Guidance for Keeping Your Dell Technologies Equipment Clean

Helping Customers Address Concerns at Home and at Work

Dell's comments on the use of UV-C for cleaning of Dell equipment:

Dell currently does not know the results from exposure to UV-C light for any of Dell's products. While we are aware of products in the marketplace that use UV-C for cleaning items such as cell phones, we have no independent data or information regarding its use, efficacy, or issues that may arise. We have been unable to find any specific industry aging tests that are defined exclusively for exposure to UV-C. Dell cannot make a recommendation concerning the use of UV-C light due to a lack of sufficient and standardized test data. Dell's approved cleaning recommendations continue to be the other methods listed on this page.

Client Systems

We understand customers may have questions about cleaning and disinfecting options for their Dell products. The guidance below applies to all Dell-branded PCs, monitors or display screen, docking stations, keyboards, and mouses.

1. We recommended you wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
2. Turn off the device that you plan to clean and disconnect AC power. Also remove batteries from items like wireless keyboards. Never clean a product while it is turned on or plugged in.
3. Disconnect any external devices.
4. Never spray any liquids directly onto the product.
5. Moisten a microfiber cloth with a mixture of 70% isopropyl alcohol / 30% water. The cloth should be damp, but not dripping wet. Excess moisture should be removed if the cloth is wet before wiping the product. Using any material other than a microfiber cloth could damage your product.
6. Gently wipe the moistened cloth on the surfaces to be cleaned. Do not allow any moisture to drip into areas like keyboards, display panels, and so on. Moisture entering the inside an electronic product can damage the product. Excessive wiping could potentially lead to damaging some surfaces.
7. When cleaning a display screen, carefully wipe in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom.
8. Surfaces must be air-dried before turning the device on after cleaning. No moisture should be visible on the surface of the product before it is turned on or plugged in.
9. After cleaning or disinfecting a glass surface, it may be cleaned again using a glass cleaner that is designed for display surfaces following directions for that specific cleaner. We recommend that you avoid glass cleaning products containing Ammonia.
10. Discard the disposable gloves that are used after each cleaning. Clean your hands immediately after gloves are removed and disposed.

Customers may experience some visible cosmetic changes to finishes over time as a result of the cleaning process outlined above on some surfaces. Other cleaning chemicals are harsh and will damage surfaces. Avoid using any of the following chemicals or products containing these chemicals:

• Any chlorine-based cleaner, such as bleach
• Peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide)
• Solvents such as; acetone, paint thinner, benzene, methylene chloride, or toluene
• Ammonia (such as, Windex)
• Ethyl alcohol

Using any of the chemicals that are listed above will cause permanent damage to some product surfaces. By following the steps outlined in this document, you can minimize the risk of damage.

Enterprise Systems

We understand customers may have questions about cleaning and disinfecting options for their Dell Storage, Networking, HCI, and Server products. The guidance below helps address these concerns.

1. We recommend that all personnel performing cleaning and disinfecting wear disposable gloves when disinfecting any surfaces.
2. If your data center procedures require turn off prior to cleaning external surfaces, follow Dell Technologies published procedures for safely turning off data center equipment, to ensure data integrity.
3. If the equipment must remain operational while external surfaces are cleaned, use extreme caution in exposing powered equipment to any moisture and take all proper and necessary precautions when handling powered equipment that has been exposed to moisture.
4. Cleaning must be limited to external surfaces such as handles and other common touchpoints. Do not open cabinet and chassis doors or attempt to clean any internal components.
5. Fiber optics should not be removed for general purpose cleaning due to increased risk of debris contamination.
6. Never spray any liquids directly onto or into any product. Do not expose any internal components of Dell Technologies data center products to moisture.
7. To clean external surfaces such as handles and cabinets, moisten a microfiber cloth with a final concentration of 70% isopropyl alcohol by volume. The cloth should be moist, but not dripping wet. Excess moisture should be removed if the cloth is wet before wiping the exterior and handles of the product, keeping clear of power leads and permanent wiring. Using any material other than a microfiber cloth could cause damage to your product.
8. Gently wipe the moistened cloth on the surfaces to be cleaned. Do not allow any moisture to drip into areas like keyboards, display panels, vents, and so on. Moisture entering the inside an electronic product can damage the product. Excessive wiping could potentially lead to damaging some surfaces.
9. When cleaning a related display screen, carefully wipe in one direction, moving from the top of the display to the bottom.
10. If the equipment was turned off, all surfaces must be air-dried before powering up the equipment after cleaning. No moisture should be visible on the surfaces of the equipment before it is turned on or plugged in.
11. Discard the disposable gloves that are used after each cleaning. Clean your hands immediately after gloves are removed and disposed of.

Customers may experience some visible cosmetic changes to finishes over time as a result of the cleaning process outlined above on some surfaces. Other cleaning chemicals are very harsh and will damage surfaces. Avoid using any of the following chemicals or products containing these chemicals:

• Any chlorine-based cleaner, such as bleach
• Peroxides (including hydrogen peroxide)
• Solvents such as; acetone, paint thinner, benzene, methylene chloride, or toluene
• Ammonia
• Ethyl alcohol

Using any of the chemicals that are listed above will cause permanent damage to some product surfaces. By following the steps outlined in this document, you can minimize the risk of damage.