How to Clean Your Electronics Safely in Kenya’s Dusty Environment

(Phones, Laptops, TVs, Chargers – 2025 Guide that Actually Works in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kitui, Eldoret)

Kenya’s dry seasons turn every home into a dust factory. Red soil from murram roads, construction dust in towns, and coastal sand in Mombasa get inside phones, laptops, and TVs → speakers become hoarse, charging ports fail, laptops overheat and shut down.
Here’s exactly how real Kenyans clean their gadgets without destroying them.

Tools You Need (All Available in Supermarkets or Luthuli Ave for under KSh 1,000)

• Soft microfibre cloth (KSh 150–300) – the blue/yellow ones from Naivas
• Isopropyl alcohol 70–99 % (KSh 350–600 in pharmacies)
• Small soft paint brush or makeup brush
• Can of compressed air OR a rocket blower (KSh 600–1,200 on Jumia)
• Cotton buds (earbuds)
• Distilled water (optional)
• Anti-static wrist strap (optional, KSh 400)
• NEVER use water, Jik, or saliva!

1. Phone Cleaning (Tecno, Samsung, iPhone, Infinix)

Do this every 2–4 weeks in dusty areas.

Step-by-step:

1. Power OFF the phone completely.
2. Remove case → wash the case separately with soap and water.
3. Use the soft brush to gently sweep dust from speaker grill, charging port, and camera lenses.
4. Dip cotton bud in isopropyl alcohol → squeeze until almost dry → clean charging port and speaker holes (do NOT flood).
5. Wipe screen and body with microfibre cloth lightly dampened with alcohol (or just dry cloth for matte screens).
6. For stubborn fingerprints on screen: one drop of alcohol on microfibre → wipe in circles.
7. Blow out remaining dust with rocket blower or your mouth (from a distance, no spitting!).

Never:

• Use a needle or pin in the charging port → scratches the pins.
• Submerge in water → even “waterproof” phones die from dust + water mix.

2. Laptop Cleaning (Most Important in Kenya!)

Dust blocks fans → laptop sounds like a matatu and shuts down in 10 minutes.

Every 3–6 months (or when it starts roaring):

1. Shut down and unplug.
2. Open the back panel (most HP, Lenovo, Dell have 6–10 screws – watch YouTube for your model).
3. Use soft brush + blower to remove dust from fan and heatsink.
4. One drop of alcohol on cotton bud → clean keyboard keys gently.
5. Blow air into vents from outside if you can’t open it (still helps 70 %).
6. Close and wipe body with microfibre.

Pro tip: Put a small packet of silica gel inside your laptop bag → absorbs moisture and dust.

3. TV, Home Theater & Decoder Cleaning

1. Unplug from power.
2. Use dry microfibre to wipe screen (no liquids on LED/LCD!).
3. Blow vents at the back with blower or brush.
4. Clean remote with cotton bud + tiny alcohol.

4. Chargers, Earphones & Power Banks

• Charger plug pins dirty? → rub gently with pencil eraser.
• Earphones mesh blocked? → soft brush + tiny piece of Blu-Tack (sticky putty) to pull out wax.
• Power bank ports: cotton bud + alcohol.

Kenyan Extra Hacks That Save Thousands

• Put phone in a zip-lock bag when travelling on dusty roads (boda boda, piki piki).
• Keep a small silica gel packet in your phone case or laptop sleeve (free from new shoe boxes).
• Clean once every month during dry season (December–March & June–September).
• After cleaning, let device sit 10 minutes before turning on (alcohol must fully evaporate).

What Kills Devices in Kenya (Never Do These)

• Using water or soap directly
• Blowing into ports with your mouth up close (moisture!)
• Vacuum cleaner (creates static that fries motherboard)
• Sunshine drying (“nitakauka tu”) → warps plastic and battery

Do this simple cleaning routine and your phone will still be loud and fast after 3 years, your laptop won’t sound like a helicopter, and your charger won’t spark at night.

Start today – grab a microfibre and brush from the supermarket and give your gadgets 10 minutes. They will thank you with longer life! 🇰🇪🧹📱💻

LAZIZI MAISHA MAGIC PLUS SEASON 1 EPISODE 44 THURSDAY DECEMBER 4TH 2025