How to Clean a Laptop Right-way

Do you want to know how to clean a laptop? You are on the right spot to know the answer of this question. Keep reading the article and keep cleaning the laptop.

Many of you ask how to clean a laptop and not die trying. Cleaning your laptop is something we all face sooner or later. Therefore, we have written this post to assist you in cleaning your laptop.

Laptops are not like a tower PC, so their maintenance changes completely. In the cleaning process, many delicate parts are exposed, such as the trackpad or mat, the screen, the keyboard, as well as various components that we find inside.

See Also: How to Clean your Laptop Fan

Essential tools You Need to Have

Next, we are going to detail what tools or instruments you will need to carry out the process of cleaning. Let’s check them below one by one.

1. Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is perfect for cleaning laptop without causing any damage. It removes the embedded dirt that lives in the laptop or different components of laptop. Probably we use it with microfiber cloth.

Moreover, it is not a conductive liquid, and when it comes to components that are in continuous contact with electricity, this makes useful and safe for us.

2. Microfiber Cloth

It is an exterior element of the keyboard that helps to remove dirt quickly. We always recommend it as it doesn’t scratch anything and can be a cheap solution for removing dirt from the laptop. You can find it in a thousand types of establishments.

Other conventional cloths usually leave threads.  You can’t use fabrics and leave inside the laptop. This may cause problems for your laptop.

3. Swabs or Brushes

These two are ideal for removing hair, dust or any dirt that sneaks into small spaces. It is true that the brushes, having such fine bristles, successfully manage to sneak through the cracks of the keys, as well as through the internal components.

On the other hand, the swab together with the alcohol is a perfect combo to know how to clean the laptop from top to bottom.

4. Compressed Air

Finally, compressed air is something that you will not have at home and that you will have to buy. Do not be alarmed because its price is very low, not exceeding $5.

You can find them in many places, although we recommend that you take a look at specialized stores.

You can use electric compressed air, so you don’t pollute. This product is recommended to unclog dust in places where we have hard time to get access.

5. Screwdriver

We will need the screwdriver to open the laptop from the inside, since most laptops are assembled with star screws.

What we always advise around here is that you use a universal one whose heads can be exchanged and screws in different sizes.

Now we’re ready to start cleaning the laptop, so less chitchat and let’s get to work!

See Also: How to Format HP Laptop Windows 10

Inside of the Laptop

Before opening laptop, you have to check two things:

• Laptop should be unplugged from power and turned off
• Laptop Warranty: If it is under warranty, we do not recommend that you open it because you can lose it. Therefore, clean only the superficial parts.

Out of warranty and off, it’s time to open the laptop. The steps to follow are very different depending on the manufacturer, but we are going to give you certain tricks that can help you:

• If you think you have removed all the screws, but the laptop does not open, check the non – slip rubber pads. On some Asus, you have to remove one of those sticky rubbers to unscrew a hidden screw.
• Before pulling the cover, take a thin card (the DNI can help you) and pass it through the side joint to remove the tabs laptop has inside.
• When you see that the lid is completely loose, pull it off and set it aside. Be very careful with the screws, because each one has its own size and function, even though they look the same. Some manufacturers put all the screws in same size and designs, but many do not.
• Now you don’t have to use a lot of force, we can break the laptop’s casing, so pull slowly and detach the casing from the chassis. Otherwise, you will break the coupling tabs and might not be able to close the equipment’s properly.

How to Clean a Laptop (Inside Components)

Now laptop has been open, we are going to focus on the CPU fan or heatsink. Take a brush and remove all the dust from there. Do not stop until you see that there is practically no dust left.

You can use compressed air for this task in order to pull the air out. You can also help yourself with a handheld vacuum cleaner.

We recommend you to disassemble the fan, although there are times when it is not necessary.

If you want to disassemble it, you should know that the thermal paste that these devices carry is very hard, so you have to pull to remove it. Take even more care when it comes to a heatsink with copper pipes or heatpipes.

Since we have removed the heatsink, why not change the thermal paste? Clean the chip with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol and put a grain of thermal paste rice on it. We only have to put the heatsink and we are finished now.

See Also: How to Repair the Laptop

Before closing the laptop, do not forget to clean the slits that are there to get the hot air out of the laptop.

How to Clean a Laptop (External Components)

It’s times to clean laptop external components like keyboard, pad, screen and case, etc which are easily touchable. Let’s do it one by one.

How to Clean a Laptop Keyboard and Pad

Closed the laptop, we can clean the keyboard thoroughly. For this, using compressed air is the best option because we reach the most remote places of the keyboard with almost no effort. Keep in mind that we are going to find all kinds of dirt: hair, pieces of food, dust, etc.

On the other hand, note that Mac laptops can follow other instructions, such as putting the laptop at 75 degrees (not temperature, but tilt) to use compressed air.

Thing is to use it from side to side and start from the top. Then, you have to turn the laptop (yes, it’s a bit weird).

Regarding the other models, unless the manufacturers indicate, you can do it normally. By the way, use the air at a safe distance, don’t put it directly, and keep a few centimeters between the keyboard and the tool.

The next step is to take the alcohol swabs and start passing them through the keys, as well as through the gaps between them.

We do not recommend sponges or products, because you can damage the keys. In this step, do it gracefully because keyboard may be very dirty.

I forgot! With the mat or pad, do the same: a little alcohol on the well-wrung cloth and do a few passes.

How to Clean a Laptop Screen

Here you need to pay close attention here because the screen is very delicate, so you have to avoid certain products, such as cotton or paper cloths. On the other hand, be careful not to use corrosive liquids, such as ammonia, too much alcohol, etc.

The best we can do is passing a microfiber cloth gently without rubbing or making circles. You can use wipes to clean glasses.

Another option is to take distilled water and impregnate the microfiber cloth with it. The lime in the water from the taps leaves marks. Wring out the cloth well because it shouldn’t drip, it just has to be damp.

You cannot clean or remove stains from the screen, you will have to use a spray or product for screens.

If it is spray, do not throw it on the screen, but on the cloth. You can make circles, but without pressing more than you should.

How to Clean a Laptop Case

Take the alcohol swabs and pass them through the ports on the side of the laptop to remove any dirt.

The next step is to take a microfiber cloth and impregnate it with alcohol, ionized water or white vinegar (the usual one). As always, prevent it from dripping by draining it on laptop case.

See Also: How to Choose a Laptop Processor

The last thing to do is wait for it to dry naturally, never dry it with a hair dryer, etc. Now we are hoping you have the answer of your question? Has it served you? Do you know any tricks that we have not shown here? Enlighten us!