Spring Cleaning for Your PC and Gaming Area

Tips for physically cleaning your PC and gaming equipment.

Clean the Keyboard, Mouse, and Monitor

While cleaning your PC, don’t forget to tidy up the keyboard as well. After all, your keyboard gets a lot of action, especially if you regularly play PC games. 

Remove Any Loose Debris

With the PC shut down, detach the keyboard. Start by turning the keyboard upside-down and use a can of compressed air to blow out any dirt in between the keys. Make sure to do this over a surface that can be cleaned easily. Give the keyboard a few gentle taps to knock out any stubborn debris. 

Clean the Keys 

Next, take another alcohol-dipped Q-tip and clean the sides of the keys. If you have some thin pipe cleaners handy, these can also be used to clean in between the keys as well. Use some 3M equipment wipes to clean the surfaces of the keys. For more thorough cleaning underneath the keys, you can remove the keys by slowly prying them up with a flathead screwdriver or keycap puller. Just be careful not to damage your keyboard while doing so, especially when removing the spacebar.

If you've completely messed up your keyboard somehow and need a new one, consider getting one of these top gaming keyboards of 2017.

Clean Your Mouse and Controller 

Take a similar cleaning approach to the mouse as well. Use a cotton swab to wipe around the pads on the underside of the mouse, and use a microfiber cloth with a tiny bit of alcohol to clean the mouse’s surface. Use a toothpick to clear out any gunk in between the thin cracks around the mouse buttons. Use these same steps for cleaning the surface and cracks on your controller as well. 

Clean Your Monitor 

Now that your mouse and keyboard are clean, it’s time to wipe down the monitor. Make sure the computer and monitor are both off before attempting to clean it. Avoid using alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners on the front of the monitor, as this will damage the surface of the screen.   

Use a microfiber dusting cloth or 3M equipment wipe to gently wipe the screen. Don’t use paper towels or any sort of rough, scratchy material for wiping. If your screen is very dirty, put some distilled water on your microfiber cloth before wiping, making sure to just barely dampen the cloth. Don’t spray any liquids directly onto the monitor itself. 

Writer

Larryn is a full-time editor who has written guides and editorial features for various gaming websites. She is obsessed with Witcher 3 and is known to put hot sauce on everything.

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