How to Clean and Care for Your Laptop

For most people a laptop constitutes a large investment on their part. I know that when I first purchased my laptop, about two years ago, it cost me more than I had ever spent on a computer at any one time. Therefore, I was determined to make sure that it worked efficiently and has as long a life as possible. When it comes to electronics, I am a clean freak, mostly because I used to work as a service technician and I have seen on many occasions where equipment has failed simply because it was not cleaned on a regular basis.

A laptop is no different from a desktop in that is has a cooling fan, vents, and electrical components that depend on air to flow over them unobstructed by dust and dirt in order to keep them cool. In my previous article entitled "Spring Cleaning your PC" which can be read at this location http://tranquilbeach.blogspot.com/2008/07/spring-cleaning-your-pc.html I explained how to clean and the importance of maintenance on your PC desktop. In this article we will cover different aspects of keeping your laptop running smooth and error free.

The trouble with giving you a break down on taking apart your laptop for cleaning is that there are so many makes and models that it would not be possible to cover them all. However, there are some certain rules and tips which I can give you in order to make the process a little simple. After two years of use I have decided to take apart my Gateway MX3230 laptop and perform a complete cleaning of all of the interior parts, the CPU cooling fan, and yes, even the keyboard. As a side note, this is not for the squeamish and if you have any doubts as to the degree of your technical expertise, please do not attempt this. Also, I would like to advise you that there is no need to take apart the LCD screen because it does not really get dirty inside and you will be presented with more trouble than it is worth.