What does your computer do for you? If you’re like everyone else, it probably does everything. It helps you study, complete work, relax, play games.

Computers do a lot for us, so we should be doing a lot back for our computers. This isn’t always the case though. Another thing to remember is that our computers hold a lot of data that is key to our livelihoods and safety.

It’s time to take the security and health of your computer seriously.

No matter what you’ve got, be it a desktop or a laptop, it’s important to remove dust from the chassis and components of the computer regularly. This could be by taking the computer apart and spraying the inside with compressed air, or it could be by giving your desk and the surrounding area a good wipe down. It’s vital to ensure there is good ventilation around your workspace so that your computers aren’t constantly overheating and those fans are not sucking in dirt. If they are working harder to cool your computer down, they are going to be attracting more dust and dirt.

Cleaning isn’t just something you perform on the exterior of your computer though. You need to clean the internal software of junk. Like dust, your software attracts temporary files and caches that can fill the hard drive of your computer in no time at all. It’s important to wipe your computer clean of files you don’t need as they will only build up and slow your computer down. Masses of files will lead to a stodgy computing experience and you won’t be getting the best out of your laptop. Try to be consistent with your cleaning and although you should regularly clean out unused files, removing software you do not use is pretty key to the lifespan of your computer. The rule is, if you don’t need it - don’t keep it.

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But what about things you do need? Films and memories. Well, you’ve got to back it up! Backing up your precious files to the cloud is one way, but you should have a number of methods so you can store the files you need, whilst keeping your computer clean. Using physical media such as hard-drives and CD-ROM’s can keep your memories and useful files at your fingertips. If you’re scared of losing your CD’s you can encrypt them with passwords and have them duplicated by a service like Nationwide Disc Replication.

You should also be scanning your computer for viruses and malware on a regular basis. Viruses can infect your computer and hide in your files, which is why regular cleaning is important. Anti-virus software is the best safeguard that you can deploy against the threats that your computer faces. Regular scans could prevent a disaster from occurring.

With simple steps you can safeguard your laptop against physical and digital threats. It’s important that you take the security of your data seriously. Don’t be left out and vulnerable.