Sitting in a corner, accumulating dust, resisting changes in the intensity of the electric current, holding your bullshit – and sometimes even your blows – when something does not go well, your computer is your faithful companion who gives everything and asks for little.

Here is some computer maintenance procedures

The biggest mistake many people make with their computers is simply not to give them maintenance. These are some actions or omissions that, in the long run, could shorten the life of your computer. Several computer maintenance steps may run your PC smoothly

1. Use inappropriate products to clean it

Assume that you do occasionally wipe your computer screen. But do you apply a spray directly?

Error. Products with alcohol or acetone can damage the protective layer of the screen. Instead, use a dry microfiber cloth.

The rest of the equipment can be cleaned with a multipurpose home or computer specific product.

2. Allow dust to accumulate

Suppose that in the same round of the screen cleaning, you also pass the cloth to the rest of the components: the CPU, the mouse, etc. But do you just clean the part you see?

Error. Dust accumulated in hard-to-reach places, such as fan inlets, can seriously affect the operation of computers.

“What you have is a system that can not quickly eliminate the heat and ends up cooking,” explains the practical tips portal to take advantage of HowToGeek computer technology.

Generally all that is needed is to check the entry and exit points – the holes – to make sure they are not covered with dust.

Although it may be tempting, it is not recommended to use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of dirt and lint.

“Vacuums discharge static electricity into the sensitive electronic components of the computer,” says HowToGeek.

Instead, it is advisable to use a compressed air spray to clean the machine. These, which are also often used in cameras, are usually obtained in specialized stores.

3. Block the air intakes

The place where your computer is reside is also important. Let’s say you are characterized by a sense of practicality combined with common sense.

Did you put it in a corner where it does not get in the way and where children can not reach it?

Error. Your computer needs to ‘breathe’.

By that we mean that it should be placed where there is good ventilation and the computer can cool properly.

“If you have a PC, make sure the ventilation vents do not hit the wall. If you have a laptop, do not put it on the bed, because the sheets will obstruct the air intakes,” explains the site dedicated to technological information and use tips of MakeUseOf.

4. Connect it directly to the power source

Let us presume that, using the same common sense, you are not one of those who have five devices connected to a single plug, through an extension.

Your computer has its own dedicated power outlet, which is plugged directly into it.

Error. “Always use your computer with an uninterruptible power supply (a regulator or stabilizer), as it will help protect it from voltage surges,” recommends the practical tips portal for all kinds of problems in everyday life WikiHow.

Also modems and network cables require this type of protection, since sudden increases in current “can and will damage your network card or modem during a lightning storm.”

Although there are different opinions on whether it is harmful to keep the computer on 24 hours or if it is worse to turn it on and off constantly, there is some agreement that at least the monitor and other external components benefit from a ‘break’.

5. Going to the ‘extremes’ inside

Here two opposite cases end up having similar consequences.

Are you the one who keeps all the documents, just in case, and never performs a cleaning operation for fear of erasing something wrong?

Error. Unnecessary documents and programs in disuse affect the performance of the equipment. The recommendation is to maintain order in the house. That includes deleting files and uninstalling useless programs.

By the way, experts recommend not using two antivirus programs at the same time. “Both programs can slow down your computer and even identify each other as viruses, which can lead to corrupt files or other conflicts or errors that can reduce the effectiveness of your antivirus,” says Microsoft’s blog.

Now, are you the ones who maintain an almost military order, purging everything in your path, using a cleaning program and even defragmenting the disk frequently?

Possible error. There are conflicting opinions about this.

There is no doubt that rampant cleanliness always involves the risk of erasing something that did not interest you or should be erased in the first place.

But the use of cleaning programs seems to be a matter of taste. Some feel that they are unnecessary and occupy only space. Others think they are a good idea.

As for defragmentation, WikiHow recommends doing it monthly. But MakeUseOf does not see the point.

In the case of Windows, for example, the system “automatically defragments the hard disk in the background, so most people should not need to open the defragmenter or use it manually,” he says.