Your computer should be no different than your house – it needs a good deep cleaning every so often. The upcoming change of seasons is a great reminder that it’s time to share our tips for spring cleaning your computer! Organize your desktop, delete old programs, sweep your network for security bugs, and make sure your back up systems are in working order.
Six Steps for Spring Cleaning Your Computer
Step 1: Clean up the shortcut icons and random files on your desktop.
I know this might seem scary, but honestly, are you using them? Having a nice, clean starting point on your computer can make the world of difference to how you approach your day (and free up some file space too). There are some great applications that help make this an easy task.
Step 2: Remove old, unused applications.
You might be wondering what harm unused applications are doing to your computer. They just sit in the background – right? The answer is no. Old and unused applications are taking up precious hard drive space that can slow down your processor. They can also be sitting in the startup tray (again draining resources) or set to auto-update (another resource suck and opens you up to security issues). Last, but certainly not least, old programs can also have security issues that increase your risk of a security breach. Take the time to review your applications and delete the ones you aren’t using. If you find you need it, you can always reinstall.
Step 3: Clean out the junk files
It’s inevitable in today’s digital age – junk files tend to build up quickly. It’s kind of like looking at expiration dates in your fridge. These junk – or temporary – files build up as you install new programs, download files from email, etc. Windows 10 has a built in disk cleanup application or you can try CC Cleaner. If you are a Mac user, CleanMyMac or CC Cleaner.
Step 4: Sweep your network for security issues
It is more critical than ever that your antivirus and antimalware systems stay current. Take the time to run a long scan and review the results. You might also try to use a tool that you normally don’t use. For example, download and run Microsoft Safety Scanner (from the Microsoft server) to provide a “second” pair of eyes on your system. If anything doesn’t make sense or comes up alarming, contact an IT Solutions professional immediately!
Step 6: Don’t forget the actual cleaning!
Dust, food particles, and general grime can also wear a computer down. Grab a can of compressed air, antibacterial wipes, and a q-tip or two. Wipe down your keyboard, monitor, computer system. Spray your keyboard out and use a q-tip to get into the cracks and crevasses. Your computer will thank you!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!
