Introduction

Did you know that one of the dirtiest things on your workspace is your wrist rest? Whether it is oil, sweat, dust or leftover food substances, your wrist rest has become a playground for bacteria! Let’s face it, we often disregard wrist rests and forget how important their role is in our daily lives. It’s crucial to clean them regularly because of the germs and dirt on your hands will accumulate on the wrist rest. Thus, regular cleaning is required to maintain good hygiene and quality. It may seem time-consuming to clean your wrist rests, but the good news is that cleaning a wrist rest isn’t rocket science. With a few simple steps, you can maintain its cleanliness without having to wash it as regularly. Here's a complete guide on how to clean your wrist rest at home.

Cleaning Supplies You Will Need

Before beginning to clean your wrist rest, you need to prep your cleaning tools for a smoother cleaning process. All the items you need are common household items. You aren’t required to specifically purchase cleaning solutions.

You will need:

• Handheld vacuum
• 1 dry cloth
• 1 wet cloth
• Liquid detergent or dish soap
• Spray bottle
• Lamp
• Alternative: wet wipes

 5 Simple Steps to Clean Your Wrist Rest

1. Suck up dust and debris using a vacuum.
   
   
2. Add a small amount of liquid detergent or dish soap into a spray bottle. Add warm water to the solution.
   
   
3. Lightly spray the soapy water on all surfaces of the wrist rest. Use a wet cloth to scrub and wipe all surfaces. (Leave solution for a few minutes for better results)
   
   
4. Wipe down all surfaces of the wrist rest with a dry cloth to remove soapy solution.
   
   
5. Place wrist rest under a lamp to completely dry it.  

It is as straightforward as it seems. The cleaning process only takes about 15-20 minutes of your day. However, to ensure the wrist rest dries thoroughly, you can leave the wrist rest overnight. Some wrist rests are attached to keyboards in a set. Be sure to detach them before cleaning to avoid damage. A few things to note:

• In case you don't have a spray bottle, you may opt to use a damp cloth to wipe and scrub the surfaces of your wrist rest to remove dirt.  
• For regular maintenance, use an anti-bacterial wipe to wipe down the wrist rest.
• Avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide to avoid discoloration.

There are two most common types of wrist rests: memory foam and gel. You can apply the same routine to both types of wrist rests. To know more on the uniqueness of each wrist rest, check out this article.

Dos and Don'ts

When cleaning your memory foam wrist rest, avoid soaking it as it will take forever to dry and can grow mold over time. Although gel wrist rests are do not absorb water easily, it is not recommended to soak and submerge into water. Therefore, whether gel or foam, if the cover of the wrist rest is cloth, leather, or faux leather the cleaning process is the same.

How Often Should I Clean My Wrist Rest?

There is no hard and fast rule as this depends on your lifestyle and habit. If your wrist rests are showing signs of dirt and grime, it’s your signal to get it cleaned. Clean it as regularly as every two months if you use your wrist rests for long hours everyday. If you aren’t a fan of eating and drinking at your desk, then you won’t have to clean it as often since there is a lower possibility of dirtying it. The rule of thumb is cleaning your wrist rest 2-3 months to maintain top-tier cleanliness and quality.

How Do I Keep Wrist Rests Clean?

To maintain cleanliness in your workspace, there are a few ground rules.

• The hardest rule to uphold is no eating and drinking near your keyboard and wrist rests because food crumbs will fall into the crevices and it is difficult to remove them.

• Try avoiding spills and leaks from any type of beverage. Instead, use a coaster if you wish to place your drinks on the desk mat or wrist rest.

• Please keep your pets off your desk. Fur friends are known for sleeping on desks, making their fur part of your table decoration. This will dirty your setup within days (or hours if you have multiple pets).
  
  
• Regularly wipe down your mechanical keyboard, desk mat and wrist rest with a microfiber cloth.

Key Takeaway:

1. Keeping your wrist rests clean keeps the germs and bacteria away.
   
   
2. Vacuum, soap, scrub and wipe your wrist rest to completely clear the dirt, dust and debris.
   
   
3. Do NOT use the wrist rest until it is completely dry.
   
   
4. Clean your wrist rests every two months to keep your workspace clean and neat.
   
   
5. Avoid eating and drinking on your desk mat and wrist rest to keep the ants away.
   
   
6. Make your desk off-limits for pets to maintain better cleanliness.
   
   
7. Wipe down with a wet-wipe when dust accumulates.

We hope this article has helped you in understanding how to clean your wrist rests at home. This is a sign for you to get it cleaned and apply some of these ground rules to better maintain its cleanliness. To know more on why wrist rests are an important component in our daily lives, read here. 

Thank you for reading.