Be clean: Keep your computer hardware germ-free May 4, 2009 3:25 PM A Health Blog reader wants to know how

to keep actual germs off their computer hardware a well-timed question with the swine flu dominating headlines. Clean your keyboard, mouse, and monitor thusly: Keyboard. You write to your mother with those hands? Keyboards are privy to what ever germs users have picked up throughout the day in the garden, kitchen, or ba throom. Pretty gross, whether or not you share a computer. To clean: First, hold the keyboard upside down and brush out the dust between the keys with a soft wa tercolor brush or the soft brush attachment to your vacuum. (Note: Do not use a brush on the monitor. It will scratch.) Then, unplug the keyboard and wipe with an alcohol swab, or a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with rubbing alcohol or mild detergent mixed with water. Consider keeping a dust cover on the keyboard when not in use. Mouse. Clean the top of the mouse in the same way as the keyboard. If you have a mechanical mouse, the track ball will likely pick up lots of gunk, making the m ouse hard to use. To clean: Take out the ball and clean out the debris on the mo use s inside rollers using a toothpick and cotton swab moistened with rubbing alco hol. Also clean the ball with some rubbing alcohol. Optical mice have no ball on the underside, although the Mighty Mouse that comes with Apple computers has a 360-degree scroll button on top that is prone to sti cking. Apple recommends holding the mouse upside-down, rolling the ball vigorousl y while cleaning it with a lint-free cloth and water. Sometimes pet hair can lodg e in the little lens under the mouse, making the screen pointer move erratically . Turn the mouse over, and if you see hair in the red LED area, blow it out or r emove it with a small piece of transparent tape. Monitor. Especially with newer LCD monitors (laptop and standalone), avoid comm ercial cleaners. They have abrasive chemicals that could damage the screen. Use a microfiber (or lint-free) cloth dampened with a little water to clean dust and smudges from your monitor. LCDs are sensitive to pressure, so wipe gently. Nick K. Mandle