All of our beloved technology gets dirty from time to time, and there is little that we can do to prevent it. As we let more and more technology into our lives, we are more likely to have to clean it as it is pervasive in our lives. Do you have an HDTV? An mp3 player? Cellphone? I know you have a computer...and keyboard...and monitor...you have alot don't you? Just because technology has become a part of our everyday lives however, doesn't mean that we can simply whip out the windex and get to cleaning. In fact, that is about the last thing you want to do! So just how do you properly clean all of your gear? Luckily, this Geek here is a clean freak, and I will walk you through the proper ways to clean the most common pieces of technology in our lives. Shall we get clean?

Since I know that you have a computer, lets begin there shall we? Its important to clean your computer, because dust and dirt can harm it and shorten its lifespan. You are going to need the following:
A can of compressed air
Some water (preferably distilled, but that may be me taking it too far...)
A microfiber cloth (or a piece of soft cotton will do in a pinch)

Computer

Your computer has fans in it that are constantly moving. They are designed to keep air flowing through your computer to keep your components cool, but as you are about to find out, dust accumulates en masse inside your PC. It is a good idea to clean the inside of your computer about once every four months, and no less than once every six months. To clean your computer, grab your compressed air, a small vacuum, and a screwdriver to open your case if necessary.
Once your computer is open, you are going to want to use the can of compressed air to blow off all the dust from your PC's components. Make sure to get all of the fans really well as well as the heatsinks and corners of the case.
Notice something? Did the compressed air just blow the dust around? Yep, but it did clean your fans and heatsinks didn't it? What you want to do now is vacuum up all of that dust. Be careful not to physically touch any of the components. If you still have some dust that you can't get rid of, then take a very small amount of rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth and VERY GENTLY dab or wipe the dust away.
If you are a real geek, then remove any of your cards that have their own cooler (such as a graphics card) and clean that by blowing all of the dust out of its fan/heatsink combo. Once it is clean, go ahead and replace the card.
That is it. You have now cleaned the inside of your computer. Go ahead and put it back together. Let's clean the outside shall we? This is quite easy, and you can work it into your normal routine of household cleaning. Simply take some Formula 409 (or equivalent) and a soft cloth and wipe down all the sides of your case. Clean near your power and reset buttons and pay attention to your CD/DVD tray as well. Leave all of the ports on the back of your computer alone.

Gadgets

I have been using a PDA since the Palm III, and I am hopelessly addicted to my Mogul. The downside to all of this is that these touchscreen LCD dislpays get dirty. Real dirty. How do you clean them? If you answered that you use your shirt, then you need to stop. The best thing to do is go to Walmart and grab an eyeglass cleaning kit. They are $1.97 and include a microfiber cloth and some cleaning solution. When you clean your screen, NEVER spray directly onto the screen. Spray a small bit onto the cloth and then clean your screen. This is the method that you want to use on every device from your cellphone to your mp3 player to your portable gaming system.

Peripherals

Do you know what one of the dirtiest things in your house is? Odds are you just touched it. Your keyboard and mouse are filthy. Don't worry, mine are too. In fact, mine is probably worse since I am pretty sure I live at my computer. Let's clean them up a bit shall we?
Let's start at the mouse. Simply take a small amount of cleaner and spray it on a microfiber or soft cloth and wipe down all the surfaces of your mouse. If you want to be really anal about your cleaning, dip a Q-tip into rubbing alcohol and clean the hole for your laser or optical sensor.
To clean our keyboards, we will follow a similar process to cleaning your mouse. Dab some cleaning solution on a soft cloth and wipe down the surface of your keys. Its that simple. Or is it? Do you have dirt and crumbs in your keyboard? I bet you do! If that is the case, I have some bad news for you and some kinda bad news for you. It used to be easy to pop off your keys with a screwdriver and clean out the inside that way, but on many modern high-tech keyboards not only is it really difficult, it also voids the warrenty.
Best tip: Leave the crumbs, and stop eating at the keyboard.
Bonus tip: This may sound crazy but it actually works. I recommend this only for aspiring geeks however. You can actually place your keyboard in the dishwasher! Place your keyboard in the dishwasher, but make sure not to use detergent!!! After it is clean, you MUST, I repeat you MUST not plug it in for at least one week. If you can wait two weeks that is even better. After you wait, go ahead and plug in your clean and fresh keyboard!

Flat Screen Monitor (LCD and Plasma TV's as well)

Take your can of compressed air and blow all of the dust off of your screen. Then take a microfiber cloth and wipe off any remaining dust. These screens have a coating on them that windex and other cleaners will remove, so its important NOT to use any sort of cleaner on them. Take some distilled water and dampen your cloth. Now all you have to do is clean away those fingerprints and smudges. Make sure not to use too much liquid as you don't want any dripping down into the insides of the scree.

Well, that is it. All of your tech gear is now clean! Not only will it look better, but it will last longer as well! I recommend that you take a shower yourself, make a nice dinner, and hug your favorite Geek! We like that.