Cleaning Your Home Office or Computer Room
Your home office can be the central business center of the
home, and oftentimes with all of those papers and documents, it
may be hard to focus on where to get started, or exactly how to
clean.
Dust is public enemy number one when it comes to a home office.
It seems to pervade everything, including computer screens,
keyboards, bookshelves, and desktops. Of course we all know that
the leading killer of dust is pledge and a dustcloth, but here
are a few tips you may not have known.
To keep your computer and keyboards from getting dusty, purchase
plastic covers for them. You can also make your own out of trash
sacks, or, if you have a creative streak, by sewing custom
covers from fabric or old curtains.
If neither of those options work for you, there are other ways
of keeping computers and their equipment dust-free. The keyboard
dusters you can purchase are ideal for this. They are an aerosol
can that sprays intense bursts of air, and be used for more than
just a keyboard!
Did you also know that it is safe to use Windex on your computer
screens? Many people are under the mistaken assumption that
using Windex on a computer screen (or rough paper towels) will
damage the screen. Not so unless perhaps you own a computer
monitor from before 1990 (if you do, please consult the owners
manual that came with the monitor before cleaning). Also, a good
way to rid computer screens from dust longer, is after cleaning,
to give them one good final wipe down with a fabric softener
sheet (the kind that you thrown in the dryer). It takes away
most of the static from the screen that draws dust.
Also, you can easily clean a mousepad with regular dish
detergent and warm water. Just scrub the pad with dish soap,
rinse well with water, and pat dry with a paper towel!
A mouse is easily cleaned by removing the cover from in front of
the ball, taking out the ball, and cleaning out any dirt inside
with cotton swabs dipped in alcohol.
You can also save time and money in a home office in high
traffic carpet areas, and places where sliding chairs sit by
purchasing heavy plastic floor mats made for this purpose (just
like you see in office building) at your local office supply
superstore, such as Staples. This will make your floor cleaning
so much easier, and will extend the life of your carpet.
To give your office a quick lift if you have artificial flowers
or plants is to spray the pants directly with an aerosol air
freshener. Not only does it make the leaves instantly shiny, it
also leaves a pleasant scent that will last.
If you own a pet, like I do, and you are constantly trying to
remove pet hairs from chairs in your home office, a simple way
to remove them is to wrap clear shipping tape backwards around
your hand, sticky side out, and pat away at the chairs. An even
simpler and faster way is to use an old paint roller, wrapping
the tape backwards around it, and rolling it quickly across the
furniture to remove hair. The tape can be reused until it has
lost its stickiness.
Remember, motivation and perseverance are the keys to a clean
home! Stay focused, and best of luck!