Since much of our life is spent on the internet, from work to communicating with friends, a computer is a significant investment. Having a working computer has become a necessary part of our daily routine.
Keeping your computer clean is crucial to the overall performance and longevity of your Mac, PC, or laptop. Crumbs, dirt, and dust can accumulate and choke computer hardware, increasing the risk of failure. Old and outdated files, unused apps, and countless downloads can bog down your software, making it slower and less efficient, which can ultimately put your data at risk.
Keeping both hardware (external) and software (internal) clean is equally important and protects you from losing your investment and data. A real cleaning will prolong the life of your computerthereby saving money, and giving you peace of mind knowing that your computer is running safely and smoothly.
Ways to keep your computer clean and healthy
1. Update and run antivirus and antispyware programs
Antivirus applications are often loaded in the Windows tray so that you can easily see if they are running when you start your computer. Programs must be configured to perform updates every day and system scans once a week. There are free and easy-to-use antivirus and antispyware applications. Find the one that best suits your needs.
2. Uninstall programs you don’t use
Your PC probably has a lot of applications and data that it doesn’t need, such as temporary files, cookies, and pre-loaded trialware that is scattered throughout your system. Programs can be uninstalled by going to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, and selecting the program you want to remove from the list. A free tool called CCleaner it can be used to remove unused files from your hard drive and clean up your online history.
3. Take care of the useful life of your battery
Today, laptops are the option most in demand by young people, but it is convenient to know some details to prolong their proper functioning and the durability of the components, especially their batteries.
And it is that, laptops require a battery to function without the need to have them connected to the electrical current, but it is convenient to take into account some recommendations:
- Remove the battery when connected to the mains
- Do not charge/discharge the battery several times a day
- Charge the battery in half cycles
- Have a cooling base for the laptop, which is where the battery is located
- Do not leave the battery unused for a long time
Despite this, wear and tear in the use of bbatteries and non-rechargeable batteries it is inevitable and with the passage of time you will have to change them.
4. Practice safe computing
Pay attention when you download an app. Many times these programs try to install additional applications, such as a toolbar, on your computer. Read the pop-up screens and uncheck any additional apps you don’t want. It immediately uninstalls the program if it escapes. Also, don’t accept unsolicited downloads and delete any suspicious email without opening it.
5. Keep it tidy
Use the documents feature to keep all your important files in one place. This way, not only will it be easy to find them, but you can back them all up at once.
Move all personal files out of the C: drive, as a large number of files could corrupt the disk’s file table and erase the original zip file after expanding it. Clean computers also run faster.
6. Defrag once a month
Even if your files are arranged in the Documents folder, over time the files become fragmented and spread all over your hard drive. It is important to gather these files into one to make the system work faster.
You should also run the Check Disk test once a month to find and repair problems with your computer. Windows incorporates these two tools into its operating system.
7. Keep food and drink away from your laptop
When you drink water or other beverages while working on the laptop, keep the glass or bottle at least 30 cm away from the laptop. If you need to eat near the laptop, close the lid.
If you want to watch videos on your laptop while eating, keep the laptop as far away as possible and cover the keyboard with plastic foam to minimize the risk of spills.
8. Use your computer or laptop in safe conditions
For example, try not to use your equipment in direct sunlight, near heating vents, or outdoors where there is a risk of rainwater, dust, or other particles entering it. During hot days, it’s even more important to keep your laptop on a hard surface and make sure the vents aren’t obstructed, as well as keep the laptop’s workload low.
As you can see, you don’t have to be an expert to make your computer work at its best. If you still want to take it to the store for maintenance or repair that you can’t handle, take it to your local computer repair store and let the experts take a look at it.