Caring for Your Electrical Equipment

If you are like most people who use their appliances and never give any thought to what happens to them when dust and debris collect on them, then you may find this guide a bit interesting. Keeping your electrical equipment clean is very important. It is something that you should feel is very detrimental to maintain the performance of your appliances. You may wonder why that computer you bought three months ago suddenly stopped working, it may have been due to all of the dirt that clogged the vents and prevented the computer's fan from keeping it cool. If you don't want to continue to throw away money by having to constantly replace your equipment, take a look at these simple methods to keep your appliances clean and working properly.

First, before you start meddling with any electrical equipment, to avoid the risk of damage and electrocution, unplug and remove all power sources from the devices. Also be sure to remove any connections that lead to other items.

Take a slight wet towel or cloth, (microfiber is the best) and clean off your items. You want to start at the top of your appliance and work your way to the bottom. This will allow you to remove any dust and light surface dirt that has accumulated.

Alcohol is a good household aid to have on hand for cleaning tasks. By alcohol, we are not referring to the spirits that you drink, but rather isopropyl alcohol. You can use isopropyl alcohol to clean off your DVDs and even your CDs. Take a lint free and soft cloth, dab some alcohol on it and wipe your discs off. You want to start in the middle and work your way to the outer edges using a light rubbing motion. Do not wipe in a circular direction either or you run the risk of messing up the data that is on the discs.

Televisions are one of the most used pieces of electrical equipment in the average home. Computers are another. Make sure they are turned off and they are not connected to any power source or any other appliance. In order to clean your TV or computer monitor, you need to take a soft cloth and dampen it slightly. Wipe down the screens and the vents. You may be surprised to see how much dirt and dust was on your TV. Don't forget to wipe off the base of your television and monitor as well.

Next, you will want to clean your CPU. Depending on the type of computer you have, you may be able to do this step yourself. To open your CPU, take a screwdriver and remove the screws. Take a can of compressed air and use it to remove all of the dust and dirt that has accumulated where the power unit and fan are. Use the compressed air to clear the motherboard and other components that have dirtied up you're the inside of your computer. You can wipe the outside of the down with a damp cloth. Make sure everything is completely dry before you put it back together.