solution Contentsolution Content

HP PCs - How to clean your computer

Learn how to clean your computer to remove dirt and debris and use a disinfectant recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on high-touch surfaces like the mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen.

The CDC recommends cleaning surfaces, followed by disinfection, as a best practice for the prevention of viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings.

Note:

There might be some visible changes to cosmetic finishes of your product over time as a result of the cleaning techniques mentioned in this document.

Warning:

Before cleaning the computer, perform these steps to reduce the risk of electrical shock:

Turn off the computer.
Disconnect the power cord from the computer.

Regular cleaning and maintenance

Clean the vents, ports, screen, and keyboard of your computer.

How to clean the cooling vents

Depending on the model, vents can be found on the side, back, and/or bottom of a computer. These vents allow air to flow through the computer and keep it cool. Buildup inside these vents impedes the cooling process. Purchase a can of compressed air (available at most computer retailers) and blow the particles out of the vents.

For more information about cleaning the cooling vents, see HP Notebook PCs - Reducing Heat Inside the Laptop to Prevent Overheating or HP Desktop PCs - Reducing Heat Inside the Computer.

How to clean I/O ports

After cleaning the cooling vents, take the compressed air and blow out any debris that might have accumulated in and around the ports on the back, sides, or front of the computer.

How to clean the screen or display

To clean smudges from the LCD screen, choose a non-abrasive cloth or towel. Turn off the computer and disconnect the power cable. Wipe the screen gently with a soft, dry cloth. If any marks remain, moisten the cloth with LCD cleaner, and then gently stroke the cloth across the display in one direction, moving from top to bottom.

If you are cleaning the screen of a notebook PC, be sure that the LCD screen is dry before closing it or using the computer.

CAUTION:

Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable liquid.
Never spray or pour any liquid directly on the LCD screen.
Do not clean the screen while the system is on.

Note:

Do not use any of the following chemicals or any solutions that contain them: Acetone, ethyl alcohol, toluene, ethyl acid, ammonia, or methyl chloride. If you have a different chemical or solution and are not sure whether it is suitable, do not use it. Using any of the chemicals in the previous list might cause permanent damage to the LCD screen. Some commercial window cleaners contain ammonia and are therefore unacceptable.

How to clean the keyboard

If a small vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment is available, use it to clear the keyboard of debris. A can of compressed air can be used to blow out particles that get in between the keys.

Home PC cleaning and disinfecting

Use the cleaning guidance and best practices in this section to clean your home laptop, desktop, or All-in-One computer.

Cleaning guidance

When a single device is being used by multiple people in a home, school, or another setting, HP recommends that you clean the parts of the computer/printer that people come into contact with, such as the keyboard, mouse, trackpad, touchscreen, and other exterior surfaces.

To properly clean these areas, use an alcohol solution consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. This is a CDC-recommended disinfectant. Isopropyl alcohol is sold in most stores, usually in a 70% isopropyl alcohol / 30% water solution. It might also be marketed as rubbing alcohol. Follow these steps when cleaning your HP consumer products:

Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning the surfaces.
Turn off your device, unplug the power cord, and disconnect any external devices. Remove any installed batteries from items such as wireless keyboards.

CAUTION:
Never clean a product while it is turned on or plugged in.
Moisten a microfiber cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. To avoid damaging the surface, avoid abrasive cloths, towels, and paper towels.

CAUTION:
The cloth should be moist, but not dripping wet. Do not spray cleaners directly onto the product. Do not use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide (bleaches) that might damage the finish.
Gently wipe the exterior of the product with the moistened cloth.

Note:
Keep liquids away from the product. Avoid getting moisture in any openings. If liquid enters your HP product, it can cause damage to the product.
Start with the display (if applicable). Wipe carefully in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom. End with any flexible cables, like power cord, keyboard, and USB cables.
Be sure that surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning.
Discard the gloves after each cleaning. Clean your hands immediately after gloves are removed.

Instructions for safe handling

It is important to handle isopropyl alcohol in a safe manner at all times.

CAUTION:

Avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing.
Keep away from heat and sources of ignition.
Use with adequate ventilation.
Store in a cool, well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
In the event of contact with isopropyl alcohol, wash skin thoroughly with soap and water.

Additional cleaning guidance can be found in the User Guide for each product. For more information about isopropyl alcohol, go to Isopropyl alcohol on the U.S. National Library of Medicine website (in English).

Best practices

Follow these best practices for cleaning your home computer.

Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning the surfaces.
Before you start the cleaning process, be sure to turn off your device, unplug the power cord from the wall or power strip, disconnect external devices, and remove the batteries from portables or wireless keyboards and mice.
Use only a soft, lint-free cloth, such as a microfiber cloth.
Use a CDC-recommended disinfectant: an alcohol solution consisting of consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water.
Keep liquids away from the product.
Do not use abrasive cloths, towels, paper towels, or similar items.
Do not wipe excessively, and do not use excess force when cleaning the surface area, as this might cause damage.
Do not get moisture into any openings.
Do not use an extremely damp or dipping cloth to clean the area. If you encounter a very damp cloth it might need to be squeezed to remove some of the excess liquid before use.
Do not use any of the following chemicals or any solutions that contain them, including spray-based surface cleaners: bleach, peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide), acetone, ammonia, ethyl alcohol, methylene chloride or any petroleum-based materials, such as gasoline, paint thinner, benzene or toluene.
Do not spray cleaners directly onto the product.
Do not allow the liquid from the cloth to sit or pool on the area being cleaned for a long amount of time.
Do not use rough towels to dry the area.

Business PC cleaning and disinfecting

Use the cleaning guidance and best practices in this section to clean your business notebook, workstation, desktop, retail point-of-sale machine, thin client, displays, and accessories.

