How to clean your home office

More of us are working from home than ever before, with 37% of UK adults homeworking at some point in 2020 and a huge 85% of homeworking adults supporting ‘hybrid’ working in the future, combining going to the office with working remotely.

Looking for the best way to clean your home office?

Whether you’ve dedicated a spare corner of your home to desk space, repurposed your dining table or set up a complete home office, spending time in your new workspace means sooner or later it will need cleaning.

Don’t miss these essential office cleaning tasks:

  • How to clean your keyboard:

Computer keyboards quickly accumulate dirt – from debris, dust and fingerprints to crumbs from that 3pm biscuit break. Here’s how best to clean a standalone or laptop keyboard:

  1. First, tip your keyboard upside down onto a clean towel and lightly tap the back to remove loose debris.
  2. Next, use a soft-bristled brush to sweep away stubborn debris from around the keys – you can buy a special keyboard brush or can of compressed air, but you could also use a new toothbrush, handheld dusting brush or your vacuum cleaner with a mini detailing kit attachment.
  3. Finally, carefully wipe non-conductive parts with a damp cloth – take care to avoid getting any liquid into the electronics. Allow it to dry fully before the next use.
  • How to clean your desktop monitor or laptop screen:

Screens tend to accumulate static dust and smudges, but remember they are delicate and require a light touch.

  1. Turn off your screen before cleaning. Start by running a clean, soft microfibre cloth across the surface to collect dust – be careful not to press on the screen as this can damage it.
  2. You should never spray water or cleaning liquid directly onto a screen. Specialist screen cleaning wipes are a good choice because they are soft and infused with enough cleaning solution to shift dirt without saturating your appliance.
  3. You can also dampen a microfibre cloth with a small amount of distilled water and carefully wipe it over the screen, being careful to avoid excess liquid. Allow it to dry fully before the next use.

 

  • How to clean your desk:

It hosts your computer equipment, stationery and many cups of coffee, but do you pay your work surface back?

  1. Start by taking everything off your desk and hoovering up any dust, crumbs, hair or other debris that may have been hiding behind your possessions – a dusting brush vacuum cleaner attachment is great for this task.
  2. Next, gently wipe over the desk’s surface using an antibacterial surface cleaner of your choice and a soft cloth. Pay particular attention to spills and stains.
  3. Tea and coffee spills are best dealt with as soon as they occur, but if you need to remove a stubborn stain from a wooden or laminate desk, try making a paste with bicarbonate of soda and a few drops of water and use a soft cloth to gently rub over the surface.
  4. Clean each item as you replace it on the desk – it’s surprising how much dust can accumulate in pen pots, paper trays and other desk stationery, which could aggravate allergies.