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Mouse
A
mouse is a device that is handled a great deal
and is therefore subjected to a fair bit of
abuse--and dirt. If the ball becomes dirty
then it doesn't roll properly, and your cursor
won't move smoothly.
Always ensure that the mouse has been unplugged
from the back of the PC when cleaning it.
Never pour alcohol or other cleaning fluids
directly into the mouse.
Make sure that the cable does not get stuck in
any part of your desk or workspace, to prevent
damage. There should be slack in the cable as
well; if it is pulled too tight this can damage
the mouse.
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Materials Used |
Alcohol, Tweezers, Damp Lint Free Cloth, |
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Cleaning Schedule
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Monthly |
 Cleaning
Instructions
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Turn off your computer and unplug from power
source
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Unplug the mouse from the PC
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Remove the cover from underneath the mouse
turning in the direction shown by the arrow
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Remove the rubber ball from the mouse
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Pour a small amount of alcohol onto a lint
free cloth and gently clean the rubber ball
(If you do not have Isopropyl Alcohol then a
damp cloth will be sufficient)
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With the tweezers carefully remove any built
up lint or dust that is stuck to the
digitisers arms and around the inside of the
mouse in general.
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Wipe over the top of the mouse with a damp
lint free cloth
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Reassemble the mouse and plug in correctly
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Keyboard
Keyboards are one of the most abused parts of
the average system. They get pounded on, covered
with dirt, loaded with dust and food particles,
and even the odd cup of coffee spilt on them.
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Materials Used |
Vacuum,
Damp Cloth, Cleaning Swabs, Compressed
Air
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Cleaning Schedule |
Monthly
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Cleaning Instructions
Over time dirt and natural oils from your
fingers will accumulate on the keycaps, and dust
and debris will fall into the keyboard between
the keys. These should be cleaned monthly.
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Unplug the keyboard from your computer
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Vacuum the whole keyboard
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Spray the compressed air following
directions (if you do not have compressed
air just a good vacuum will be sufficient)
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Dampen a lint free cloth only very slightly
(do not use excess water)
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Carefully wipe each key individually
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After ensuring that the keyboard is totally
dry, reconnect the cable with the computer
turned off.
Cleaning a keyboard isn't always that simple;
opening it up can in fact ruin it, and some
attempts at cleaning a keyboard can in fact make
things worse, so only ever surface clean your
keyboard.
Keep Food and Drink Away:
The number one enemy of keyboards is not dust,
but in fact food and drink. If you can "simply"
make a policy of never eating or drinking while
using your PC, you will have taken one of the
best preventive measures that you can to keeping
your keyboard working reliably. Also
ensure your hands are kept clean to prevent the
build up of dirt.
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Monitor
The electro-static nature of a monitor attracts
dust and this can obscure your view and cause
eye strain. Dust on the casing can hinder
ventilation.
Warning:
Be very careful about what you use to clean the
screen of your monitor. Using the wrong cleaner
can damage the special and delicate coatings
used on many newer screens to reduce glare and
improve image quality. In particular, never
use any sort of abrasive cleaner on the screen.
A slightly damp, soft cloth is safest.
Monitors must be turned off for at least 30
minutes prior to being cleaned to allow for
cooling.
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Materials Used
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Soft
Cloth, Mini Vacuum |
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Cleaning Schedule |
Monthly
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Cleaning
Instructions
Time: 5 minutes
You will need:
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Glass cleaner
(special anti-static computer screen cleaner)
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2 cloths
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Soapy water (very diluted, a couple of drops
per litre)
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Cleaning wipes (optional)
Preparation
Screen Cleaning: Dust in fact accumulates
more quickly on the surface of a monitor than
elsewhere because of the static charge generated
by them; paying hundreds of dollars for a
high-quality monitor does little good if it is
coated in dirt! In most cases the best way to
clean the screen is just to wipe it with a soft
cloth. If there is oily residue from
finger prints then use some glass cleaner
(preferably anti-static glass cleaner).
Never spray directly onto the screen always
spray onto the cloth first.
Do
not use a duster on your monitor as this can
cause the dust and dirt to actually fall down
through the vents and into the monitor.
Use a vacuum to remove all the dust from the
outer casing and then wipe over with a soft
cloth (not a damp cloth)
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 System
Box
[Tower
]
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Materials Used |
Damp
Cloth, Compressed air |
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Cleaning Schedule |
At
least Annually |
Cleaning Instructions Outer Casing
You will need:
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2 cloths
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Soapy water (very diluted, a couple of drops
per litre)
Preparation
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Unplug the switched off systems box and
remove all cables (once you have allowed the
system to cool for at least 30 minutes)
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Slightly
dampen the cloth in the soapy water and make
sure you squeeze all excess water off.
Water cannot not under any circumstances
seep inside as this can destroy the
motherboard.
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Only gently wipe over the outer casing of
your box paying careful attention around the
floppy drive and back of the box where the
cables plug in so that you do not get any
water or dampness in these areas.
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Dry all cleaned areas with the other cloth
(dry one)
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Ensure the box is completely dry before
plugging the cables back in and turning on
the power
Cleaning
Instructions Inside the Systems Box
Take your computer or component to a
local computer shop for cleaning if you feel
uncomfortable with doing it yourself
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Scanner
WARNING:
Scanners do not reference how to clean
underneath the glass due to possible electrical
hazards. An authorized scanner repair
service is recommended. Only surface clean
and clean the top of the glass.
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Materials Used
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Lint
Free Cloth, Glass Cleaner, Damp Cloth
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Cleaning Schedule |
Monthly
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Cleaning Instructions
CAUTION—Do not use abrasives, acetone,
benzene, or carbon tetrachloride or Isopropyl
Alcohol on the scanner glass. These can
damage the glass.
