Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Use a cloth dampened with a spray cleaning solution designed for PCs, or a towelette
containing a PC cleaning product, to clean all visible surfaces. Get down between
the cracks with a cotton swab or a bit of folded paper towel. Removing the keys isn't
recommended because it can be diffi cult to get them back on again. If you have access to
one, a small handheld vacuum cleaner designed specifi cally for working with electronics
can be useful in sucking debris out from under the keys.
If liquid is spilled onto a keyboard, turn the keyboard upside down and
unplug it immediately from the PC (if possible), or turn off the PC. Turn the keyboard
upside-down to release as much of the liquid as possible, and then let it dry for at least 48
hours. If the liquid was plain water, the keyboard will probably be fi ne after it dries; just
clean the outside as well as possible. But if the liquid contained sugar, the keyboard may
never be completely clean again. Some people have successfully cleaned sticky keyboards
(the separate kind, not those found on a notebook PC) in a dishwasher. To try this (there is
little to lose with a keyboard that is otherwise on its way to the trash can), place the keyboard
on the upper rack, wash it without using the heat-dry feature and with very little or no
detergent, remove it after the wash, rinse it, and set it in a dish drainer for several days
to dry out.
Cleaning a Mouse
A mouse, like a keyboard, gets very dirty because it's constantly being handled.
In addition, a mechanical mouse has the added feature of the ball on the bottom, which
rolls across the desk picking up dirt and lint and moving it inside the mouse. As a result,
the rollers and sensors on a mechanical mouse can become encrusted with dirt rather
quickly, causing the mouse to malfunction. An optical mouse has fewer problems with
dirt inside, but dust and hair can still accumulate at the opening where the light shines
through.
When a mouse is dirty, the pointer on-screen may jump or stutter, or moving the mouse
in one direction may result in no action at all. In addition, the mouse may become more
diffi cult to roll.
To clean a mouse, fi rst wipe off the outside with mild soapy water or cleaning product
designed for computers. Then turn the mouse on its back. If it's an optical mouse, use a
cotton swab dipped in denatured alcohol to clean out the hollow area where the light shines
through if there is any debris inside. (Alcohol dries quickly, so it's used instead of water
anytime you clean internal areas of electronics.)
If it's a mechanical mouse, rotate the plastic plate that holds the ball in place. Then turn
the mouse over again, and the ball and plate should fall into your hand. Clean inside the
ball's chamber with alcohol on a cotton swab. Clean the ball itself with mild soapy water,
and dry it thoroughly (see Figure 5.2). (Don't use alcohol on a rubber ball because it dries
the rubber and makes it brittle.)