Cleaning guidance: HP Business PC products

HP cleaning guidelines recommend that you use an alcohol solution consisting of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Follow the steps below to use the CDC-recommended alcohol solution to clean high-touch, external surfaces on HP products.

Wear disposable gloves made of latex (or nitrile gloves if you are latex-sensitive) when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
Turn off the device and disconnect AC power. Remove batteries from items like wireless keyboards. Never clean a product while it is turned on or plugged in.
Disconnect any external devices.
Moisten a microfiber cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Do not use fibrous materials, such as paper towels or toilet paper. The cloth should be moist, but not dripping wet.
Do not spray any liquids directly onto the product.
Gently wipe the moistened cloth on the surfaces to be cleaned. Do not allow any moisture to drip into areas like keyboards, display panels, or USB ports, as moisture entering the inside of an electronic product can cause extensive damage to the product.
Start with the display (if applicable) and end with any flexible cables, like power, keyboard, and USB cables.
When cleaning a display screen, carefully wipe in one direction, moving from the top to the bottom.
Be sure that surfaces have completely air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning. No moisture should be visible on the surfaces of the product before it is powered on.
Gloves should be discarded after each cleaning. Clean hands immediately after gloves are removed.

Instructions for safe handling

It is important to handle isopropyl alcohol in a safe manner at all times.

CAUTION:

Avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing.
Keep away from heat and sources of ignition.
Use with adequate ventilation.
Store in a cool, well-ventilated place. Keep container tightly closed.
In the event of contact with isopropyl alcohol, wash skin thoroughly with soap and water.

Many common household cleaners and disinfectants can damage electronic products. Do not use any of the following chemicals or any solutions that contain them, including spray-based surface cleaners: bleach, peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide), acetone, ammonia, ethyl alcohol, methylene chloride or any petroleum-based materials, such as gasoline, paint thinner, benzene, or toluene. Some disinfecting wipes containing bleach and hydrogen peroxide can be used on select Healthcare Edition products and select Retail Solutions only. Wipes containing bleach and hydrogen peroxide should not be used on any other products. If you are not sure whether a cleaning product is suitable, or if it is not specifically listed in this document or in one of the referenced documents, do not use it. Using any of the chemicals previously listed in this paragraph might cause permanent damage to the product.

Cleaning guidance: HP Healthcare Edition products

Many commonly used germicidal wipes have been tested and approved for use with the following HP Healthcare Edition platforms that are purpose-built for use in clinical settings.

HP EliteOne 800 G5 Healthcare Edition All-in-One (in English)
HP EliteBook 840 G6 Healthcare Edition Notebook (in English)
HP Healthcare Edition HC270cr Clinical Review Display (in English)
HP Healthcare Edition HC271/HC271p Clinical Review Display (in English)
HP Healthcare Edition HC241/HC241p Clinical Review Display (in English)

In addition to an alcohol solution with 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water, some HP-approved brands of ready-to-use germicidal wipes are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against certain viruses. This list can be found on the EPA website (in English). This same list can also be accessed via the CDC (in English).

Contact your local HP sales representative or authorized HP reseller for commercial brands of ready-to-use wipes for cleaning specific Healthcare Edition products.

Cleaning guidance: HP Retail Solution products

This list can be found on the EPA website (in English). This same list can also be accessed via the CDC (in English).

Many commonly used germicidal wipes have been tested and approved for use with with the HP Engage Go Jacket and HP Engage GO Mobile products. Contact your local HP sales representative for a list of approved cleaning products. The guidance in this document supersedes any guidance found in HP Retail Point of Sale User Guides regarding the use of isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the monitor or touchscreen.

Cleaning guidance: HP Education Edition products

To clean HP Education notebooks, including the display and any HP accessories (external mouse or keyboard), HP recommends using the CDC-recommended solution comprised of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. To clean Education Edition products using this solution, follow the process outlined in this guide.

Select HP Education Edition products can be wiped down with additional cleaners. This includes the following HP Education Edition notebooks:

HP ProBook x360 11 G3/4/5/6 EE Notebook PC
HP Chromebook 11 G7/8 EE
HP Chromebook x360 11 G2/3 EE

Note:

Wipes containing bleach and hydrogen peroxide should not be used on HP Education Edition products.

Contact your local HP sales representative for a list of approved cleaning products.

Can I use bleach or peroxide on my PC?

Some disinfecting wipes containing bleach and hydrogen peroxide can be used on select Healthcare Edition products only. Wipes containing bleach and hydrogen peroxide should not be used on any other products, as it might cause damage to the product.

Frequently asked questions about cleaning your HP product

Find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about cleaning HP products safely and effectively.

What CDC-recommended disinfectant can I use to clean my HP products?

You can clean your HP devices by using a CDC-recommended disinfectant that is comprised of 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% water. Follow the guidelines found in this document to clean the frequently-touched exterior surfaces of the HP products.

What portions of my devices are safe to clean?

All external components of your PC can be cleaned using the recommended solution, including ports, cables, keyboard keys, rubber, plastic, metal surfaces, and displays. See the cleaning guidelines for more information.

Will the letters and symbols on my keyboard disappear from cleaning?

Some chemicals are very harsh and can damage keyboards and other surfaces. By following the steps outlined in this document to clean your device, you can reduce the risk of damaging your keyboard or other surfaces.

How often can I clean my PC, keyboard, mouse, or display?

HP recommends cleaning your devices a maximum of 3 to 5 times per day. Excessive cleaning with any cleaning solution can lead to potential wear on components.

Additional support options

Try one of our automated tools or diagnostics

Ask a question on our HP Support Community page

Get in touch with one of our support agents

Enter a topic to search our knowledge library

What can we help you with?

Need Help?