There are things I'd rather do than clean my computer
mouse. Really, there are. For instance, licking envelopes
is fun. I also like to cut duct tape with dull scissors.
The thing that separates these other items with cleaning
a mouse is that I need my mouse to perform about 95
percent of my work duties. I need duct tape and envelopes
the other 5 percent whenever I mail chain letters to
my air conditioning repairman.
Cleaning your computer accessories varies depending
on what you own. At work, I have an older mouse that
I can take the ball out and clean the rollers inside.
At home, I have an optical mouse, so I can just clean
the dust buildup on the outside.
If you take care of your mouse, you shouldn't have
to worry about any major cleaning problems. Occasionally
you may notice your cursor jumping a bit or just getting
stuck when trying to maneuver. Usually you can get the
junk out with a paper clip or possibly a canned air
duster. MacGyver taught me a long time ago to keep handy
a paper clip just in case. This is also the reason I
keep duct tape in my tool belt.
Check out this
site to find step-by-step information on how to
clean your mouse. I found a few similar sites, and they
all provided essentially the same instructions.
Here's an important service announcement regarding
your computer monitor: DO NOT TOUCH IT! Every time you
touch your monitor, the oils you leave behind will be
there forever. The only exception to this rule is if
your body does not produce oils, which means you might
be a sponge or a piece of coal.
To clean a monitor, all you need is a soft tissue and
a little water. The oil probably won't come off, but
this is your only hope. You can also use a dab of glass
cleaner, but do not spray it directly onto the monitor.
Spraying cleaner directly onto any computer part could
do irreversible damage to your hardware.
While you're on this cleaning spree, you should finally
clean your bathtub and toilet. Before doing this, it
would be in your best interest to wipe down the keyboard.
Depending on the model you have, this should be beneficial.
Plus, if you share a keyboard with others, it might
not be bad to keep germs from spreading. Did you ever
wonder why MacGyver never got sick? It wasn't just because
he wore Turtlenecks all the time.
I would like to reward the patrons who made it this
far in the column by giving them real-life examples
on this cleaning business:
Patrol: This contains briefs on how to clean all
computer material, except your famous duct tape CD holder.
Soft: Just be warned that this site's motto is Women
Connecting for Solutions.
If the inside of your hard drive or monitor needs help,
I recommend you notify someone who has expertise in
that area. This does not include MacGyver, unless it
can be cleaned with a kitchen knife and a stick of gum.
If it makes you feel any better, I just mailed a fairly
large piece of duct tape and a reminder to freshen up
to your home address. I thought about utilizing the
tape to seal the letter, but licking envelopes is so
much fun!
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