Home Office Dusting Tips

Since I work at home, my home office equipment is my livelihood. I depend on my computer, printer, fax and other equipment to do the job correctly. Therefore, I need to take care of these items to keep them running efficiently. One of the biggest concerns with electronics is dust build-up.

Dust not only builds up on the outside of your equipment, it's gets on the inside too. Over time, the dust will begin to take its toll on your computer, printer and other equipment. According to an article on PC Preserver , dust can cause overheating and a number of other problems making it necessary for you to replace these items sooner than you should have to.

This can get expensive after a while especially, when you can prolong the life of these items simply by keeping them clean. This is one reason why I make it a point to dust regularly. I'm also highly allergic to dust mites so keeping my office clean and as dust free as possible is a must.

Here are a few home office dusting tips that can help keep your office equipment free of dust and running smoothly:

• Turn off all equipment and unplug from the power source before cleaning.

• Use compressed air to blow the dust out of the equipment through the vents where it enters. Compressed air can be used on anything such as the tower, keyboard, fax machine and so forth. Blow out the fans too but be careful not to blow the dust further into the unit.

• Use a screen cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean your monitor. These won't streak or scratch the screen.

• Wipe down the keyboard and mouse using a soft cloth or cotton swabs and alcohol. Put the alcohol on the cloth and then wipe, never pour onto the keyboard. You can also purchase a mini vacuum cleaner designed to clean the dust out of keyboards and similar items without causing damage.

• The outside of the equipment can be cleaned with a mild cleaner and soft cloth but never spray any cleaner into the equipment.

• Computer wipes and similar anti-static cleaners are the perfect tool for cleaning home office equipment because the dust and other debris cling to these making it easier to get rid of the dust without spreading it around.

Keeping your home office organized with everything in its place will make it easier to keep it clean and dust free. The less clutter you have lying around, the easier it will be to dust. You won't have to clean and organize before you can even get started. A clean office is more efficient and creates a better environment for working and keeping the dust out of your office equipment will extend the life of these items.