Your Laptop is Disgusting — Here's How to Clean It

Finger smudges, pizza crumbs and clumps of dirt, or similar myriad detritus are likely all over your laptop — so why not clean it?

Perhaps you’re not sure how or are worried about damaging the sensitive, expensive piece of equipment that sits before you and plays such a vital role in your daily life. Fear not, the folks at The New York Times are here to help.

“You don’t need much to clean a computer,” host of the podcast “Ask a Clean Person,” Jolie Kerr, told the newspaper. “I use exactly four things to keep my laptop clean: Rubbing alcohol, microfiber cloths, cotton swabs and canned air.”

Kerr recommends starting from the inside out by using the canned air to blow out anything stuck in, around and under your keys. Then, wipe down the outside.

“The most critical thing when cleaning a laptop or desktop computer is to apply the cleaning product to the tool you’re using to clean, never ever directly onto the computer,” Kerr said.

For the screen, the microfiber cloth should be enough — stay away from chemicals like Windex, no matter how tempting, as they can permanently damage the computer.