How to Maintain and Care For Your Favorite Gadgets

The appearance of modern tech is pretty important to us – the world is infested with this modern stuff. With more and more reliance on gadgets, even wear can happen at a young age. Unlike older ones, which can age in a more conventional way, these tech devices can show their age at the metallic surfaces, especially keys getting grubby and scratched.

Keep your device in good shape by using it and keeping it clean. Here are some tips.

Keep it clean

To keep your gadgets looking and working at their best, remember that a good cleaning regimen is essential. A soft cloth or sponge moistened with water and a mild cleanser is the way to go; harsh chemicals and abrasive pads can erode surfaces or damage delicate parts. A microfibre cloth can rapidly clean and wipe away dust, smudges and fingerprints, and can even quickly remove streaks without causing scratches to the device. For serious dirt that is already baked into the device, you can soak your gadget in warm water mixed with a soft cleaning solution before wiping it. Using preventative measures, such as covering the device in a protective case and keeping it out of direct sunlight or extreme temperatures greatly reduces the amount of maintenance required. Next, make sure to turn off your device and close the battery compartment when not in use, so that you won’t injure software programs with bits of food that slip into the small holes in the battery pack. It’s also wise to keep your batteries regularly charged and stored in the refrigerator or freezer – it kept them nice and cool.

Keep it safe

However, laptops, tablets and phones are expensive purchases, so it is essential to take every possible action to protect them. First of all, tuck away your devices and peripherals after use, to avoid physical damage to your hardware – and to minimise the risk of theft. To protect your toys, it is also important not to leave your electronic devices directly under the sun or in any heated area for prolonged periods of time, so as to avoid overheating and screen damage. Further, you can secure your gadgets with a two-factor authentication so if anyone tries to access your purely personal information or other data, they won’t succeed, unless they are you. On the other hand, keeping your software up-to-date by installing updates on a regular basis, and setting up the backups automatically, will reduce risk of losing your data attributed to malware attacks. This way, you will use your gadgets and additionally have the much needed peace of mind about your devices. So, before the summer season begins, don’t hesitate to take some of these nifty tech steps, in addition to the typical ‘tech-prepping’ for fun!

Keep it charged

A laptop or tablet or phone is a typical example of a gadget – an expensive purchase that people want to maximise their lifetime value of and pass down if possible. They should be kept free of dirt and stains, both on the outside and on the inside, where often learning how to download and set up software patches and updates become a matter for gadget care. Let your batteries remain plugged in at 50 per cent, not 100 per cent, which is what batteries prefer anyway. And of course, put a protective cover on your device to avoid bumps and drops. Don’t expose the power cord to high or low temperatures, and don’t pull it. That could loosen it, and even break it. Be sure to keep your gadgets stored away with their protective covers and screen protectors. You’ll be amazed at how much you can prolong the life of your gadgets by doing those few things!

Keep it healthy

Photo by Alex Wong/GettyDon’t admit that your electronics may need critical care. What they need is care – the kind you can provide if only you knew how. They depend on you to manage their cleanliness and to be the diligent steward of their storage. Along with facilitating regular firings of their systems, you would need to curate the critical software they need to thrive. Now use a soft cloth, free from lint or other particles, to ensure that no dust, fingerprints or smudges remain on the display. Avoid consuming food and drink while using the gadget, as any food items that fall into the minuscule holes of the device could harm its software. Then place it in a sealed bag to ensure that it does not come into contact with children or any other form of sentient life, preventing accidents and safeguarding it from theft. Keep your gadgets running fast, efficient and smooth by installing updates promptly, and limiting which data and programs you store on them so that they do not explode with the accumulated debris of life – on all fronts, your gadgets will outperform their speed and efficiency prior to your upgrade.