I know you're like me and NEVER eat or drink over your keyboard, and you never touch your computer screen with your fingers.

Kidding. I do it all the time. I won't admit to how many keyboards I've had to replace. Let's just say it's more than I can count on my fingers.

I also won't mention names (but you know who you are) of clients who call me complaining that an image I've sent them is fuzzy.  I ask them to move the image to a different location on their screen and suddenly it's clear.  Then I tell them to clean their computer screen.

But seriously, dirt, crumbs, dust, and germs make for icky and sticky keyboards, touchscreens, and blurry monitors that don't work well and die before their time. Dust can clog the cooling vents and cause your computer to overheat. Replacing it all when it dies gets expensive, especially the guts of your computer.

Clean `em up regularly and you'll save a lot of money in the long run. It's not brain surgery. Set a monthly reminder in your calendar or add it to your to-do list for the first of each month. Once you get your cleaning routine down, it only takes a few minutes.

Keyboard:

• Unplug it first (or remove batteries). For a laptop, shut it down.
• Turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it.
• Or, use a vacuum by holding it over the keys, or blow out the dust with one of those "cans of air."
• Wipe it down with disinfecting wipes. If they're sopping wet squeeze them out first. Then use them and the alcohol will evaporate, no danger of water damage. If you use straight alcohol on a cotton swab or soft rag, use isopropyl and not ethyl which will take the lettering right off the keys.  
• Keep a soft bristle brush handy for those crumbs you drop.
• If you get liquid on your keyboard, it might be OK. Turn off the computer first. Use a paper towel to quickly blot up what you can. For a desktop keyboard you can probably pry up the key with a butter knife or screwdriver. For laptop keyboards use your fingernail (be really careful). Then use a paper towel to blot up moisture. To replace the keys, just place them over where they were and gently press. Or, just buy a new one and get back to work quickly. :-D

Monitor:

• Shut it off first. A dark screen shows dirt better (and it's safer).
• Microfiber cloths work great (like the ones to clean your glasses). Don't press too hard.
• Don't use paper towels, toilet paper, or tissues. They can scratch.
• A slightly damp, lint-free cloth works great.
• Commercial cleaning solutions and monitor wipes are available from your local office supply store. Never spray directly on the screen, spray the cloth.

Mouse:

• Disconnect it first (or remove the batteries).
• Clean with rubbing alcohol or a commercial computer cleaner, scrape stuck-on stuff with your fingernail.
• Make sure there is no lint blocking the sensor if you have an optical mouse.
• For a mechanical mouse with the little roller ball, remove the ball and clean it and the inside with compressed air from a can or a vacuum designed to use on the inside of computers. Don't use a regular vacuum.

Dust:

• Tends to get everywhere. Don't forget to vacuum off the top/back/underneath of your computer/laptop to minimize infiltration and overheating/damage from dust.
• Don't use a standard vacuum on the inside of your computer (it's OK on the outside, however). Get a vacuum designed for cleaning the inside of computers, use a battery-powered vacuum, or blow it out with a can of compressed air. You might want to take the computer outside to do this.
• Dust can make your monitor look like you have a dead pixel. You may have dust between the display's plastic cover and the actual display. You can probably remove the plastic cover but be sure it won't void your warranty before you do this. Clean the inside of the cover with a soft cloth and carefully put it back. Check online for instructions on how to remove it on your computer.

Additional resources:

Cleaning Mac's: Many of the tips here are from a great article on cleaning your computer by Kirk McElhearn at macworld.com.  

Cleaning PC's: Microsoft has tips and more indepth info.

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 Squarespace 6 - New and Awesome!

If the website we designed for you is a Squarespace website, and you've heard about the new Squarespace 6 system and are wondering if it's a good idea to convert your Squarespace 5 website to Squarespace 6, drop me a line or call me (310-649-4434) to chat for a few minutes. We're in the process of converting half a dozen at the moment, and a couple more are finished. So far, everyone is loving their new websites, the automatically-generated mobile versions, the fancy-schmancy image portfolios, and all the other great bells and whistles. If you have a SS5 website you can get a SS6 website at no extra charge. We can convert it for you or you can take a crack at it and call us to help if you'd rather be doing stuff like, oh, making money, taking a vacation, or growing your business. ;-D    

You can read a Client Q&A blog article about it here.   

Squarespace Commerce

OMG! Just announced today:  Integrated eCommerce for Squarespace 6 websites. I knew it was in development but didn't expect it for a while. So happy it's here!  

Sell both digital and physical products. Custom shipping and tax rules by region, inventory management, printable packing slips, coupons, customized system emails. With a Business Plan website ($30/mo or $24/mo paid yearly) it's similar to PayPal at 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction. No other fees.

We'll be adding Squarespace Commerce to several websites including our own. Stay tuned. I'll let you know how it all shakes out.  

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Help! My Mac is Running S-L-O-W

"The virtual gears inside your computer begin to act as though they're running in a vat of tapioca pudding," says Ted Landau at Macworld. It's fixable, and Ted's advice generally applies to PC's too. Try these fixes and read the how-to's for each item in the article at Macworld.  If you have a PC, check your instructions file on your computer or Google "how to" for each of these items:

• Restart your computer 
• Check your internet connection
• Free up disk space
• Check CPU usage
• Check memory usage
• Spend money (Yeah, sometimes throwing $$$ at a problem does work.)

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That's it for this newsletter. Send us an email if Harry and I can hand-craft some business support just for you. 

As always, all our best to you and yours.