Question
How do I Sanitize or Disinfect a Computer or other Electronic Devices?
Answer
The below guide will provide instructions on how to properly sanitize or disinfect computers and electronic devices.
Disclaimer: This guide is not an official statement for removing or preventing COVID-19. The current definitive sources of guidance remain those communicated to you from YSU and trusted public health organizations. This information is as best practice considerations for disinfecting devices but we also recommend taking other precautions including working from home and social distancing to reduce the overall risk.
Sanitizing your computer can kill germs or viruses that might be on your device. However, you will want to be very careful to not cause liquid damage to your machine or damage with harmful chemicals. This guide will go over some safe ways to clean the different surfaces on your phone, Laptop, or Desktop computer(s).
Always unplug all external power sources and cables prior to cleaning
Never apply liquids directly onto an electronic device .
The information herein has been formulated based on guidance from the following sources:
CDC: Cleaning & Disinfecting Schools
Apple: How to Clean your Apple Products
Microsoft: Clean and Care for your Surface
General cleaning tips:
• Unplug all external power sources and cables.
• Use a cloth made from microfiber or a screen wipe.
• Do not use aerosol sprays, bleach or abrasive cleaners.
• Avoid excessive wiping and submerging item in cleanser to avoid damage.
• Ensure moisture does not get into any openings.
• Never spray cleaner directly on an item.
Cleaning Guidance:
A CDC-recommended disinfectant is an alcohol solution consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Please follow the steps below to use the CDC recommended alcohol solution to clean high-touch, external surfaces on electronic devices:
- Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
- Turn off the device and disconnect AC power (for printers, devices should be unplugged from the outlet). Remove batteries from items like wireless keyboards. Never clean a product while it is powered on or plugged in.
- Disconnect any external devices.
- Moisten a microfiber cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol / 30% water. Do not use fibrous materials, such as paper towels or toilet paper. The cloth should be moist, but not dripping wet.
a. Isopropyl Alcohol is sold in most stores, usually in a 70% Isopropyl Alcohol / 30% Water solution. It may also be marketed as rubbing alcohol. YSU's department of Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health will provide all necessary supplies for on campus.
- Do not spray any liquids directly onto the product.
- Gently wipe the moistened cloth on the surfaces to be cleaned. Do not allow any moisture to drip into areas like keyboards, display panels or USB ports located on the printer control panels, as moisture entering the inside of an electronic product can cause extensive damage to the product.
- Start with the display or printer control panel (if applicable) and end with any flexible cables, like power, keyboard and USB cables.
- When cleaning a display screen or printer control panel, carefully wipe in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom.
- Ensure surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning. No moisture should be visible on the surfaces of the product before it is powered on.
- After disinfecting, copier/scanner glass should be cleaned again using an office glass cleaner sprayed onto a clean rag to remove streaking. Streaking on the copier/scanner glass from the CDCrecommended cleaning solution could cause cause copy quality defects.
- Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.
Source: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06593291
Please view the below video for cleaning procedures for laptops:
If you have further questions or concerns regarding the sanitizing and disinfecting of electronic devices please submit a help request. Or, contact the IT Service Desk at 330-941-1595 or servicedesk@ysu.edu
Additional information, specific to the faculty and staff, can be found in the Returning to Work on Campus Guidelines page.