Security & Privacy

While we usually discuss here the type of computer security that affects your data, operating system and personal identity, it’s time to look at another aspect of security that you may not realize. The British consumer magazine Which has done a study of computer keyboards in a typical London office and found that they are “5 times filthier than a toilet seat,” and that “the germs found could cause food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhoea and other stomach upsets.” While this is the case however in offices, this is likely not the case at home. The article points out that, “the main cause of a bug-infested keyboard is eating lunch at your desk, as the crumbs encourage the growth of millions of bacteria.” So unless you eat over your home keyboard, you have less to worry about for that one.

Most people never clean their keyboards, their mice, or even their telephones, while it is relatively easy to do so. Just take a clean, lint-free cloth with some alcohol, and you’ll get them pretty well cleaned. Well, not always – the problem with keyboards is the spaces between the keys. To really clean a keyboard, you need to pop off the key caps (use a screwdriver and carefully pry them off) and, perhaps, soak them in a disinfectant. For other devices, you can simply use alcohol or disinfectant wipes.