dust Archives

The big mistake you’re making cleaning your TV

Once the TV is on and you’re watching your favorite show, you have something else to contend with: All that tracking. Yes, your TV will likely keep tabs on you and share that data. Tap or click here for the steps you can take to stop the privacy invasion.

After the inside of your set is cleaned up, look at the outside. A good cleaning goes well beyond the screen. If that’s all you’re focused on, you’re making an expensive mistake that could take years off your TV’s life. I can help.

Clean the screen the right way

Use a dry, soft cloth to wipe it free of dust and debris to clean your TV screen. Here’s an affordable pack of microfiber cloths I like.

If you have an LCD TV, press gently. The liquid crystal screen may get pushed down if you’re too rough, creating dark spots. Turning your TV off and on again will fix this issue, but no reason to put your screen under stress.

If you see oil spots, fingerprints, or anything else that needs more scrubbing, spray some electronics cleaner on a cloth with water and gently rub the area until it’s clean. Or take the easy route and pick up this $5 pack of wipes.

Whatever you do, avoid harmful chemicals like ammonia, acetone, and alcohol.

Banish the dust

Vents keep your TV cool and prevent overheating. Ignoring these is bad news. You’ll find vents at the back of most modern LCD TVs. On older TV models, vents may be on the sides and the back.

Before cleaning to get the dust out of the vents, turn off and unplug your TV. You can use a duster on the vents for basic cleaning but use the vacuum monthly to get the dust deep inside.

Special attachments built for the job are worth the cash. This pack of seven specialty attachments and accessories is under $20 and allows you to clean those hard-to-reach places.

Don’t forget the ports

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This powerful duster is so good I stopped using compressed air

When you think of electronics and dust, what comes to mind? Yep, a good old can of compressed air. But here’s the problem: It runs out so fast. Before you know it, you’re halfway through getting the crumbs out of your keyboard and the can is empty.

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You deserve a nice ride

🏁 Look inside your car. It needs a little TLC, right? Yeah, I thought so.

This tiny cordless car vacuum charges by USB.
A nice dust brush (29% off) tackles the fuzz on your dashboard and vents.
Hang your bags instead of tossing them on the floor with these $5 headrest hooks.
These cupholder coasters (21% off) can catch Diet Coke or anything else that drips.
Washable cloth garbage bags for $8 keep trash contained and out of sight.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🖨️ Clever printer hack: Dust can cause unexpected problems with your printer. Open the paper trays, remove any paper and use a handheld vac to suck up the dust. You can also blow it out with compressed air (43% off).

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Get cash for your broken gadgets

Open/download audio

Got old gadgets just collecting dust? You can turn them into Amazon gift cards, and the best part — they don’t even have to work!

12 years

Spent on our phones. Yikes. The average person spends about five hours a day scrollin’ — exactly what app developers want. That’s one reason flip phone sales are up 15,369% in the past year among Gen Z and younger millennials. Time to dust off the old pink Razr …

8 handy products to make gross household chores easier

As the saying goes, cleanliness is next to godliness. But not all of us want to pour countless hours into the never-ending battle against dirt, dust and grime. Tap or click here for the best way to clean all the dirt and grime off your tech.

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Speed up your PC or Mac: 5 pro tricks to quickly find and delete junk

In our homes, dirt, dust, and grime can pile up over time. Cached files, screenshots and duplicates are the digital equivalent.

One of the questions I get the most on my national radio show is, “How do I delete all these duplicate photos?” It’s a pain, and you need extra software to get the job done right. Tap or click for my picks.

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Quick fixes for messy spots

Jumbled sock drawer: Toss in an $8 honeycomb organizer that expands to fit the space. Works for undies, too.
Dust everywhere: Don’t just rub it around. These damp cleaning sponges have ridges to hold junk as you go.
Pet hair SOS: Content Queen Allie bought the viral ChomChom roller (29% off) and loves it.
Washing machine: Gunk collects around the gasket of front-load machines. Clear it out the easy way.
Closet shelves: No more teetering piles of shirts and sweaters when you have dividers to hold everything snugly.

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Trust me, it’s dusty: Your laptop and desktop gather dust just like everything else. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and blow out all the junk. Compressed air (whoa, 47% off) gets the job done, but I prefer a reusable air duster (54% off!).

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Clean your keys

⌨️ Your keyboard needs cleaning — I can just tell (because mine does, too). Here are a few clever ways to get the job done.

Li’l vac: Oh, this thing is sweet — a little blue box that vacuums up crumbs, dirt, dust and glitter from between your keys. It has a detachable nozzle so you can use it on your desk, too, and it charges via USB. It’s 15% off ($10.70).
Li’l brush: “Sweep up” this retractable laptop brush from OXO, which makes useful stuff that lasts. It has a built-in microfiber pad for polishing your screen and a cap to keep the brush clean when you throw it in your bag.
Big can: Grab a can of air to clear out every nook and cranny with a miniature windstorm. I love this stuff, and it’s cheap. This one is 20% off ($7.99). Whoosh!

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Have old photos to scan? Before you do, wipe off any dust or fingerprints with a soft cloth to get the clearest scan possible. Give your scanner a dusting while you’re at it.

Maintenance tip: 4 steps to clean your keyboard and mouse

If you haven’t taken a close look at your keyboard and mouse lately, you probably should. These two main components of your computer get grimy pretty quickly. This comes as no surprise since they are continually used and touched by human hands each day.

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Android headphones not working? Here are 3 tips to troubleshoot

If your wireless or wired headphones aren’t working with your Android device, it could be a problem with the phone, the software or the headphones themselves. Before you toss the headphones and waste money replacing them, we have three quick and easy troubleshooting tips to try.

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5 hints that will help you fix an iPhone that won't charge

If you’re anything like the rest of us, your whole life revolves around your smartphone. You use it to keep your schedule and stay in touch with friends and check your email. But, what happens when that device stops charging? These simple tricks may be able to help.

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