The $10 Cleaning Gadget That Made My Laptop Less Disgusting

published Oct 2, 2019
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A few months ago, I was visiting family in Boston and doing some work on my laptop, when my sister stopped by. In the middle of our conversation, she looked toward my computer and remarked, “That’s disgusting!” No, gentle reader, I did not have naughty content up on my screen, just lots and lots of smudged fingerprints.

She was right. I knew my laptop needed cleaning. Besides the fingerprints—I swear I don’t even touch the screen, so I have no idea why it looks like I’ve been petting it like a cat—there were tiny crumbs nestled in the keyboard. It was disgusting, and it’s not like I didn’t know it. I’d previously tried to wipe the screen clean with a dishcloth and even the forbidden cleaning wipe (don’t @ me!). I’d also tried using my hand to brush away remnants of the free snacks we get at the office. Those clearly didn’t do the trick.

But recently, I tried a product specifically designed for this task—OXO Good Grips’ Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner—and it was a game changer. The compact plastic gadget looks like a tiny electric razor with a sliding button in the middle of it. At one end of the cleaner is a firm red microfiber pad that you can use on your computer or phone. All it took was a few swipes across my laptop screen to get it completely streak free. Slide the side button down and a brush pops out of the other end so you can sweep away tiny particles from your keyboard (bye-bye, pretzels bits and eyelashes!). Within seconds, my laptop looked almost as good as new.

OXO also sells a Keyboard & Screen Deep Cleaning Set, which is a keyring that holds a microfiber cloth, a bristled brush for scraping stuck-on messes, and a loop brush for cleaning in between keys, but frankly, I’m very low energy and these all felt like too much work (I mean, the elbow grease for the cloth alone!).

I seriously love the Sweep & Swipe and now can’t stop cleaning my laptop. In fact, I’m even tempted to come clean your laptop. There’s just something really satisfying about how quick and easy it makes keeping your computer spotless. Now, someone please pass the Honey Butter pretzels.