CTRL ALT CLEAN review: A low tech 3-in-1 cleaning brush for high tech devices

|
, , ,

TA-ratings-87Everywhere we look these days, we’re undoubtedly surrounded by tech. From smartphones to keyboards to computers and everything in between, these devices can also be a haven for dust and dirt. Our CTRL ALT CLEAN review looks at a 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner from Full Circle which offers up a low tech solution for keeping your high-tech devices cleaner.

Specifications

The CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner has the following features and specifications:

  • Keyboard brush, detail nib and microfiber screen cloth in one set
  • The perfect size for your desktop or drawer

What’s in the box

  • CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner
CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-01
The CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner.

Design

The CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner has a pretty simple design. The main component consists of a rectangular white plastic piece which the main tool clips into and doubles as a handle. The main tool has a curved bamboo handle with the Full Circle logo printed on one side. On one end is a soft grey keyboard brush, on the other is a hard rubber grey detail nib.

HOW TO: Change system date in OS X ...
HOW TO: Change system date in OS X from Terminal
CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-06
The CTRL ALT CLEAN consists of two main pieces.

On the underside of the white handle piece is a soft grey microfiber cloth which is attached by way of a coarser piece of fabric and a velcro strip on the underside of the handle. When removed, the microfibre cloth pieces feels like it has a cardboard type piece inside it to help keep it stiff.

CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-05
The microfiber cloth piece is removable.

Full Circle is quick to point out that the tool is made from earth-friendly materials, including the bamboo, recycled plastic, and reusable washable microfiber.

Performance

So how well does it clean? The brush end is nice and soft and works rather well for getting the dust out from in between keys, around trackpads, and even edges of a smartphone in a case. The harder detail nib works in some cases but, while the end is thin, angles out and is a bit thick for other uses. It also depends on the surface you’re using it against as to its effectiveness. On a mouse, for example, the detail nib worked fine when used in grooves set in hard plastic but not as well in grooves set in rubber or a softer material.

CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-10
The detail nib works great on some surfaces but not on others.

Perhaps the most useful component I found was the microfiber cloth. It’s a nice size and makes for a quick smartphone screen wipe or monitor wipe to remove dust and even fingerprints. On monitors, however, the dust tended to get stuck towards the edges of the screen where the bezels are but that easily brushed away with the brush on the tool.

CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-03
The microfiber cloth is great for quickly and easily cleaning screens.

While the CTRL ALT CLEAN looks useful, and don’t get me wrong, it is to an extent, I still found the “old” ways of using a compressed air can — especially on keyboards — the better solution. While the brush easily removes dust from between keys, it does appear to push it in under the keys which results in having you to blow it out. Anyone who’s used a keyboard for any length of time knows that a good blowing out is necessary to remove any dirt, dust, and crumbs from the inside and while doing so it also happens to blow off the dust on the surface of the keyboard as well. Then again, the CTRL ALT CLEAN is reusable and probably better for the environment as well.

CTRL-ALT-CLEAN-review-07
While the brush works fine, a good ol’ can of compressed air still works better in most cases.

As mentioned above, the microfiber cloth can also be removed and washed in cold water, hung to dry, and reused over and over again. During our testing, we did wash it a couple of times and it stood up pretty well to machine washing and being hung to dry.

Price/Value

Priced at $9.99USD, the CTRL ALT CLEAN is extremely reasonably priced given its performance. To be honest, while useful, it does come across more as a gift for the “tech geek that has everything,” something which is accurately reflected in the price which puts it in impulse buy territory.

Wrap-up

The CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner is somewhat useful but is impulse buy priced, making it a decent little gift for the techie in your life who’s hard to buy for.

*We were sent a sample of the CTRL ALT CLEAN 3-in-1 Electronics Cleaner for the purposes of this review.
Previous

“Mr. Steven” joins the SpaceX drone ship fleet to catch rocket fairings

New electric motor magnet from Toyota relies on fewer rare-earth elements

Next

Latest Articles

Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap