Home-Office Tips

Perhaps you have a small desk where you take care of household expenses, or you may have a full home office, but no matter where you locate this area, it's bound to attract clutter and dust. Following are some ideas for managing this area:

Wires and cords

Even if the only items on a desk are a telephone, lamp and an adding machine, the cords always seem to get tangled. One good idea for keeping cords out of the way is to run them behind or under the desk. Small, self-adhering clips that help guide and hold cords in place are available at office supply stores.

Surge Protectors

You may not see them, but every household experiences electrical surges. Use a surge protector to prevent electrical surge damage from occurring to any computer components. Buy one that is rated for computers.

If you have a modem, the surge protector should also include a phone-line jack. Although electrical surges won't usually destroy a computer, they will wear them down and shorten the life of the equipment. A surge protector will prevent this. They also come in handy for organizing power cords and outlets.

Halogen Lamps

If you use halogen desk lamps, remember not to touch the halogen bulbs with your bare hands when changing them. The smallest residue of oil from a human hand can rub off on the bulb, creating an atmosphere where the bulb warms too quickly when the lamp is turned on. This quick warming can cause the bulb to explode.

To avoid touching the new bulb, use gloves. Disposable rubber gloves work well because they allow you to feel the tiny bulb and work it into place.

Floppy Disks and Paper Clips

If you use computer disks and also have a magnetic paper-clip holder, be careful not to lay the paper clips on the disks. The clips carry a small magnetic pull and can erase information of the disk.

Cleaning Electronic Equipment

Computers, telephones, monitors, televisions, printers, fax machines and audio equipment all collect dust and dirt. These items should be cleaned periodically so that dust doesn't get trapped inside and create problems with connections. There are many options available for cleaning electronics.

Computer Screens and TV Monitors

Use a damp cloth to clean the screen of a computer monitor or television. As with all computer-cleaning situations, turn off the equipment first. Distilled water is good to use to dampen the cloth because it doesn't contain small particles that can scratch the glass surfaces.

Antistatic Cleaners

Commercial screen cleaners, which are available from office-supply or computer stores, also work. They are designed to remove dirt without scratching or streaking the surface.

Be sure to choose the right cleaner for the right surface. Some are specifically designed for notebook computer screens. Anti-static cleaners offer protection against dust and can also be used to clean casings for computers, printers, fax machines, televisions, phones, VCRs, and audio equipment.

Compressed Air Dusters

Cleaning the Keyboard

Avoid having food and drinks around the computer. This will not prevent the keyboard from becoming sticky and full of dust, however. A good way to clean out a keyboard is by turning the keyboard upside down and blasting a shot of compressed air between and under the keys. Again, be careful not to push dirt further IN, or use a mini vacuum cleaner to pull the dust OUT.

Wipe the keys off with a damp clean cloth or use cotton swabs. NEVER spray liquid cleaner directly on the keyboard. If liquid or dirt gets under the keys, they will stick and will not be able to make contact on the switches underneath.

If a key does get stuck, unplug the keyboard and pry off the key cap. Clean the key cap thoroughly, and spray the underneath area with a "contact cleaner" (typically used to clean electrical contacts).

Computers

Try to place the computer, audio and office equipment in a dust-free area that is well ventilated. Keep it away from pet hairs, smoke and other contaminants. Computers will still collect dust, so every once in a while you need to examine them. Look at the fan on the back of the case. A buildup of dust and lint on the fan is a sign that there's also a buildup inside the computer.

To clean that out, first unplug the system, then carefully remove the case (you may need to unscrew it). Clean the dust out with a mini-vacuum cleaner, or by carefully using a normal vacuum cleaner with a small nozzle attachment.

Tips

• Do not vacuum any of the chips and other electronic components.

• Do not use any kind of liquid cleaner inside the computer. Compressed will thoroughly clean interior areas.

Prevention tip: To prevent dust and dirt buildup inside a mouse, use a mouse pad and keep the pad clean by wiping with a damp towel.