The $10 Gadget That Made My Laptop Less Disgusting

Mark Marino
Mark MarinoExecutive Director of Commerce at AT Media
I’ve been working in the media world since the days before the internet existed, starting my career as an assistant for a small publisher at Time Inc. Eventually, I went on to hold editorial roles at Martha Stewart Living, InTouch, and OK! magazines, and contributed to titles such as Travel + Leisure and Brides. On the digital front, I oversaw content for the websites for The Oprah Winfrey Show and The View, and managed People.com’s day-to-day operations as deputy editor. While at People.com, I had the opportunity to join the parent company’s first commerce team, spearheading the shoppable content strategy for brands including People, InStyle, Essence, and Entertainment Weekly. I was excited by this new world of e-commerce and loved providing readers with the best products to suit their lifestyle. That ultimately led me to Apartment Therapy Media, where I currently oversee a team dedicated to testing and writing about products that can help anyone create a healthy, happy home on any budget. (I’m a bargain hunter and never pay full price.) Whether you’re looking for a new sofa, a nonstick frying pan, or a dreamy comforter, we’ll tell you which ones are worth your money.
published Nov 15, 2019
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
Credit: Marisa Vitale

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 methods clearly didn’t do the trick.

OXO Good Grips Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner
$9.95
Amazon
Buy Now

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.

This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: The $10 Cleaning Gadget That Made My Laptop Less Disgusting

Filed in:
Cleaning Tools
Product Review
Shopping
technology