A happy computer also means a happy user.
You need to realize that computers are expensive and so you need to protect your investment. In reality, it is not difficult to keep your computer healthy, trouble-free, and happy. Maintaining a computer involves keeping it internally and externally clean.
Cleaning the keyboard
You’ll be surprised how many people ignore cleaning their computer keyboard. A dirty keyboard doesn’t look nice and can cause your keyboard to malfunction. Dust, food, liquid, and other particles can get stuck underneath the keys, which can prevent them from working properly.
- Unplug the keyboard from the USB port.
- Turn the keyboard upside down, and gently shake it to remove dirt and dust.
- Use a can of compressed air to clean between the keys.
- Moisten a cotton cloth or paper towel with rubbing alcohol, and use it to clean the tops of the keys. Do not pour alcohol or any other liquid directly onto the keys.
- Reconnect the keyboard to the computer once it is dry.
Removing dust from your computer
Since you’ve already cleaned your keyboard, you should do the same thing to your CPU. Computers are one of the most efficient dust collectors. A dusty computer will trap heat and this will reduce its performance and lifespan. The easiest way to clean it is with compressed air: Take the CPU outside, open the case, and blow the dust out. The exterior of the case can be wiped down with a damp cloth. Never use household cleaners. Cleaning once every 6 months should be adequate. Take note to blow out dust from the video card and heat sinks.
Performing antivirus and malware scans regularly
This is another practice that is often ignored. Any computer that is connected to the Internet needs to have some sort of antivirus protection. There is a tremendous variety of programs available (or you can inquire from your tech support partner). Antivirus and malware software will monitor the system for threats in real time, but do make time to run a full scan at least once a week.
If your antivirus software doesn’t include protection against malware, adware, and spyware, you may need to install one as an extra layer of security. If a malware program slows down a computer, you can turn off the real time protection and just turn it on for the weekly scan.
Cleaning up your OS
Windows is like any other normal operating system that saves a large amount of unnecessary information, mostly in the form of temporary files that will never get deleted. All you need is to run the disk cleanup and clean out all these unnecessary files in all your hard drives.
Cleaning the monitor
Dirt, fingerprints, and dust can make your computer screen, well, look dirty; however, it’s easy to clean your screen. Although there are monitor-cleaning kits you can buy, they may damage your monitor if they are designed for a different type of monitor. For example, a monitor cleaner that is designed for glass screens may not work with LCD screens. The safest method is simply to use a soft cleaning cloth. Do not use a glass cleaner as screens have anti-glare coatings that can be damaged by glass cleaners.