Coins
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To coin a phrase, if you're thinking of cleaning a coin you suspect might be valuable: Don't Cleaning coins at home is usually a lousy idea if you think they're worth something. On the other hand, if you don't cotton to the idea of grungy spare change dirtying your pocket, there's no reason not to wash it.
To clean a valuable coin--or just one that you think could be valuable--take it to a professional coin dealer or conservator for a careful face-lift that will remove normal wear and tear. When a collectible coin is cleaned, its value can plummet unless the cleanup crew knows exactly what it's doing. A coin spruced up by an amateur develops an oddly dull, sometimes scoured look rather than bearing the blush of normal oxdiation and handling.
expert advice
Hot Money >
Once you've cleaned your pocket change, bake coins in a low oven to dry them instead of allowing them to air-dry or laboriously hand-drying each and every one, advises Robert Wilson Hoge, curator of American Coins and Currency with the
American Numismatic Society in New York City.
"Because coins are made of metal, and metal can corrode after exposure to water, you want to avoid this when you clean coins, "Hoge says. He suggests spreading washed and rinsed coins on a lipped cookie sheet, then drying them for 5 to 10 minutes in a 200 degrees F oven.
To clean ordinary coins, give them a warm bath without the rubber ducky. Put the dirty coins in a lidded jar, add warm water and 1 or 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, put the lid on, and gently shake. Then rinse with running water and pat dry with paper towels or a clean rag. Whatever you do, don't use lemon juice or anything else acidic. Never use abrasives either, as they'll scratch the surface.
To sanitize grimy coins--if you're worried about the spread of germs (and who isn't, these days?)--saturate a cotton ball or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and wipe the coins. No need to rinse them, since the alcohol soon evaporates.
Another cleaning technique is to soak coins in olive oil. (HOld the balsamic vinegar, please!) Put the coins in a lidded jar filled with olive oil (not the expensive extra-virgin stuff--use a lesser super market brand instead). Change the oil when it gets funky and cloudy. The entire process can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on how mucked-up your coins are.
Combs
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Combs come in many sizes and several materials these days. Most are fashioned from rubber, plastic, or bone, all durable materials that take kindly to a sound drubbing.
To clean any comb, first remove hair clinging to the teeth. Then try this nifty homemade version of Barbicide, the solution barbers and hairdressers use to sanitize the ir combs. ( It also works for brushes; see Hairbrushes) Mix in a bowl or covered jar 16 fluid ounces of warm water, 1/4 cup of household ammonia, and 1/4 teaspoon of liquid detergent or shampoo. Stir or shake to combine Submerge the comb in the liquid and soak for l0 minutes. Use a small, stiff-bristled fingernail brush or old toothbrush to loosen up hair oils and grime clinging to the teeth. To sanitize the comb further, rub the teeth with a cotton ball saturated with rubbing alcohol. Rinse the comb with warm water and allow it to air-dry before using.
To clean a baby's comb, swish it in a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a basin of warm water. Rinse with fresh water and air-dry.
To clean a fin-toothed metal comb used to rid a child's hair of lice and their nits, or eggs, you need to take extra care. Here are three solutions:
Simple SOLUTIONS
Wipe Away That Grime! >
Here's how to add teeth to your comb-cleaning regimen: Give that dingy comb a quick touch-up by rubbing it with a dis-infecting wipe. (Clorox Disinfecting Wipes is a popular brand.) Let the comb dry, then rinse and air-dry again.
Comforters
To clean computer equipment exteriors, simple wipe the outside surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner, sprayed on a soft cloth. Dust can collect in ports clean. where you attach cables. Use the compressed air with wand to blow the ports clean. Or give them a swipe with one end of a cotton swab dampened with rubbing alcohol. Use the other end of the cotton swab to dry them.
To clean the glass bed of your scanner, use mild soap or an ordinary glass cleaner without ammonia. (Ammonia cleaners, unless they're completely wiped off, leave a film that could make scanned documents look weirdly oily or speckled.) Spray the glass cleaner onto a soft cloth rather than squirting it on the glass itself. Another approach: Use denatured alcohol. If there's a metal ruler scale along the edge of the glass, avoid getting it wet. That goes for the glue holding it down, too. Never use paper towels on your scanner. Even the more expensive types can make fine scratches on optical surfaces. Use a soft, lint-free cloths instead. An old cloth diaper or clean T-shirt is perfect.
