A clean home office area starts with your desk. This is where the magic happens, and the germs spread. Whether it’s the hand that stifled a sneeze and then gripped your chair handles, the sandwich crumbs that found their way into your keyboard, or the time you coughed while answering the phone – your work-from-home office is a hotbed of germ-spreading activity.
The good news – some routine cleaning upkeep can greatly reduce the spread of germs. Pay special attention to high-touch areas. In this post, we share tips on how to clean your home office thoroughly with step-by-step instructions.
How to Clean Your Home Office Workspace
How to Clean Your Laptop:
Step 1: Turn off and unplug your laptop.
Step 2: Wipe any surface dust or grime from the outer surfaces. Open the cover and do the same for the screen.
Step 3: Dampen a soft cloth (microfiber works well because it’s lint-free) with rubbing alcohol and wipe over all surfaces including the screen. You can also use a wrung-out disinfectant wipe for this purpose. Just be sure that your cleaning cloth isn’t too saturated.
Step 4: Clean and disinfect the keyboard of your laptop. (See below for specifics.)
Q: Can you remove the keys on your laptop to clean under them?
A: Yes, some laptops have pop-off, removable keys. If you do this, be sure you’re careful and that you take a screenshot of the keyboard first so that you’ll be able to put all keys back in their proper spots when finished. You can check Youtube for instructions.
Q: Can I wipe my laptop with just water?
A: Water won’t kill germs, but if you’re looking to remove a sticky substance from your laptop, a water-dampened cloth will do in a pinch and won’t harm your device. Dry thoroughly before plugging back in to use.
How to Clean Your Computer Keyboard:
Step 1: Suck up dust, crumbs, and debris using a hand-held, USB-powered vacuum with cleaning tools and a small brush attachment. If you don’t have a small vacuum handy, you can just turn your keyboard over and shake and tap out the debris, then wipe the area clean.
Step 2: Dip a soft cloth into rubbing alcohol and wipe the keys and other surfaces. If you’re using a disinfectant spray that contains alcohol, spray the cleaning fluid onto the cloth first, rather than directly on the keyboard.
TIP: Do not use bleach-based cleaning products on your keyboard.
Q: Is it safe to use commercial cleaning and disinfecting wipes on your computer keyboard?
A: Yes, as long as they do not contain bleach.
TIP: Cleaning Slime is an easy way to remove dirt and debris from your computer’s keyboard. Just mold the slime over and around the keys. Dirt and dust will collect and get stuck in the slime.
TIP: Another quick and easy way to clean your computer’s keyboard is by shooting compressed air into the cracks. Dirt and dust fly out of the crevices, leaving your keyboard free of debris. Finish by wiping down with rubbing alcohol or commercial disinfectant wipes.
You can purchase a can of compressed air designed for this purpose. A tire inflator would work, too.
Q: Can I clean my computer’s keyboard using a regular vacuum with attachment tools and brushes?
A: You can, but you’re more likely to accidentally vacuum up the keys and then you’ll have to take the vacuum hose or the vacuum itself apart trying to recover them.
How to Clean Your Computer Mouse:
Step 1: Flip the mouse over. There will be a plastic circle underneath where the mouse ball sits inside. Unscrew the circle and remove the mouse ball.
Step 2: Dampen a soft cloth with rubbing alcohol and wipe down the mouse. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and carefully wipe the inside of the mouse.
Step 3: Return the mouse ball to mouse and screw the round plastic cover back on.
How to Clean a Telephone:
Dip a clean cloth in some rubbing alcohol and wipe the phone, including buttons, handle, mouth, and ear pieces. If the phone is especially grimy, pour some ammonia on a cleaning cloth and wipe.
What about those knick-knacks around the office? Below find some helpful tips for how to clean home office, freshen up, and spruce up your work area.
How to Disinfect High-Touch Areas of Your Home:
Rubbing alcohol kills germs and viruses. This is the main ingredient in a variety of commercial disinfectant sprays, gels, wipes, and cleaning solutions.
Use a clean, microfiber cloth and disinfectant spray cleaner to wipe and disinfect the following surfaces:
Doorknobs, door handles, hand rails, faucet handles, countertops, computers, telephones, printers, fax machines, cash registers, computer screens, machinery surfaces, on-off switches, switch plates, and anything else that comes into contact with many hands over the course of a day.
How to Clean a Fabric Lamp Shade:
From time to time, you’ll want to freshen up lamp shades as part of your cleaning protocol. If your lampshades are fabric, here’s how to clean them:
Step 1: Vacuum the lampshade using the attachment tool of your vacuum cleaner and the soft-bristled brush attachment.
Step 2: If the lampshade is stained or smudged with dirt, mix a cleaning solution of:
- 1-quart water
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ cup dish soap
Dip a sponge in the solution and wipe the lampshade fabric with it.
Step 3: Dry the lampshade with a hair dryer on the warm setting.
More Tips on How to Clean Your Home Office:
- How to Clean a Switch Plate (for a Light Switch): Sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and wipe. Disinfect with rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
- How to remove water stains from a flower vase: Fill with hot (not boiling) water and 2 Tablespoons of ammonia. Let soak for an hour or so, then rinse thoroughly.
- How to clean a brass door knocker: Add ammonia to a soft cloth and rub gently.
CAUTION: Do not clean BRONZE with ammonia.
TIP: To keep your ceiling fan free of sticky dust, after cleaning it, buff with car wax.
How to clean marble: dampen a clean cloth and dip in Borax, then wipe.
Dust oil paintings gently, using a silk cloth.
TIP: Something’s stuck in the vacuum hose? Unscrew it from the vacuum and poke a broom handle through it to dislodge the object.