How to clean out your work computer -- and why you need to

The second Monday in February is Clean Out Your Computer Day, and it’s a great time to clean out your work computer to ensure it’s running at peak form. Here’s how to do that and why you should put in the time and effort.

Clean vents and surfaces

A dirty computer can overheat easily, and that can damage it, says A.J. Jolivette of Soho Network Services Inc. Dust, crumbs and other debris can clog the vents and restrict air flow, so clear them out with compressed air. Dust off the dirt, but don’t wash it with water, he says. Use specialized wipes for stubborn gunk.

Clean your computer's desktop

“Having an organized desktop is it’s own reward, but keeping your computer free of viruses, adware, malware, and malicious trojan horses or worse, keystroke loggers, can help protect your financials, private selfies and your identity,” Jolivette says. Use well-known virus and security applications, or check with your employer’s IT team to find out what they recommend.

Consolidate your desktop icons and discard those you don’t need. “A desktop cluttered with icons will slow boot-up time,” says Robert Siciliano, security expert with TheBestCompanys.com. Uninstall programs you’ll never use to speed things up and reduce potential malware targeted software.

Tidy your files

Just as you go through your paper files periodically and discard what you don’t use, a periodic purge of your digital files can decrease visual clutter and keep things running smoothly. Go through all your folders and discard files you don’t use — and put music, photos and other related files in their own folder, Siciliano says.

Check your phone

Don’t forget your mobile device when weeding out files and apps, Siciliano says. Update your mobile OS to the latest version and delete apps you don’t use to keep memory use low and the display uncluttered.

Review server use

Server administrators can get in on the cleaning day as well, says Marc Malizia, co-founder and CTO of RKON Technologies. “Virtualized environments make it easy to develop new servers for test, development or interim use, but we often leave the servers running in the background, consuming disk space well after their useful life has ended.” Cleaning up these virtual machines can help you reclaim your disk space and memory for your virtual environment.

Detangle wires

Malizia says cables and wires can get out of control, especially in a large office. “Spend some time detangling and rearranging the cabling in your computer room,” he says. “There's nothing worse than having your patch panels connecting your servers looking like a bowl of spaghetti.”

Beware of computer cluttering popups

“Don’t be a happy clicker,” Jolivette says. When you get popups, read them carefully to ensure you’re closing it, not activating it. Many invasive popups will install malware even if you just click “cancel” or “OK.” Hitting “x” in the window should do the trick. Ask for help if you’re confused.