WATCH OUT
Don't use ordinary household spray cleaners on your keyboard. If the liquid gets under the keys, it can damage the keyboard by shorting the contact under the keys.
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To coin a phrase, if you're thinking of cleaning a coin you suspect might be valuable: Don't Cleaning coins at home is usually a lousy idea if you think they're worth something. On the other hand, if you don't cotton to the idea of grungy spare change dirtying your pocket, there's no reason not to wash it.
To clean a valuable coin--or just one that you think could be valuable--take it to a professional coin dealer or conservator for a careful face-lift that will remove normal wear and tear. When a collectible coin is cleaned, its value can plummet unless the cleanup crew knows exactly what it's doing. A coin spruced up by an amateur develops an oddly dull, sometimes scoured look rather than bearing the blush of normal oxdiation and handling.
expert advice
Hot Money >
Once you've cleaned your pocket change, bake coins in a low oven to dry them instead of allowing them to air-dry or laboriously hand-drying each and every one, advises Robert Wilson Hoge, curator of American Coins and Currency with the
"Because coins are made of metal, and metal can corrode after exposure to water, you want to avoid this when you clean coins, "Hoge says. He suggests spreading washed and rinsed coins on a lipped cookie sheet, then drying them for 5 to 10 minutes in a 200 degrees F oven.
To clean ordinary coins, give them a warm bath without the rubber ducky. Put the dirty coins in a lidded jar, add warm water and 1 or 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, put the lid on, and gently shake. Then rinse with running water and pat dry with paper towels or a clean rag. Whatever you do, don't use lemon juice or anything else acidic. Never use abrasives either, as they'll scratch the surface.
To sanitize grimy coins--if you're worried about the spread of germs (and who isn't, these days?)--saturate a cotton ball or cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and wipe the coins. No need to rinse them, since the alcohol soon evaporates.
Another cleaning technique is to soak coins in olive oil. (HOld the balsamic vinegar, please!) Put the coins in a lidded jar filled with olive oil (not the expensive extra-virgin stuff--use a lesser super market brand instead). Change the oil when it gets funky and cloudy. The entire process can take anywhere from a few days to several months, depending on how mucked-up your coins are.
Combs
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combs come in many sizes and several materials these days. Most are fashioned from rubber, plastic, or bone, all durable materials that take kindly to a sound drubbing.
To clean any comb, first remove hair clinging to the teeth. Then try this nifty homemade version of Barbicide, the solution barbers and hairdressers use to sanitize the ir combs. ( It also works for brushes; see Hairbrushes) Mix in a bowl or covered jar 16 fluid ounces of warm water, 1/4 cup of household ammonia, and 1/4 teaspoon of liquid detergent or shampoo. Stir or shake to combine Submerge the comb in the liquid and soak for l0 minutes. Use a small, stiff-bristled fingernail brush or old toothbrush to loosen up hair oils and grime clinging to the teeth. To sanitize the comb further, rub the teeth with a cotton ball saturated with rubbing alcohol. Rinse the comb with warm water and allow it to air-dry before using.
To clean a baby's comb, swish it in a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in a basin of warm water. Rinse with fresh water and air-dry.
To clean a fin-toothed metal comb used to rid a child's hair of lice and their nits, or eggs, you need to take extra care. Here are three solutions:
- Soak the comb in a solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 9 parts water for 15 minutes, rinse, and air-day (if you don't dry it thoroughly, a metal comb will rust.)
- Soak the comb in hot water (at least 130 degrees F) for 5 minutes.
- Seal the comb in a plastic bag for two weeks. (Gasping for air, those nasty nits and lice eventually suffocate.)
Simple SOLUTIONS
Wipe Away That Grime! >
Here's how to add teeth to your comb-cleaning regimen: Give that dingy comb a quick touch-up by rubbing it with a dis-infecting wipe. (Clorox Disinfecting Wipes is a popular brand.) Let the comb dry, then rinse and air-dry again.
