How To Clean Your Computer, Inside and Out
If you spend any amount of time on a computer, you learn sooner or later how important it is to keep you computer clean both internally and externally. This lens is here to help to show you the best way to safely clean your computers exterior, and how to clean up its registry and to keep it running smooth and free of adware.
Table of Contents
Keep Your Keyboard Clean
Clean Your Keyboard of Both Smudges and Bacteria
We all have heard the importance of washing your hands in preventing the spread of germs. But think about how dirty your keyboard gets.Gary Noskin, MD, and his colleagues at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital did a test to see if bacteria found a friendly home on our keyboards, and if that bacteria could be easily spread to humans.
The bacteria that was tested was Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), methilicillin resistant (MRSA), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PSAE). All three bacteria are commonly found in nature, and can be life threatening.
The study found that MRSA and PSAE lived and grew on keyboards for 24 hours after contact. VRE was not as hardy, it only lasted for one hour. The researchers found people to touch the computer keyboards and covers and the test subjects gloved or ungloved hands would often pick up the bacteria.
So what do you do to protect yourself and keep your keyboard clean? First, wash your hands. Second, use a germicide like the one pictured just above on your keyboard as part of a regular cleaning regime.
Keep Your Computer Free Of Dust
Clean Dust From Computer
Computers are very good at collecting dust, but externally and internally. When dusting your computer remember to never spray any type of liquid directly onto any computer component. If you must use a spray, spray it on a cloth first, and then use that cloth to rub down that part of the computer.
Vacuum Micro Attachments, 9-Piece Kit
Some of the best tools for cleaning the computer are:
- A clean cloth is great for a wipe down of dust and debree.
- Water or rubbing alcohol work great to moisten your cloth. It is wise to avoid other cleaning products as they may be bad for the plastics that make up your computer.
- Cotton swabs are great for getting the gunk out of hard to reach places. It's best to moisten it first with alcohol to avoid a static shock.
- Portable Vacuums work very well at cleaning out the dirt, dust, hair, and other debree that can collect both inside and outside your computer.
Clean Your Computer From Spyware and Adware
Adware Spyware Uninstall
Keeping your computer free of adware and spyware is of upmost importance. It's amazing how much unwanted software can pile up from websites whose intentions are to snoop on your privacy, deliver you unwanted ads, and generally clog and clutter your computer and slow its performance.
There are tons of programs that can remove adware and spyware, but the one that I use is called No Adware. It is great because if you are like the rest of us who use the Internet, you are infected with these applications. No Adware allows you to do a free scan to see what's there, then, if you want help removing it, they will help for a small charge. It's worth the free scan alone because you will be shocked at how much unwanted software has been cleverly installed on your computer.
Windows Registry Cleaner
Clean Up Your Registry
If your system runs on Windows, than you have a Windows registry that needs to be cleaned from time to time. The Windows registry is a huge database that holds the complete inventory of every program that your PC holds. The more you install and uninstall software, the more full your registry gets, and the more important it is to clean it.
There is a great deal of software that does not clean up after itself when uninstalled and it leaves behind old and obsolete Registry entries. This slows down the speed of your computer. The more junk your Registry has in it, the slower your PC will run. In fact, it is common for a PC to crash all together as a result of a Windows Registry that is too full.
Error Nuker is one of the best in special utility programs that scans the Windows Registry on your PC to find errors and ways to optimize its overall performance.
Error Nuker is very careful with the Registry. It never deletes a Registry entry if ti would harm your system.
Books On Computer Maintenance
Keyboard Cleaner
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 07/06/2009) 
List Price: $12.99
Microsoft Windows Registry Guide, Second Edition (Pro One Offs)
Amazon Price: $29.69 (as of 07/06/2009)
List Price: $44.99
Steal This Computer Book 4.0: What They Won't Tell You About the Internet
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 07/06/2009)
List Price: $29.95
Rootkits, Spyware/Adware, Keyloggers and Backdoors: Detection and Neutralization
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
List Price: $39.95
Computer Privacy Annoyances
Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 07/06/2009)
List Price: $19.95
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Rid of those pesky bugs you pick when surfing the net.
One of the first things that I learned when I got my new computer was that if you own a PC then you better have a good antispyware scanner to help get rid of those pesky bugs you pick when surfing the net. Otherwise, your computer won't keep running like new for very long. It will begin to slow down and eventually get so sluggish you won't even be able to use it. I tried a variety of different scans before I ran across Search-and-destroy Antispyware at http://www.Search-and-destroy.com. So far I have been very happy with the antispyware solution from Search-and-destroy and very glad that I gave it a try.
Posted January 13, 2009
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