Keeping the desk clean and germ-free is easier said than done. And it’s not just the regular devices on your desk — the smartphone that you use or the Kindle you occasionally read during breaks, need to be cleaned as well. Thankfully, there are dozens of desk cleaning tools on the market that lets you keep your desk free of germs and dust.
While all-purpose cleaners tackle desk surfaces with ease, they may not be suitable for deep cleaning delicate electronic devices.
So, here are our recommendations for the best desk cleaning tools that you should get to keep your desk free of dust, grime, and germs.
Let’s get started. But first,
- Clear all the cable clutter from your desk with these neat cable management accessories
- Cleaning after pet hair at home can be tiring. Here are the best vacuum cleaners for pet hairs
1. 3M Desk and Office Cleaner
Well, the name says it all. The 3M desk and office cleaner is an effective cleaning solution that can be used on most surfaces, be it glass, metal, or wood. It’s non-scented and doesn’t leave a streak on the surface after cleaning. This foam cleaner is designed to clean up dirt and dust and greasy stains and stubborn marks. More importantly, it has an affordable price tag.
The 3M desk and office cleaner comes in a 14-ounce bottle and can be easily stored in drawers and cabinets.
2. Screen Mom Screen Cleaner Kit
Similar to our phones, monitors also tend to gather dust, grime, and other substances over time. These may not be noticeable when the display is one, but once off, all the marks and dust lights up like a Christmas tree. Okay, I exaggerated, but you get the gist.
Computer monitors require a little more care than the humble desk, as the wrong liquid can destroy the anti-reflecting coating. Dedicated screen cleaners like the one from Screen Mom are a simple one-step solution to keep your screen clean from dust, smudges, and greasy stains. It leaves no streak marks, and that’s an added plus. The company includes a microfiber cloth for easy cleaning. All you need to remember is to spray the liquid on the cloth first and then wipe the monitor.
Apart from monitors, you can use this cleaner to wipe the screen of your tablet, smartphone, and even your reading glasses.
Do note that spraying cleaning liquid or other substances directly into the screen (be it a TV or a monitor) may cause the liquid to seep into the display and cause discoloration of the screen.
Pro Tip: Avoid using tissues and paper towels to clean screens, however soft they may be, since the rough edge may scratch the surface.
3. Marianna 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
Apart from dust, lint, and pet hairs (if you have a pet), the frequently-touched accessories on your desk can also house germs and bacteria. And most cleaning solutions fail to take care of this issue.
Isopropyl alcohol or IPA (preferably 70% or higher) like the Marianna Isopropyl Alcohol helps in disinfecting non-porous surfaces of the said gadgets. However, it is seldom sprayed directly and you’ll need to invest in spray bottles. Once that’s taken care of, you can mix the alcohol with water in a 50-50 ratio, and then spritz some on a microfiber cloth before wiping the desk surface thoroughly with it.
Again, you will have to take care not to spray the solution on porous surfaces such as air vents.
4. Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
If you are not comfortable with mixing water and IPA to clean surfaces regularly, you can use antibacterial disinfecting wipes to clean the high traffic areas on your desk. Compared to the above simple arrangement, these are much simpler to use since you just need to pull these wipes off the bottle or a packet.
The Lysol disinfecting wipes have a soft lemony scent. It leaves a pleasant smell after you clean. Apart from disinfecting desk surfaces, you can also use these to disinfect the handrest and the adjustment lever of your office chair. Apart from licking up dust and small food particles, these wipes also claim to clean up common cold and flu viruses, among others. And if you are looking for an easy way to disinfect your home office (and the rest of your house), these disinfectant wipes prove to be a good pick.
Do note that using disinfectant wipes on smartphones may cause the oleophobic coating on your phone’s screen to wear off sooner.
5. Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
The cleaning genie in you must already know that one may never have enough microfiber cloth. They are versatile and can clean anything from wooden surfaces to computer screens and other electronic gadgets.
Mr. Siga’s microfiber cloths are textured and have a high absorbing capacity. The former makes it a great magnet for dust and grime. They are lint-free and do not leave ugly lint marks when used with a liquid agent. And this has been verified by several users. They are washable and can be washed on machines. The best part is that they stay in shape and the texture does not wear off with time even when you wash them regularly.
The Mr. Siga cleaning cloths come in different colors so that you can keep each one separately for a specific job.
