vinegar and distilled water to clean your laptop if you don’t want to spend money for it.