Laptop computer
The one object here where the cleaning question and the electrical question are the same question, and where the manufacturer's answer is mostly a list of things not to do.
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Never mix with other cleaning products
In detail
A laptop inverts the usual relationship between cleaning and risk. On most surfaces the worst outcome is a mark; here it is a dead device, and the route to it is not a harsh chemical but ordinary water going somewhere it should not. That is why manufacturer guidance for computers reads as a sequence of constraints rather than a method. The constraints are consistent and specific. Power off and disconnect from the mains first, and take the batteries out of anything wireless. Use a microfibre cloth and nothing else. Damp, never dripping. Never spray liquid directly onto the product — spray the cloth. Keep moisture out of every opening. And let surfaces air dry completely before anything is switched on or plugged back in. On chemistry the guidance is narrower than most people expect. One manufacturer approves a 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water mixture and rules out a long list by name: bleach and chlorine cleaners, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, ethyl alcohol, and solvents including acetone, paint thinner, benzene, methylene chloride and toluene. It also admits something worth repeating — that even correct cleaning, repeated over time, may visibly change some finishes.
Related
- Laptop computer has the component Laptop keyboard
Hacks and claims involving this
- Spraying cleaner onto a screen or keyboard Does not work
Sources for this page
Sources
Guidance for Keeping Your Dell Technologies Equipment Clean
Dell Technologies · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the device is turned off and disconnected from AC power first, that only a microfibre cloth is used, that the approved solution is 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% water on a damp not dripping cloth, that liquid is never sprayed directly onto the product, that moisture must not reach openings, and that surfaces must air dry before power is restored. (states this directly)
Verification: a person has read the passage relied on.
Read on — The preparation, solution, prohibition and drying instructions. Supports the claim as stated.
Last reviewed by a person on .