Computer workstations today are integral to modern life. You cannot find an office, a small business, or a home without at least one desk set up with a keyboard and screens. Professional office cleaning can involve responsibility for keeping dozens – maybe hundreds – of computer workstations tidy and all too often, the details that the actual computer workers care about most are missed. On the flip-side, unusually pristine workplaces stand out and can even win you some recognition as everyone marvels at non-crunchy keyboards and

Here is a step-by-step guide to perfectly cleaning a computer workstation in any commercial or residential office space.

Cleaning from Top to Bottom of a Workstation Desk

1. Wipe the Screens
2. Vacuum the Keyboards
3. Wipe and Scrape the Mouse
4. Clear and Wipe the Entire Desk Surface
5. Wipe Desk Sides and Drawer Tops
6. Vacuum and Polish Chairs
7. Vacuum and/or Mop the Floor Below
8. Arrange and Straighten

1) Wipe the Screens

Starting at the top of the workspace so that dust is pushed to the floor, begin with your screens. Thoroughly damp a cloth or paper towel with glass cleaner and wipe down first the display portion of the screen, then the dusty tops and backs of each monitor and its stand – or each laptop and its case.

Pro tip: Look closely and make sure all smudges are removed from the screens. It can take a few firm circles with the damp cloth.

2) Vacuum the Keyboards

Turn keyboard over and shake them. Then, like an office pro, take the narrowest hose connection for your vacuum and vacuum over the top of the keys to draw crumbs out from between the spaces. This will make a huge difference, and reduce the number of times you have to pop all the keys off for a deep cleaning.

3) Wipe and Scrape the Mouse

Want to really impress the office staff with beautifully clean desks? Clean the mice. Use a little glass cleaner or isopropyl alcohol to scrub the plaque off the bottom of a mouse or off the ball of a track ball. Wipe out the sensor light socket and polish the entire mouse to remove hand oils as well.

4) Clear and Wipe the Entire Desk Surface

Now lift everything off the surface of the desk and wipe it down. Crumbs tend to hide in monitor stands, under keyboards, and in the grooves around objects that are just never moved during the workday.

Pro Tip: To clean under monitor stands, carefully tip monitors back or forward and wipe where the stand lifts up – or work with a friend to quickly lift and wipe.

5) Wipe Desk Sides and Drawer Tops

Now that the desk top and equipment is clean, look at the rest of the desk. Give the desk side panels, back panels, and/or desk legs a quick wipe-down. Then take a very close look at the tops of drawers and cabinet doors. Look for grooves and hidden ledges of dust and wipe them away.

6) Vacuum and Polish Chairs

Office chairs are also often neglected during the cleaning process. For very crumby chairs, tip the chair upside down and pound it a few times – just like the keyboard only bigger – then tip it back upright and wipe down fully with glass cleaner. Vacuum the grooves and padding with a short-bristle furniture brush. Spray a little freshener on each chair for surprise and delight of office staff the next morning.

Pro Tip: Replace all the chair wheels with new rubber or “rollerblade” wheels. They roll smoother and don’t become embedded with sharp dirt like the old hard plastic casters. These wheels are better for floors and more fun for office workers. Just don’t be surprised if you see chair races in the next week.

7) Vacuum and/or Mop the Floor Below

Roll the chair fully away and sweep, vacuum, or mop (whichever gets the job done on your flooring) underneath the entire area of the desk. If there is a plastic chair mat, mop the chair mat, then lift it and clean the underside of the mat and the floor underneath. You only need to get underneath the chair mats every month or so.

8) Arrange and Straighten

Finally, arrange the entire desk with a professional’s eye for aesthetics. Just a little tidying and straightening (even in the drawers) can make workstations more welcoming for professionals when they return to the office.

Cleaning computer workstations is an important part of office maintenance. With these eight steps, anyone can keep their business or home office in ship-shape and sparkling clean – without the crunch of crumbs in your keyboard. For more commercial maintenance pro tips and step-by-step cleaning guides, contact us today.