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Equipment Care
CLEANING EQUIPMENT SUGGESTIONS
IN GENERAL:
The two worst enemies of electrical equipment are dust and water (or liquid of any kind).
GLASS: Uses of ammonia based cleaner works well for cleaning without leaving a residue. Products such as Windex are environmentally safe. You can also use a vinegar/water mixture as well.
PLASTICS: Uses of a non-ammonia or non-alcohol based cleaners should be used. Most cleaners for plastics will say “safe for plastics”.
STATIC SPRAY: Use a 50/50 mixture of Downy & Water.
HOW DO I CLEAN A TV OR COMPUTER SCREEN?
• For CRT (glass screen): First turn off the monitor. Spray a small amount of cleaner onto a paper towel, NOT directly onto the screen. Then wipe the paper towel over the screen. Finally wipe the screen clean with a dry paper towel.
• For LCD: First turn off the monitor. Use only cleaners designated for LCD. Do not apply directly onto the screen. Wipe the screen dry with 100% pure cotton or soft towel to avoid scratching the screen. (Special wipes that can be used on laptops and LCD monitors are available in the HSMC)
HOW DO I CLEAN A KEYBOARD?
• For basic cleaning a little isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol on a paper towel works well. You can also use compressed air to remove dust (available in the HSMC). If you spill pop, coffee or some other liquid substance into the keyboard, unplug it and clean it with lukewarm water and a soft towel or bring it to the HSMC for cleaning. Do not plug it back it until it is completely dry.
HOW DO I CLEAN A MOUSE?
• Poor mouse tracking is normally a sign of dirty contacts. To clean an optical mouse, turn off the computer. Then unplug the mouse. Use Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and a swab to clean the eye of the mouse (bottom side). Be sure to check your mouse pad. If it is dirty or worn, replace it. (There are extra mouse pads in the HSMC)
HOW DO I CLEAN THE INSIDE OF MY COMPUTER?
• It is not recommended to take a computer apart just to clean it; but you can blow accumulated dust away with a can of compressed air (available in the HSMC). You can also vacuum it out by using a specially designed computer vacuum cleaner; but do not use a regular vacuum or shop vac, as there is a small chance of damaging your computer from static electricity. Keeping towers off the floor helps.
DO I NEED TO CLEAN MY PROJECTOR?
• The air-filter sponge keeps dust and dirt from getting inside the projector and should be cleaned after every 100 yours. Turn off the projector. Turn off the main power switch and unplug the projector before replacing the filters. Only clean the outside of the filter cover with a vacuum cleaner. Do not attempt to operate the projector without the filter cover. If the projector you are using gives you a warning screen that the filter needs to be replaced, please let the designated technology staff know.
Information from ESU 9.org