Laptop Cleaning Service in Melbourne

laptop-cleaning-service-in-melbourne

Melbourne’s diversity of climates offers something for everybody. Proximity to mountains, ocean and desert influences weather conditions so there is always variety in ‘its never dull’ approach to seasons. If you’re searching for a laptop cleaning service in Melbourne, look no further!

So you’ve just bought your new laptop. You’re super excited to be bringing it home! Or maybe you just took it out of the box because your old computer broke and you need to send it back. Either way, now that you finally have your hands on your new prized possession, there are a few precautions that should be taken before putting your trust in it with all sorts of data or letting any family members anywhere near it.

Even if this is not your first laptop, these simple precautions can prevent costly laptop repairs later down the line. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

With that being said, let’s look at how you can keep this shiny new gadget nice and clean for many years to come!

Identify the parts of a laptop

First of all, let’s identify the parts of a laptop that need to be kept clean. Most people think about cleaning out their computer when it starts overheating or begins to smell like burnt plastic (if this is you, then hopefully you got an external cooling stand with your purchase). The more likely culprit behind reduced performance and/or worse smells would be the dirt and dust that is built up on components such as the CPU fan and heat sink assembly.

Laptop fan

These small metal plates pull heat away from delicate circuitry and contain laptop fans to blow air across them in order to keep your laptop running cool and efficiently. Over time, dust and hair can accumulate within these heat sinks which decreases their efficiency, thus causing your computer to run hotter than expected – not good! In some cases, this dust can even damage components such as the fan.

Dirt buildup in fans is one of the most common causes for laptops shutting down unexpectedly. This can be remedied by removing all attachments (such as monitor stands and phone chargers), then opening up the back panel of the laptop and removing each fan blade individually. Pay close attention when removing these blades so that they are able to be reassembled correctly when finished cleaning.

cleaning-laptop

Ventilation

Your laptop’s ventilation may also be blocked by spilled drinks or food that has been ground into the keyboard/trackpad and has dried out. This is particularly common with students and young professionals in coffee-prone cities like New York and Seattle who often eat at their desks while working on projects for hours on end.

So how do you clean it?

It depends where the dirt is concentrated. There are several options:

Exterior

If most of the dust is in areas that are outside of the laptop, like on your desk or keyboard tray, you can use canned compressed air (like what is used with a computer duster) to spray dust out of crevices. You can also use an old toothbrush or paint brush to scrub the crumbs and dirt away. If there’s excess gunk in ports like USB slots, headphone inputs, etc., you can get small brushes like these . Finally, if most of the grime is inside the case , it’s time for more advanced cleaning procedures which require tools like flat screwdrivers or guitar picks (for opening up cases).

As for the rest of the laptop, you’ll likely need some specific tools to really get everything looking ship-shape again. If you only notice dirt buildup on the outside , it’s easy enough to scrub with soap and water applied directly to a cloth or towel .Just be sure that when you’re done washing it off, all excess moisture has been absorbed so that it doesn’t damage any internal components.

If you were mistaken about the outside only needing a thorough scrubbing, or if you’ve noticed that your laptop just doesn’t seem to be cleaning up like it used to, then there are some more specific cleaning methods for individual components.

While the laptop’s exterior can generally be cleaned with a damp cloth, it is important to not clean any component of the laptop while it is still on. Doing so may cause damage to the delicate circuitry inside the laptop. Once unplugged, dust buildup in the sockets of RAM or USB ports can be removed with compressed air .

Laptop Screen

Struggling with the dirt that won’t come off on your laptop? Make sure you don’t have any residue on there, because any dust will just keep getting stuck in it. If the screen is dirty, wipe it with a slightly damp rag and then dry with another cloth. Avoid liquid cleaners for your screen at all costs!

For devices like laptops, make sure to avoid using liquid cleaners of anything but water at all costs. It’s okay to use something light like an alcohol wipe periodically, but try not to do it too often. Most people prefer buying special wipes for their gadgets instead of cleaning them themselves. They’re easier to use, but they can still do damage!

You can get good wipes from your local BigW or Woolworths.

