my computer desk is even clean!

my computer desk is even clean!, originally uploaded by chrysanthemum-mom.

Real Simple's top picks for the job at hand.

Swab-its five-inch foam swabs.

They squeeze into tight spaces and won't leave lint behind like cotton swabs can. $12 for 50, swab-its.com.

Microfiber eyeglass cleaning cloths.

You'll need two or three. Check the junk drawer--if you have a few in their packaging, use those. Machine washable. $6 each, readingglasses.com.

Manhattan PC Clean compressed-air duster.

Safely blasts debris from vents, crevices, and keyboards. $4 for eight ounces, microbarn.com.

START HERE

MINUTE 1

Turn off the computer and unplug electrical cords. (For a laptop, remove the battery.) Pour a little rubbing alcohol into a bowl, dip in a foam swab, and then very carefully run the swab over all speaker holes, cord inputs, vents, and any other openings on the monitor; follow up with a dry swab. Barely dampen an eyeglass cloth (or any other soft, lint-free cloth) with water and give the rest of the exterior a once-over. (For stains, add a drop of dish soap to a fresh cloth and rub; use the damp cloth to wipe clean.)

MINUTE 2

Wipe the screen from top to bottom with the barely damp cloth. Even if you don't see crumbs, turn the keyboard upside down over a wastebasket and give it a few gentle shakes--particles may be hiding under the keys. Keep the keyboard upside down, hold the can of compressed air upright with your other hand, and shoot a few bursts in and around the gaps between the keys. This will whisk away dust. (A small paintbrush also does a decent job.)

MINUTES 3 AND 4

With a new alcohol-dipped swab, trace the outside of each key. Then swipe the tops of the keys gently with a fresh cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol; there's no need to press down.

MINUTE 5

With the rubbing-alcohol cloth, tackle the mouse, including the bottom. If it has a red light underneath, shoot a puff of compressed air in there; if it has a trackball, spin the ball a few times with your cloth. Turn the computer back on and get going on that brilliant novel/to-do list/e-mail you've been putting off.

TOTAL TIME FIVE MINUTES

Source Citation
Muzzillo, Allegra. "SPEED CLEANING." Real Simple May 2010: 179. General OneFile. Web. 17 Apr. 2010.
Document URL
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A223828161&source=gale&srcprod=ITOF&userGroupName=22054_acld&version=1.0

Gale Document Number:A223828161