6. ColorCoral Cleaning Gel
Compared to the rest of your desk accessories, keyboards rank in another sphere when it comes to cleaning them. The matter takes a different turn if you are using a mechanical keyboard. And yeah, keyboards are also the dirtiest desk accessory next to the mouse.
If you want an easy way out, you can try out the ColorCoral cleaning gel. This one can clean mechanical keyboards easily. As suggestive of its name, it’s a gooey gel that you have to press gently and roll around the keys. And the gel will do its part of pulling out dust particles, food crumbs, and other dirt from the nooks and crevices of your keyboard.
Apart from keyboards, the ColorCoral Cleaning Gel also finds its use in cleaning vents and other hard-to-reach areas of CPUs, monitors, printers, or mouse.
The product is disposable, and when it turns dark, you can simply toss it out.
Did You Know: A keyboard contains more bacteria than the average toilet seat.
7. Sin Shine Compressed Air Duster
If you are worried about using disposable products and their effects on the environment, you can check out the Sin Shine air duster. It’s a simple dust blower that comes in handy for cleaning hard-to-reach areas. And guess what, you can use it to clean your keyboard. This electrical blower is powered by a 550 Watt motor and blows air at a decent enough speed to blow off dust and water.
As useful as it turns out to be, the Sin Shine Compressed air can ranks a little lower when it comes to durability. Plus, for its size, it’s a little noisy. Though it produces less noise than a vacuum cleaner, the noise can be a little distracting when used in an office environment.
8. Meco Keyboard Cleaner
The Meco Keyboard Cleaner is a more foolproof way of cleaning your keyboard and home office desk. Instead of blowing away the particles and pet hairs embedded deep inside keys and crevices, this mini vacuum cleaner absorbs all the dirt. The best part is that it’s not just limited to cleaning your keyboard. You can use this low-power vacuum cleaner to clean the corners of your desk or clean up food crumbs from your table. The sponge filter is washable and is reusable.
It comes with a rechargeable battery, which removes the hassle of connecting the cleaner to an electrical outlet to get the job done. The only downside is that the battery needs approximately 4 hours to top up via the included USB cable.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a more permanent and reliable solution, you can check out the Afmat Cordless Air Duster.
9. Oxo Good Grips Microfiber Delicate Duster
Not everything requires a complex set of tools and gadgets to be kept clean. Plus, deep cleaning requires time and effort and is not an everyday affair. So on days that you just want your desk to be just dust-free, you can use the Oxo duster to do your bidding. The cleaning head is made of microfiber strands to trap dust and lint fast and quickly. It’s small and compact, which is a huge plus, especially from the storage point of view.
The best part is that the head is washable. So when it has gathered enough dust and dirt, just twist the head and throw it in the washing machine. Simple, right?
Pro Tip: You shouldn’t wash microfiber cloth or dusters with fabric softeners.
Hello, Freshness
Electronics can be delicate, and some of them may require a little delicate handling than others when cleaning. Hence, it’s of utmost importance to use the right cleaner and the right method for cleaning and sanitizing your gadgets.
More importantly, do wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning your products.
Last updated on 02 February, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
Read Next
What Are PC Cleaning Tools and Should You Use Them
"Has your PC become slow?""A scan detected 3049 issues with your Windows computer.
6 Best Upright Vacuum Cleaners for Cleaning Pet Hair and Carpets
Cleaning after pet hair at home can be tiring.
Top 5 Desk Exercise Bikes You Can Find on Amazon
An average American walks somewhere between 1.5 to 2 miles daily.
Top 7 Coffee Mug Warmers for Your Office Desk
Imagine this: you are sorting through your emails on a busy Monday morning.
Top 5 Desk Pads for Your Ideal Work From Home Setup
Your ideal work from home setup deserves a desk pad to keep the keyboard, mouse, speaker, and other accessories.
Top 6 Desk Organizers for a Clutter-Free Office Setup
It’s easy to make a mess on your office desk with a pencil, pen, sticky notes, highlighter, paper clips, and other stationery items.
11 Cool Office Desk Accessories to Buy Under $50
Let's admit there's little fun in keeping the office desk as it is handed out to us.
6 Best Standing Desk Converters With Keyboard Tray That You Can Buy
If you want to avoid sitting at your desk for long hours, it's wise to invest in a quality standing desk.
DID YOU KNOW
Rhein II is one of the most expensive photographs in the world.
