Keeping your office and home devices clean is important, now more than ever; but be sure to clean them without harming them. Use this guide to help safely clean those devices.
You will need:

• Soft cloths (e.g., eye glasses clothes)
• Isopropyl alcohol or bleach-free disinfectant wipes

Caution:

• Do not use excess force when cleaning the keyboard, mouse or monitor
• Never use bleach or abrasive cleaning products to disinfect computers and phones

Sanitizing a Computer

1. Wash your hands
2. Turn off the computer and unplug the power cord.
3. Disconnect the monitor, keyboard and mouse and remove any batteries installed in the devices. If you are sanitizing a laptop, make sure the laptop is turned off. Remove the battery and make sure it is unplugged as well. Open the laptop after disconnecting the battery.
4. Remove dirt, dust, and crumbs from the keyboard by using a can of compressed air. Hold the can about six inches from the keyboard and spray along the perimeter of each key.
5. Sanitize the keyboard by using a disinfectant wipe or soft, linen-free cloth dipped in isopropyl alcohol. If using isopropyl alcohol, a little goes a long way.
6.  Rub the cloth or wipe on the top and sides of each key and then wipe the surface and bottom of the keyboard. Use a new disinfectant wipe or cloth to clean the mouse. Do not use these materials to clean the monitor/screen.
7. Dampen a microfiber cloth with plain water. Gently wipe the computer monitor to remove dirt and fingerprints. Avoid placing pressure on the screen. Sanitize the monitor by using a disinfectant wipe specifically designed for LCD and laptop screens.
8. After reassembling the equipment, wash your hands again.

Sanitizing a Phone or Tablet

1. Wash your hands.
2. Unplug the phone from the power source.
3. Remove dirt from the keypad, if applicable, ports, and speaker by using a can of compressed air. Hold the can about six inches from the surface when spraying.
4. Wipe the surface of the phone by using a bleach-free disinfectant wipe or a soft cloth dabbed in isopropyl alcohol. Remember, if using isopropyl alcohol, a little goes a long way. Use a separate cloth or disinfectant wipe to clean the entire surface of the headset, including the speaker and microphone.
5. After reassembling any equipment that needs it, wash your hands again.

(Katie Austing, Superior Support Resources, 2020.)