People & Planet

This business makes a positive difference by...

• Extending the lifespan of a computer to avoid it from turning into waste that pollutes the earth.
• Helping people avoid loosing their money in buying replacement computers.
• Making someone feel good because they know that they are helping you develop your business and computing skills.

Before You Start

Do Some Market Research

Your most likely customers are companies with a whole lot of computers to clean. Computers in houses usually don't get cleaned - so you definitely have a huge potential!

Conduct a quick survey among your neighbourhood companies asking them:

• Roughly, how many computers to they have in their office/home?
• When was the last time they were all cleaned?
• Have they ever wished they could get help without paying an arm and a leg?

This would give you a clear idea on how your business will perform

Things You'll Need:

• Window/glass cleaning spray (for normal CRT monitors - the fat ones!)
• Paper towels
• A few pieces of cloth
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton buds
• A pair of tweezers
• A small bucket of warm water
• A can of compressed air

Finding Clients

• Have a creative and convincing flyer to give to offices around your area. You may also like to approach your own school. Make a note of the businesses that you have sent your flyers to and call them after a week.
• Sometimes businesses can be quite sceptical about such services. So offer a free trial to clean a few of their computers (maybe half). Once they see your excellent service, they might call you back for a complete clean-up!
• You may also want to ask your neighbours if they would like their computers cleaned.
• Once you're more experienced you may want to place an ad in your community newspaper, pin flyers on community notice boards (make sure you're allowed to do this first)

Pricing: You should charge by the number of computers cleaned. Figure out what is a reasonable rate that you can charge your customers - and the more computers a client has to clean, the cheaper the rate should be.

Think Safe!

• Always make sure that your parents know where you're going.  You can trust most people but it's better to be safe.
• Before cleaning the computer equipment and other electronics, it is highly recommended that you turn them all off to avoid getting electrocuted! Water and electricity don't mix.
• Check the manufacturer's cleaning instructions of each item when in doubt. If the instructions are different from the ones provided below, it is wise to follow their instructions. Otherwise, check with your customer.

Get on with it

There are four main parts of the computer that needs to be cleaned: the keyboard, the mouse, the monitor, and the CPU (the main box). Be careful when handling such equipment as highly important data rests in your clean hands!

Cleaning the Keyboard:

• Turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake the dust and other stuff out of it.
• Make sure you clean up the mess that falls out of the keyboard. Use a paper towel to wipe up all the fallen dirt and throw it into the nearest bin.
• Spray some compressed air in between the keys to make sure that all the dirt has been removed.
• Dab a cotton bud in rubbing alcohol and wipe in between the keys.
• Apply some rubbing alcohol onto a paper towel and wipe the keys.

Cleaning the Mouse:

Today, there are 2 main types of mice: the normal mice (where you can find a rubber ball inside it) and the optical mice (the one that shines a red light underneath it).

Cleaning a Normal Mouse:

• Remove the mouse ball and rinse it in a bowl of warm water.
• Use a pair of tweezers to remove the gunk from the insides of the mouse (where the ball came from).
• Dip a cotton bud in some rubbing alcohol and wipe the rollers inside the mouse.
• Dry the mouse ball and put it back into the mouse.
• Lastly, use a damp cloth to wipe the outsides of the mouse to remove any dirt marks.

Cleaning an Optical Mouse:

• Turn the mouse upside-down and you will be able to see a small round eyehole.
• Use a pair of tweezers to remove any dirt from the eyehole
• Lastly, use a damp cloth to wipe the outsides of the mouse to remove any dirt marks.

Note: Mouse pads are not needed when using an optical mouse. It brings more dirt into the optical mouse and you should recommend your customer to stop using the pad.

Cleaning the Monitor:

Just like the mouse, there are 2 main types of monitors found in offices: the CRT monitors (the older fatter ones) and the LCD monitors (the slim type that can also be found on laptops). Both monitors use different technologies which is why each one has its own way of cleaning.

Cleaning a CRT:

• Spray some window/glass cleaning spray on a paper towel and wipe it on the screen.
• Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any liquid left on the screen.

Cleaning a LCD:

A LCD monitor is unlike a CRT monitor as it is not made of glass. That's why you should not spray cleaning liquid on it. You also should not use paper towels to wipe a LCD because it may leave scratches on it.

• Dip a cloth into some warm water and wipe it gently on the screen.
• Experts recommend that you wipe in one direction and avoid pressing hard onto the screen while you are cleaning it as it may damage the screen.

Cleaning the CPU:

• Use a damp cloth and wipe the sides of the CPU.
• Make sure that you have removed the dust and dirt collected.

Note: Do not clean the inside of the CPU as it requires expertise.