Comforters
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Typically a comforter is quilted and reversible, covers the top of the bed, and drops 15 inches over the edge at the foot and sides. Comforters are usually filled with bonded polyester fill but sometimes have down inside.
Check the fabric care label first to make sure the comforter is washable. If it is, make sure it fits into your washer and dryer without cramming. They can be troublesome to launder at home because most home washers and dryers simply aren't big enough to swallow them. If the comforter is crowded in the washeir, it won't get clean. (And when jammed into a too-small dryer, the comforter could scorch in some area while remaining wet in others.) If your home equipment is too small, take it to a self service laundry, where the equipment is too small, take it to a self service laundry, where the equipment is more commodious. Or, if the care label dictates, have it dry-cleaned.
Before washing the comforter, use abrush attachment to vacuum the comforter, ridding it of excess dust.Be careful not to suck up and loose threads. (if your comforter has loss of loose ends, put nylon netting, available at fabric or bridal stores, over the brush end of your vacuum and secure it with a strong rubber brand. A spent pair of panty hose also does the trick.)
To wash the comforter, first make sure the fabric is colorfast by rubbing a bit of prewash stain remover, such as Shout or Clorox Stain Out, in an inconspicuous spot. Pretreat stains and heavily soiled areas, working it into the fabric gently with a soft nylon bristled scrub brush. Wash your comforter solo in your washer with warm water and laundry detergent on the gentle cycle.
To dry the comforter, selecting the right heat setting on your dryer for its fabric. Add two clean, dry bath towels; a clean tennis shoe; or several pristine tennis balls to the drum to knock against the filling and keep it from clumping. Stop the dryer at least once to make sure the comforter
doesn't scorch inside. 'Also shake it out once, to be certain the filling doesn't clump in one corner.
See also Bedspreads
Computers
Typically a comforter is quilted and reversible, covers the top of the bed, and drops 15 inches over the edge at the foot and sides. Comforters are usually filled with bonded polyester fill but sometimes have down inside.
Check the fabric care label first to make sure the comforter is washable. If it is, make sure it fits into your washer and dryer without cramming. They can be troublesome to launder at home because most home washers and dryers simply aren't big enough to swallow them. If the comforter is crowded in the washeir, it won't get clean. (And when jammed into a too-small dryer, the comforter could scorch in some area while remaining wet in others.) If your home equipment is too small, take it to a self service laundry, where the equipment is too small, take it to a self service laundry, where the equipment is more commodious. Or, if the care label dictates, have it dry-cleaned.
Before washing the comforter, use abrush attachment to vacuum the comforter, ridding it of excess dust.Be careful not to suck up and loose threads. (if your comforter has loss of loose ends, put nylon netting, available at fabric or bridal stores, over the brush end of your vacuum and secure it with a strong rubber brand. A spent pair of panty hose also does the trick.)
To wash the comforter, first make sure the fabric is colorfast by rubbing a bit of prewash stain remover, such as Shout or Clorox Stain Out, in an inconspicuous spot. Pretreat stains and heavily soiled areas, working it into the fabric gently with a soft nylon bristled scrub brush. Wash your comforter solo in your washer with warm water and laundry detergent on the gentle cycle.
To dry the comforter, selecting the right heat setting on your dryer for its fabric. Add two clean, dry bath towels; a clean tennis shoe; or several pristine tennis balls to the drum to knock against the filling and keep it from clumping. Stop the dryer at least once to make sure the comforter
doesn't scorch inside. 'Also shake it out once, to be certain the filling doesn't clump in one corner.
See also Bedspreads
Computers
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Computers collect more than just dust, grimy fingerprints, crumbs, hair, fingernail clippings, and other unidentified miniature objects. We've heard reports that they have been home for cookies. Batman, action figures, spider nests, and half a cheeseburger.
