Dos and Don’ts to Cleaning Your Work Electronics

You use your electronics every day, sometimes more than half of your day. They are with you constantly, but they don't go in the shower with you (hopefully). So how do you keep them clean? Since your electronics hold such valuable information for us and cost a good amount, you need to take good care of them. We have the dos and don'ts to clean your electronics. We've selected 5 of the most commonly used work electronics:

Tablets. Your touch screen is a germ magnet. A 2010 study published by the Journal of Applied Microbiology said that 23% of viruses will transfer between your tablet and your hands. So what should you do? Disinfect your tablet by wiping it with a specialized screen cleaner once a week. Not willing to spend money on a screen cleaner? Wipe the screen with a slightly damp soft cloth. Do not use glass cleaner on any touch screens as it can destroy the protective coating.

Cell Phone. This isn’t a pretty statistic, but it needs to be said. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found in a 2011 study that one in six cell phones is tainted with fecal matter. The reason? People talk on the phone while using the bathroom. When you flush, the toilet sprays hundreds of thousands of contaminated droplets into the air, some land on your phone. Not to count the germs from your fingers to your face when you talk on the phone. How can we clean this up? For starters, stop talking on the phone while you’re on the toilet. If you’re interested there are UV sanitizers that you can slip your phone inside and after 30 seconds it zaps the germs away. Or use fast-drying cleaner for cell phones. Do this every other day if not every day to keep your phone clean.

Keyboards. Keyboards are actually dirtier than a toilet seat. Why? Because we never clean them! You should clean your keyboard once a month and if you eat at your computer you should do it more often. Remove the batteries or unplug your keyboard and flip it upside down to shake gently. Use spray compressed air around each key and sanitize with a fast-drying cleaner. Have stains or gunk on your keyboard? Use Cyber Clean compound to peel it up.

Mouse. A mouse is the third most likely electronic in your office to harbor viruses. The top two are your phone and desktop. Once a month spray compressed air on the underside to clear any dust. Use a disinfectant wipe to clean the top of the mouse and the mouse pad. Don’t get your trackball wet (that could be bad). Dry off with a clean, soft cloth.

Headphones. You wear your headphones at the gym don’t you? Well sweat and wax builds up. If you have a UV sanitizer you can drop your earbuds into it. Not into the sanitizer you can wipe your earbuds down with a soft cloth dampened with a solution of dish soap and water. Try to do this monthly to prevent more build up.