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Unplug the scanner from the electrical
outlet
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Unplug the scanner from the PC
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Ensure the scanner sits for at least 30
minutes before cleaning
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Raise the scanner cover
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Clean the glass with a soft lint-free cloth
and a mild streak free glass cleaner. Apply
the cleaner to the cloth not the glass
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Dry the glass completely using a dry lint
free cloth
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Gently wipe the outer casing with the damp
lint free cloth to remove any dust or
particle build up. (remember to be careful
not to move the scanner or turn it upside
down as this will damage the focal point and
the scanner will not work correctly)
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Dry with a lint free cloth
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Ensure the scanner is completely dry before
plugging it back in to the power or the PC.
Preventative Maintenance
Dust or fingerprint smudges on the glass surface
usually result in poor quality scans. You can
keep the scanning surface free of dust or
smudges by trying to avoid touching the glass.
Also, be careful not to be rough or tamper with
your scanner's insides, or you may damage the
alignment of the scanning head.
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Place the scanner on a horizontal flat
surface
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To ensure proper ventilation, allow a
minimum of 10cm free space around each side
of the scanner
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Make sure no vibrations or shocks occur
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Make sure the area is free of dust
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Avoid any contact with water, do not use in
a damp environment
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Humidity levels should remain between 20%
and 85% and it should be constant
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Check frequently that there is no over
heating of the AC adapter
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If you do not use the scanner for some time,
unplug the AC adapter out of the power
socket
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Handle the scanner with care
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Never open the scanner hosting
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Do not leave originals on the reflective
glass plate for excessive periods
Following these guidelines will ensure that the
scanner has a long and trouble free life.
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Inkjet Printer
Print quality can
vary depending on air temperature and relative
humidity. The operating temperature range
is 10o to 40oC and the
optimum print temperature range is 16o
to 32oC.
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Materials Used |
Lint
Free Cloth, Damp Cloth,
|
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Cleaning Schedule |
Monthly
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Cleaning Instructions
Outer Casing
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Unplug the printer from the PC and Power
source
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Let the printer cool for 30 minutes if
necessary
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Use a damp cloth to gently remove any dust
build up from the outer casing
Print Cartridges
Cleaning the Print Nozzles—the print cartridge
nozzle test helps you pinpoint any clogged
nozzles. The test also cleans the print
cartridge. A test line prints so you can
see if the cleaning was successful. You
can run this test if you suspect the nozzles are
clogged or characters are not printing
completely.
To
run the nozzle test:
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Make sure there is paper in the automatic
feeder.
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From the printer’s Control Panel, click the
cartridges Tab
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Click the Clean Print Nozzles button.
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The printer feeds a sheet of paper and
prints a nozzle test pattern, similar to the
one shown below.
Examine the test pattern
The example above shows a test pattern of all
nozzles functioning correctly.
Compare the diagonal line above the printed bars
to the diagonal line below the printed bars.
If the bottom line has fewer breaks, or better
print quality than the top line, run the test at
least another two time. If then they are
both fine then you do not need to proceed
further.
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Remove and reinstall the print cartridge
(see manual)
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Repeat the nozzle test
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If lines are still broken the you need to
wipe the print cartridge nozzles
Wiping the print nozzles and contacts
If
print quality does not improve after cleaning
the print nozzles the problem may be caused by
dried ink on the print cartridge nozzles.
To
wipe the print cartridge nozzles and contacts:
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Remove the print cartridge from the printer
(see manual for help)
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Use a clean lint free cloth, dampened with
water only, to gently clean the entire
copper coloured area, including the nozzles
and contacts. When cleaning the colour
print cartridge, wipe the nozzles in one
direction so the colours do not mix.
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To dissolve dried ink, hold a damp cloth
against the nozzles for about 5 seconds.
Gently blot and wipe dry
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Allow the copper-coloured area to dry
completely
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Reinstall the cartridges and repeat the
nozzle test (see manual for installing
cartridges)
If
the test line is still broken, clean the print
cartridge carrier contacts
Cleaning Print Cartridge Carrier Contacts
Clean the print cartridge cattier contacts only
of you have cleaned and wiped the print nozzles
and print quality is still unsatisfactory.
To
clean the print cartridge carrier contacts:
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From the Printers Control Panel click the
cartridges tab
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From the Cartridges Tab, click the Install
Colour Cartridge button to move the print
cartridge carrier to the load position
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Unplug the printer power cord. This forces
the print cartridge to remain in the load
position
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Open the printer front cover
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Remove both print cartridges
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Use a clean dry lint free cloth to gently
clean the cartridge carrier contacts inside
the printer
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Replace the print cartridges
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Close the printer front cover
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Plug the printer power cord into an
electrical outlet.
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You do not want to reset the ink level
counter. Click Old Colour Cartridges to
return the cartridges carrier to the far
right position.
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Test the print cartridge by choosing the
Clean Print Nozzle button on the Cartridges
Tab.
Aligning the Print Cartridges
After the above procedures you will need to
align the print cartridges and whenever you
install new cartridges.
Below is an example of aligned and misaligned
print cartridges
To
align your cartridges’ print cartridges for best
print quality:
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From the printers Control Panel click the
Cartridges Tab
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Click the Align Cartridges button
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The dialog box appears and you click OK
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A test page is printed with 4 different
alignments on it, each pattern has a number
under it.
From each alignment group on the test page,
locate the number under the alignment pattern
that comes closest to forming a perfectly
straight line.
In
the Align Cartridges dialog box, enter the
numbers from the printed test page as the
appropriate alignment settings
After you have entered a number for all of
the patterns, click OK
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