"A computer can be given a quick once-over with a vacuum or dust cloth as part of your regular cleaning procedure. But it's a good idea to give it a more thorough cleaning occasionally. Once every three months is sufficient, although you'll want to clean the screen every month or so. If you're leery,
take it to a professional. If you opt for the at-home treatment, the first step is to make sure the computer is turned off and unplugged.
To clean the screen of a traditional tube monitor,
dust it with a clean cloth or a facial tissue. To remove fingerprints, wipe with a slightly damp cloth. Special towelettes, sold at office supply stores, may be used on the screen, but they sometimes leave a soapy film. Try an all-purpose cleaner instead, such as Fantastik or Formula 409, sprayed on a cloth and then wiped on the screen. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners, because they sometimes leave unsightly streaks.
To clean a new flat screen monitor, you need to use special care. This also applies to the screen on a laptop. First unplug the power supply, then lightly dampen a clean, soft, lint-free cloth (no paper towels or facial tissues on these babies!) with water and isopropyl alochol (not ethyl alcohol! see warning at left). Wipe the screen gently with a back-and-forth-motion, never in a circle. Wipe the display case gently with a nonabrasive, soft, dry cloth to pick up dust. And take these precautions to prolong the life of your flat screen: Never tap or touch the screen with your pen, finger, or other object. And don't slap sticky notes on your screen.
To clean the keyboard, which is a magnet for all sorts of gunk, first turn it upside down over a wastebasket and give it a good shake. Most crumbs and dust will fall right out. Then vacuum it with your brush attachment. To clean the keys, rub them and the surrounding plastic with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Or purchase a special keyboard cleaner-degreaser, sold at electronics stores. Using a can of compressed air, available at hardware stores, blast away hair, crumbs, and dust from between the keys. Rubbing keys with a fabric softener sheet will keep dust-attracting static at bay.
To clean the mouse, unscrew the mouse-ball cover on the bottom and take out the ball. Wipe it down with denatured alcohol, available at paint stores, on a soft cloth. Remove any dust or fluff inside the mouse-ball socket with your finger. Then, with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, clean the three rollers the ball touches inside the socket.
To clean inside the computer, you can also use compressed air. To open an upright computer, unscrew with knitled heads that you can turn by hand, but on some models you may need to use a screw driver. Don't touch anything inside that you don't have to. keep your fingers away from cards, cords, and other parts. And be sure the compressed air wand is at least 4 inches from the machine. Blow air into the pwoer supply box (that's where the power cord enters) and the fan at the back of the case. Then blast a bit of air into the CD and floppy disk drives. Before replacing the side, wipe it with a damp cloth. Let it dry before putting it back on.
A Mouse by Any Other Name.
Computers collect more than just dust, grimy fingerprints, crumbs, hair, fingernail clippings, and other unidentified miniature objects. We've heard reports that they have been home for cookies. Batman, action figures, spider nests, and half a cheeseburger.
"A computer can be given a quick once-over with a vacuum or dust cloth as part of your regular cleaning procedure. But it's a good idea to give it a more thorough cleaning occasionally. Once every three months is sufficient, although you'll want to clean the screen every month or so. If you're leery,
take it to a professional. If you opt for the at-home treatment, the first step is to make sure the computer is turned off and unplugged.
To clean the screen of a traditional tube monitor,
 |
| Clean with cotton swab |
To clean a new flat screen monitor, you need to use special care. This also applies to the screen on a laptop. First unplug the power supply, then lightly dampen a clean, soft, lint-free cloth (no paper towels or facial tissues on these babies!) with water and isopropyl alochol (not ethyl alcohol! see warning at left). Wipe the screen gently with a back-and-forth-motion, never in a circle. Wipe the display case gently with a nonabrasive, soft, dry cloth to pick up dust. And take these precautions to prolong the life of your flat screen: Never tap or touch the screen with your pen, finger, or other object. And don't slap sticky notes on your screen.
To clean the keyboard, which is a magnet for all sorts of gunk, first turn it upside down over a wastebasket and give it a good shake. Most crumbs and dust will fall right out. Then vacuum it with your brush attachment. To clean the keys, rub them and the surrounding plastic with a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol. Or purchase a special keyboard cleaner-degreaser, sold at electronics stores. Using a can of compressed air, available at hardware stores, blast away hair, crumbs, and dust from between the keys. Rubbing keys with a fabric softener sheet will keep dust-attracting static at bay.