Laptop Keyboards

Checking under the keys is also a good idea for anyone who wants to really go in deep with their device. Dirt may have accumulated in between them or even underneath them. Pay close attention if you notice that some of the keys aren’t working properly. The dirt is most likely the cause. A light spray of compressed air should get everything back into shape easily enough, though it’s just about as easy to hire someone else to take care of it instead.

Laptop keyboards are usually much easier to clean than the rest of the device, though they’re certainly not immune to causing problems if they aren’t kept in check. Like desktops, laptops are also susceptible to dust accumulation. This is especially true if your laptop spends a lot of time on your lap or even on soft materials like pillows or blankets.

The keyboard should be removed and manually cleaned with compressed air . This will remove dust buildup in hard-to-reach crevices. Once reassembled, make sure any key caps have been replaced in the correct pattern (i.e., all “Q”s go back in the “Q” slot).

Interior

While laptops contain many of the same components as desktops (motherboard, RAM slots, USB ports), they can also house other pieces (large fans) that require more attention when cleaning.

Chemicals to Avoid

Do not use cleaners that contain benzene , hydrocarbon , ammonia , alcohol , acetone / nail polish remover, ethyl ethers , turpentine , muriatic acid/hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid is basically diluted hydrochloric acid), highly flammable substances, trichloroethane, butyl cellosolve , methanol / methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol , carbon tetrachloride, perchlorethylene , hexane, kerosene , naphtha, white gas / Coleman fuel. These are bad for the health of your laptop because they are too harsh or induce some kind of chemical reaction that will end up destroying your machine.

Chemicals You Can Use

People are always recommending rubbing alcohol as a suitable solution for keeping devices clean, but this is just risky. Although not commonly used because of its widespread knowledge that it can cause damage, isopropyl alcohol can be used safely if done correctly (never use on electronic screens), however only use recommended cotton swabs/cloths to rub off dirt – never use paper towels; they will scratch the surface!

Get a professional who does laptop cleaning service in Melbourne

If you don’t want to clean your own device yourself because you’re worried about damaging something or just hate tiny screws then laptop cleaning services are for you. These laptop-cleaning services charge a fee to clean your device and mail it back to you in the same or better condition than when they received it.

Some services get sent back to consumers within an hour or two, so if you have a lot of cleaning to do it could be worth sending the person only there to clean your laptop one day and then send them back another day to pick up their equipment.

Cleaning frequency

For these reasons, it’s a great idea to have your computer cleaned once every six months or so which will improve cooling efficiency and extend component lifetime (of course, depending on how much you use your laptop).

Major Do nots

There are some more common mistakes that laptop owners make when trying to clean their laptops.

Do not submerge the laptop

It is important not to submerge the laptop in a bathtub, as this will cause damage to the internal components. Likewise, do not attempt to use a vacuum or any other device that has moving parts on the keyboard . Doing so may cause additional wear and tear on already sensitive mechanics.

Do not clog it with food particles

The most common mistake that laptop users make is letting food particles collect on the keys of the keyboard. While it might be tempting for some snackers to reach into their bag of chips while watching an action film, this can potentially clog up important systems within the computer. Furthermore, excess oil from fingers can also cause similar problems if left unchecked. To keep your computer clean of these types of debris, clean your keyboard on a regular basis.

Do not allow it to become hot

Allowing the surface of a laptop to become too hot can also cause damage if not checked. Laptop users should prevent their machines from getting red hot as this may lead to serious internal problems relating to overheating. While some laptops have fans that release heat from the back end of the device, they are not indestructible and can still be damaged by excess heat or dust particles if left unattended. If you notice that your computer is heating up, turn it off immediately.

Do not disassemble a laptop

Finally, never attempt to disassemble a laptop on your own as doing so will inevitably damage components inside the machine due to improper handling or lack of knowledge regarding how laptops work. A laptop cleaning service is your best option for guaranteeing that you receive proper computer maintenance in a timely fashion.

Author:
I am a computer engineer holding a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, complemented by a Master's in Business Administration from University of Strathclyde, Scotland. I currently work as a Senior IT Consultant in Melbourne, Australia. With over 15 years of...