Computer fans pull cooler air into your computer. /Getty Images All computers, whether desktops or laptops, contain cooling systems for their processors. Computer processors handle millions of calculations per second, each requiring electrical charges to work. After a while, the processor will overheat if not properly cooled. Manufacturers often implement a series of heat sinks and a cooling fan to draw heat from the processor. However, if the fan becomes clogged with dust, the processor might not cool properly and malfunction. For a small business with limited resources and tight deadlines, malfunctioning computers could be disastrous. An easy way to clean your fan in your laptop is to remove the cover, blow away loose dust, and wipe the fan blades with a soft cloth. Unplug your laptop from any power source and place it upside-down on the anti-static mat. Remove the bottom panel of your laptop. Different manufacturers construct different types of laptop enclosures, but most employ screws that can be removed with a small Philips-head screw driver.

The processor fan should be plainly visible once the inside of the laptop is exposed. Hold the fan in place with your finger, so that it does not rotate. Never remove the fan, because removing parts without advanced knowledge of the hardware could damage the processor or its heat dissipators. Clean the face of the fan with the cloth, gently rubbing dust and dirt away from the center. Gently blow into the fan to dislodge dust that may have fallen into the fan. Repeat the process until the fan is clean. When finished, replace the laptop's bottom cover. /Getty Images Suggest an Article CorrectionThe fans in a laptop are integral to cooling its internal components. The fans work by drawing cooler air from the outside of the case and running it over the heated components such as the random access memory or central processor. Over time, dust builds up on the fan blades. This leads to degraded airflow. If you don't clean the fan periodically, the components will overheat. A popular method for cleaning fans is by using compressed air, however this method can blow dust into the laptop rather than sucking it out, leading to further overheating.

Things You'll NeedWooden skewerTweezersHand vacuum cleanerPower off the laptop and remove the battery.Locate any vents on the outside of the laptop.Stick a small wooden skewer through the vent to prevent the fan blades from spinning while you work on the fan.Use tweezers to pry out any large particulates on the fan.Use a hand vacuum cleaner, or a vacuum cleaner attachment to remove any dust particles from the fan.Remove the wooden skewer from the vent and turn the laptop on. The rest of the dust should blow out of the vent once you start the laptop.Your keyboard is one of your most important peripherals, but it’s bound to get clogged with dirt and grime over time. Dust off, scrub down, and clean up your number one input device safely with these tips. There are plenty of ways to clean depending on what afflicts your workspace. We’ll break it down by type, but first thing’s first: unplug your keyboard! Some of these cleaning methods can theoretically do some damage to your keyboard if there’s power going to it, so be sure it’s unplugged and the batteries are taken out.

A common problem in offices, dust can really make typing unpleasant. air purifier cause sore throatIt’s an easy fix, however. ac coil cleaning toolsFor daily maintenance, you can use a small soft-bristled dusting brush, like the one below.top air purifier for allergies A small hand-held vacuum cleaner or a can of compressed air will work well. For more caked on dust, try the brush/hose attachment of a larger vacuum cleaner to help scrape off dust bunnies. Daily use can breed a whole different kind of filth on your precious keys. Be wary of disinfectant sprays; many are strong enough that you wouldn’t want to keep your hands in contact with them for very long. Try to find ones that are electronics-friendly.

Personally, my favorite option is to use an isopropyl alcohol solution. Be sure to use isopropyl and NOT ethyl, as the harsher ethyl alcohol can take the lettering off of the keys. Anything about 60% alcohol or more is fine; higher concentrations don’t really help kill more germs, but it also won’t hurt. Take a little alcohol solution and moisten an old rag or a paper towel with it. Do NOT pour it into the keyboard. Trust me, a wet napkin is enough. Scrub it over the tops of the keys, and use a wet cotton swab to go down in between them. What’s worse than accidentally turning on Sticky Keys? Spilling your soda and getting real sticky keys. First thing’s first, unplug your keyboard. Dump out any excess liquid and mop up as best you can with paper towels. While it’s best to clean while the keyboard is still wet to minimize the stickiness, the process is much the same whether you spilled your soda 30 seconds ago or 30 days ago. To get rid of sticky keys, we’ll need to pop off the keys and clean the keyboard more thoroughly.

If you have a standard keyboard, you’ll be able to find references to where all the keys should go if you don’t already have the layout memorized. For custom keyboard, it might be helpful to draw a quick map or take a picture with your digital camera so you know where everything belongs when you go to put things back together. For desktop keyboards, take a butter knife or a screwdriver and try to pry up one corner of the keys. You don’t need to use a lot of force; you should feel a pop and the key will come right off. For laptop keyboards, your fingernail should be enough to pull the plastic up. Start with one corner and move to an adjacent one. Be extra careful, since the mechanism is made of plastic and you don’t want to break it. Once the keys are off, you can better use a paper towel and maybe some alcohol solution to clean the keyboard base. Careful with those metal bars! To clean the keys you can wash them in warm water and/or use some cotton swabs. To put the keys back on, just place them over their correct position and press them until you hear a snap.

They shouldn’t feel mushy or sticky anymore, and if they do it’s probably because they either didn’t set properly in the base or it’s in the wrong place. With keys that have metal bars, make sure the bars are properly attached to the keys and that the ends line up in the slots on the keyboard (compare the above and below images). Chiclet-style keyboards are great because they prevent a lot of dirt from getting underneath, but unfortunately I’ve still not found a good way to clean them of sticky spills. If you know of a good way, share it in the comments! Geeks’ diets aren’t always the best. Aside from spilled soda, you may find potato chip grease, Cheeto crumbs, or popcorn pieces stuck under the keys, making them feel mushy while typing. As with liquid cleanup, pop off the keys as best you can. Take a vacuum, then a can of compressed air to really flush out everything underneath. For really grimy spots, try using a pencil eraser. You might be surprised as how well the rubber will peel off dirt.