To clean the mouse, unscrew the mouse-ball cover on the bottom and take out the ball. Wipe it down with denatured alcohol, available at paint stores, on a soft cloth. Remove any dust or fluff inside the mouse-ball socket with your finger. Then, with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, clean the three rollers the ball touches inside the socket.
To clean inside the computer, you can also use compressed air. To open an upright computer, unscrew with knitled heads that you can turn by hand, but on some models you may need to use a screw driver. Don't touch anything inside that you don't have to. keep your fingers away from cards, cords, and other parts. And be sure the compressed air wand is at least 4 inches from the machine. Blow air into the pwoer supply box (that's where the power cord enters) and the fan at the back of the case. Then blast a bit of air into the CD and floppy disk drives. Before replacing the side, wipe it with a damp cloth. Let it dry before putting it back on.
A Mouse by Any Other Name.
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People do all sorts of things near their computers. They eat over them, accidentally dump coffee and other drinks onto their keyboards, and sometimes jam four or five CDs at a time into the CD-ROM drive. And then, of course, there are the children who are fascinated by little holes and love to shove big things, into small places with their tiny hands.
David Larrabee, senior technician with Second Source, a computer sales, service, and Internet company in West chester, Pennsylvania, has seen it all. In his day, Larrabee has pulled keys, a peanut butter sandwich, and a soggy oatmeat cookie out of floppy disk drives.
Larrabee's favorite computer cleaning story harks back to the day when a PC user brought in his machine to be cleaned, complaining of its stench. It turns out that residing in the place normally reserved for the modern was a dead mouse. "Mice love computers," Larrabee says with a laugh. "The machines excude heat, and mice find plenty of wires to munch on."
The moral of this story: Beware any odd smells emanating from your computer. It could be that a mouse--not the electronic kind, mind you--has set up shop inside.
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People do all sorts of things near their computers. They eat over them, accidentally dump coffee and other drinks onto their keyboards, and sometimes jam four or five CDs at a time into the CD-ROM drive. And then, of course, there are the children who are fascinated by little holes and love to shove big things, into small places with their tiny hands.
David Larrabee, senior technician with Second Source, a computer sales, service, and Internet company in West chester, Pennsylvania, has seen it all. In his day, Larrabee has pulled keys, a peanut butter sandwich, and a soggy oatmeat cookie out of floppy disk drives.
Larrabee's favorite computer cleaning story harks back to the day when a PC user brought in his machine to be cleaned, complaining of its stench. It turns out that residing in the place normally reserved for the modern was a dead mouse. "Mice love computers," Larrabee says with a laugh. "The machines excude heat, and mice find plenty of wires to munch on."
The moral of this story: Beware any odd smells emanating from your computer. It could be that a mouse--not the electronic kind, mind you--has set up shop inside.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To clean computer equipment exteriors, simple wipe the outside surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner, sprayed on a soft cloth. Dust can collect in ports clean. where you attach cables. Use the compressed air with wand to blow the ports clean. Or give them a swipe with one end of a cotton swab dampened with rubbing alcohol. Use the other end of the cotton swab to dry them.
To clean the glass bed of your scanner, use mild soap or an ordinary glass cleaner without ammonia. (Ammonia cleaners, unless they're completely wiped off, leave a film that could make scanned documents look weirdly oily or speckled.) Spray the glass cleaner onto a soft cloth rather than squirting it on the glass itself. Another approach: Use denatured alcohol. If there's a metal ruler scale along the edge of the glass, avoid getting it wet. That goes for the glue holding it down, too. Never use paper towels on your scanner. Even the more expensive types can make fine scratches on optical surfaces. Use a soft, lint-free cloths instead. An old cloth diaper or clean T-shirt is perfect.
WATCH OUT
Don't use ordinary household spray cleaners on your keyboard. If the liquid gets under the keys, it can damage the keyboard by shorting the contact under the keys.
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