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When did you last clean your keyboard and mouse

isofa
isofa Posts: 6,091 Forumite
Not exactly technical, more health related, I bet most people don't clean them very regularly.

You really should clean both your keyboard and mouse regularly, they can harbour some bad bacteria!

Worse if you work in an office where others also use your computer.

Interesting BBC article on the news, covered here in an article 30th April 2008: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/content/articles/2008/04/29/computer_keyboard_feature.shtml

I quote from the above site:
"A computing magazine 'Which' turned the microscope on over 30 keyboards in a typical office and found some had harmful bacteria that could put their users at high risk of becoming ill. In one case, a microbiologist recommended the removal of a keyboard as it had 150 times the pass limit of bacteria, and was five times filthier than a toilet seat that was swabbed."

:beer:

Comments

  • wornoutmumoftwo
    wornoutmumoftwo Posts: 1,250 Forumite
    Every day!

    Kids go on there and get everything in it!
    Payment a day challenge: £236.69
    Jan Shopping Challenge: £202.09/£250
    Frugal Living Challenge: £534.64/15000
  • BillScarab
    BillScarab Posts: 6,027 Forumite
    Never, it wouldn't have pretty looking cultures growing on it otherwise.
    It's my problem, it's my problem
    If I feel the need to hide
    And it's my problem if I have no friends
    And feel I want to die


  • benjus
    benjus Posts: 5,433 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    I clean my trackball quite frequently because the ball doesn't rotate well if it gets full of gunk. I never clean my keyboard. In a previous job for some reason I kept accidentally spilling water or coffee on the keyboard, at which point I would quietly swap it with one from the pile o' keyboards on a nearby shelf. In my current job it would probably take a month and a lot of paperwork to get a replacement, so I try not to spill stuff on it.

    These articles seem to appear regularly when there's a gap in the news... bit like the Daily Mail's recurring headlines (e.g. "Immigrants are eating our swans!"). I just take the "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger" line...
    Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
    On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
    And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I have a tub of anti-bacterial wipes that I use to wipe over my mouse, keyboard, USB stick, MP3 player, wallet, mobile & desk phone, power butons on my PC... pretty much everything I touch. I do this about once a week. I'm probably a bit OTT about this, but I *hate* a sticky/dirty mouse & keybord!
  • SPANIEL36
    SPANIEL36 Posts: 1,905 Forumite
    yesterday actually!!
  • Moneymaker
    Moneymaker Posts: 1,984 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I put mine in the dishwasher yesterday. It's in the boiler cupboard drying out. Should be fine by tomorrow.

    I use an ultrasonic cleaning bath to clean my Apple mighty mouse. The tiny trackball gets gummed up very easily.
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