Cleaning Devices

You know the feeling, you buy something at a flea market or somewhere else and it's dirty beyond belief.

I think a lot of people just don't know how to clean electronics and use products that are more suitable for other things. So here are step-by-step instructions on how to clean any electronics so that they look like new again!

Things you need:

• Glass cleaner (NOT FOR DISPLAYS OR GLASS etc.)

• Wet wipes

• Dishwashing liquid

• Isopropyl alcohol (99% is recommended)

• Spirit cleaner (For displays or glass surfaces etc.)

• Dirt eraser (be careful with plastic!)

• Baking powder (be careful with plastic!)

If you have all of these things at home, you can clean 99% of everything with them with almost no problem. You don't need everything on it, but in the next points you'll see how to use them!

1. Glass cleaner

With the glass cleaner, you can easily clean all surfaces of a computer. It is best to use a microfiber cloth or another fine cloth. A paper towel from the kitchen roll is sometimes too rough and can cause small scratches on piano lacquer that cannot be removed!

2. Wet wipes

The wet wipes are basically the same as when you use a glass cleaner, but they are great for wiping keyboards because I find they don't tear so easily.

3. Washing-up liquid

Okay, this is for the really dirty cases! Here it is recommended to take the device apart so that you only have the casing that you want to clean. Here you can then apply as much washing-up liquid as you like, spray it with water and clean it with a sponge. It is important that the rough side of the sponge must not be used on shiny surfaces! This cleaning option helps with cigarette smells!

4. Isopropyl alcohol

This is a great way to remove any dirt that the previous things didn't get rid of. Even if you've smeared something with a felt-tip pen, the alcohol will get rid of it. Adhesive residue is no problem for alcohol either! It can take a bit of force and you have to go over the spots several times to make sure it really goes away. You just have to be careful because alcohol is extremely flammable!

5. Spirit cleaner

From my own experience, I can say that screens or glass surfaces are best cleaned with a spirit cleaner. In principle, it's almost exactly the same as cleaning a window. Simply clean the surface with a microfiber cloth, but then wipe away the moisture with a dry microfiber cloth!

6. Magic Eraser

If all else hasn't helped, the last solution is a magic eraser. Moisten it a little with water and then scrub either lightly or vigorously! Be careful with plastic, as the magic eraser can remove a small part of the plastic!

7. Baking powder

Baking powder can be used not only for baking, but also for cleaning! You can also use this on computers, but you can also remove some of the plastic like with the dirt eraser! Baking powder is best used to clean the contacts on cartridges. Put some of the baking powder on the contacts, soak it a little with water and clean the contacts with a toothbrush. Then just wash it off with water and let it dry! And yes, you can clean circuit boards under water and they will still work afterwards, just make sure they are disconnected from the power, discharged (wait about 2 hours after the power is turned off) and then completely dry!

If everything else has not helped to remove a certain stain, then you either have to get to it mechanically and scrape it away (possibly paint it!) or order a replacement.

Author: Patrick Stork

Date created: August 20, 2024