Coffee Talk #225: Spring Clean Your Devices

It’s SPRING CLEANING time at FWA and I want to get into some of those hard-to-reach spaces. Especially since we’ve been glued to our computers and devices, I want to take some time to refresh these spaces.

Today’s topic: Clean your devices

We use our devices a LOT on any given day. Think about it – from the moment we wake-up until the moment we go to bed, we’re likely working with a device. Love it or hate it, that’s the way our world has been operating lately.

I’m all for a device detox, but the reality is that I need all of my devices for my work and hobbies, for at least part of the day. I’m a huge fan of taking breaks and turning off devices and playing in nature. But for at least the past year, I’ve been grateful for my devices and all of the amazing things I’ve been able to accomplish using them.

A typical day for FWA:

• Wake up, drink water, get dressed, make coffee, meditate, journal
• Work time: open two computers for work, start a playlist on my phone that grooves with my level of work.
• Check email, schedule meetings, usually attend 1-3 meetings via zoom or meet or teams, text with husband when one of us thinks of something to share, work on shared docs and spreadsheets, create and share items for social media sites
• Take a few breaks throughout the day to film a 5 minute workout or to prep playlists or workouts or to take photos of my animals
• Take the dog for a long walk while listening to a podcast
• Check-in with personal training clients
• Pack speakers and devices to head to an in-person class or prep for a virtual fitness class
• Eat dinner with husband and catch an episode of whatever series we’re watching
• Work on a project with husband and/or film a class or prep for class the next day, prep blog posts or virtual group content

In my daily routine, I rely on 4 computers, my tablet, my Apple Watch, my AirPods, and my iPhone. It’s a little wacky writing all of that, but my job tele-working and my virtual fitness business genuinely depend on working devices. I need all of my devices to be ready, clean, and operating smoothly.

When’s the last time you:

• Turned off devices
• Sanitized devices
• Thoroughly cleaned devices

Here are my top tips for keeping those devices clean. Before attempting to clean any devices,

1. Use a regular/daily cleaning microfiber cloth. I love this mini microfiber mitten from The Container Store. It’s my go-to for cleaning my screens regularly – like almost daily. I keep this one dry and I have other microfiber cloths that I use that can get wet and washed regularly.

2. Use a specialty cleaner (not usual home cleaning items). We love iKlear. Make sure it’s bleach-free and only spray it onto a microfiber cloth – don’t use paper towels and definitely don’t spray directly on your devices. No special cleaner? Combine one part alcohol or white vinegar and one part distilled water and mix into a spray bottle.

3. Remove covers from your devices to clean. You know how much yuck can build up between your device and a cover? Quite a bit. When’s the last time you let your devices breathe? I’ve also gotten into the habit of changing my covers—I think I’ve had three covers on my phone that I purchased in August.

4. Use air or pressure to clean keyboards. I love using compressed air dusters on my keyboards. Be careful not to spray directly into the ports or crevices of devices. The best thing would be to avoid eating near the computer, but that’s maybe less likely to happen than developing a regular cleaning routine. I use toothpicks or cotton swabs to get into the harder-to-reach spaces and to clean the ports on my devices.

5. Don’t forget about earbuds, cords, and cables. These items are just as important as the devices! I’ve had to replace my cords from frequent use and I always check to make sure they are not frayed. I use cotton swabs on earbuds and microfiber to clean the dust off the cords and cables.

In an ideal world, we’d clean our devices at least once a week. In reality, I know it’s more likely to be every month or (eek) once a quarter. But consider this – cleaning once a quarter is equivalent to taking 20-minute naps vs. a whole night’s sleep. Which is better in the long run? I remind myself of this all the time and have started getting into a regular device checking and cleaning routine.