Most of us have become more sensitive to the idea of germs since the COVID pandemic. We tend to be a lot more careful about cleaning the surfaces we come in contact with. In a business environment, this leads to an obvious question: do electronics need to be cleaned and disinfected? As an industrial and business cleaning specialist, we cannot answer that question for you. But we can do the job for you.
It is ultimately up to you and your employees to decide on cleaning electronic equipment. It has been our experience that most employers at least want electronic gadgets kept surface clean. Employees are the same way. People don’t like dirty computer screens and keyboards with sticky keys. But there’s a difference between surface clean and disinfected.
Office cleaning services don’t necessarily include disinfecting electronics. First, not every cleaning company offers that sort of service. Second, not every client wants a cleaning company touching its electronics. And third, some companies and employees just don’t see need for disinfecting electronics.
Electronics Do Carry Germs
Whether or not a company decides to disinfect its electronics, the one thing we all need to acknowledge is the reality that electronics do carry germs. It is inevitable. Every surface that human beings come into contact with can potentially carry germs. That means such surfaces can also spread germs.
Think about how your company’s business electronics are used. How many people handle them in a given day? How many electronic devices go home with employees, to environments that may or may not match your definition of clean? Wherever you have people, you also have germs. People spread germs to all sorts of surfaces – including the electronics they use.
Clean Electronics with Care
Any business that decides to put the effort into cleaning electronics should understand that certain types of devices need to be cleaned with extra care. All electronic devices are sensitive to one degree or another. But some devices are more sensitive than others.
Whether cleaning electronics is handled in house or contracted to a business cleaning service, those responsible for cleaning need to understand the devices they are working with. They also need to have the right tools and cleaning solutions. Everything from cotton swabs to cans of compressed air make a difference.
Appropriate Cleaning Solutions
As for cleaning solutions, the choices here are critical. Certain types of cleaning solutions can be very damaging to electronics. Bleach is a classic example. As good as bleach can be for all-purpose cleaning, it is a terribly corrosive substance. It can literally kill electronic devices. Bleach is one chemical that should be kept as far away from electronics as possible.
So, what types of chemicals can be used safely? Although there are exceptions for some types of devices, we generally recommend the following:
- Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Vinegar and mild detergents.
It is important to know that there are a number of general cleaning products with labels stating they are safe for electronics. It’s still best to avoid using them. They may be safe for certain surfaces, like phone case exteriors, but not necessarily safe for screens and keyboards.
Learn the Techniques
Employees who choose to clean their electronic devices themselves should learn the correct techniques for doing so. We won’t go through those techniques in this post. However, anyone can look them up online. Combine the right techniques with electronics-safe cleaning chemicals is the way to go. Either that or leave electronic devices to the commercial cleaning service. Business electronics are too expensive and critical to take chances with them.
