Back to Contents Page

Cleaning Your Computer

Dell™ OptiPlex™ SX270 Systems User's Guide

  Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor

  Mouse

  Floppy Drive

  CDs and DVDs

CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, read the safety instructions in "CAUTION: Safety Instructions."

Computer, Keyboard, and Monitor

CAUTION: Before you clean your computer, disconnect the computer from the electrical outlet. Clean your computer with a soft cloth dampened with water. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners, which may contain flammable substances.

• Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to gently remove dust from the slots and holes on your computer and from between the keys on the keyboard.
  
  

NOTICE: Do not wipe the display screen with any soap or alcohol solution. Doing so may damage the antiglare coating.

• To clean your monitor screen, lightly dampen a soft, clean cloth with water. If possible, use a special screen-cleaning tissue or solution suitable for the monitor's antistatic coating.
  
  
• Wipe the keyboard, computer, and plastic part of the monitor with a soft cleaning cloth moistened with a solution of three parts water and one part dishwashing detergent.
  
  

Do not soak the cloth or allow water to drip inside your computer or keyboard.

Mouse

If your screen cursor skips or moves abnormally, clean the mouse. To clean a non-optical mouse:

1. Turn the retainer ring on the underside of your mouse counterclockwise, and then remove the ball.
   
   
2. Wipe the ball with a clean, lint-free cloth.
   
   
3. Blow carefully into the ball cage to dislodge dust and lint.
   
   
4. If the rollers inside the ball cage are dirty, clean the rollers with a cotton swab moistened lightly with isopropyl alcohol.
   
   
5. Recenter the rollers in their channels if they are misaligned. Ensure that fluff from the swab is not left on the rollers.
   
   
6. Replace the ball and retainer ring, and turn the retainer ring clockwise until it clicks into place.
   
   

Floppy Drive

NOTICE: Do not attempt to clean drive heads with a swab. You might accidentally misalign the heads, which prevents the drive from operating.

Clean your floppy drive using a commercially available cleaning kit. These kits contain pretreated floppy disks to remove contaminants that accumulate during normal operation.

CDs and DVDs

NOTICE: Always use compressed air to clean the lens in the CD/DVD drive, and follow the instructions that come with the compressed air. Never touch the lens in the drive.

If you notice problems, such as skipping, with the playback quality of your CDs or DVDs, try cleaning the discs.

1. Hold the disc by its outer edge. You can also touch the inside edge of the center hole.
   
   

NOTICE: To prevent damaging the surface, do not wipe in a circular motion around the disc.

2. With a soft, lint-free cloth, gently wipe the bottom of the disc (the unlabeled side) in a straight line from the center to the outer edge of the disc.
   
   

For stubborn dirt, try using water or a diluted solution of water and mild soap. You can also purchase commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products for CDs are safe to use on DVDs.

Back to Contents Page