Safety

• Turn the computer off and remove the power cord before performing any maintenance on the laptop. Moving, bumping or dropping a laptop while it is running can cause damage to the hard drive and other moving components. Unplug any attached USB or peripheral devices. Once the computer is fully powered down, remove the battery as well.
  
  

Exterior

• Use a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe loose dust off the exterior of the laptop's case. Dampen the cloth with water to remove stains or dirt. Avoid using detergents. They can leave a film that will attract dust and give it a slightly adhesive surface.
  
  

Screen

• Laptop screens are fragile. Avoid using any chemical cleaning preparations. Most dust can be removed with a clean, lint-free cloth. Dampen the cloth with water to remove oil from fingerprints. Never use paper towels or other paper products to clean the laptop screen. Even soft paper towels can scratch the surface of a screen.
  
  

Keyboard

• Use a can of compressed air to remove dust and small debris from the keyboard. Avoid using a standard air compressor for this task. Oil and water are often present in the tanks of shop air compressors. Even small amounts of oil and moisture can damage keyboard components. A light oil residue will attract and hold dust.
  
  

Laptop Interior

• Locate the cooling fan on the laptop. This is usually behind the main air grill on the back or side of the laptop. Insert a toothpick through the grill, between the blades of the fan, before blowing out the interior with compressed air. The force of the compressed air can cause the fan to spin too fast and damage the fan motor. Use the compressed air to clean out all vents and openings on the laptop case. Wear safety glasses when using compressed air if you have sensitive eyes or wear contacts.