Review: Sony Vaio PC cleaning kit (VGP-CG100)
I'm a complete neat freak when it comes to taking care of my electronics. I buy six packs of compressed air to keep my keyboards dust-free, wipe my screens with lens cleaning cloths, polish away smudges, and even detail my computers with Q-tips and alcohol. Add to this obvious neurosis a consuming affection for anything that Sony slaps its Vaio brand on . . . and well, you understand why I had to import the company's PC cleaning kit (VGP-CG100) from Japan. I paid a bit more than the 2480 yen (~$25) retail price, but for something that will probably outlast all of my gadgets, I think it was money well spent.
Contents
Regular readers know how much I love cases (and I'll continue to review them in spite of those who feel the need to tell me what I should and shouldn't do on my own site), so you can be sure that what first attracted me to this cleaning kit, which I found while looking for Vaio P accessories, was the black fabric case.
In addition to the case, the kit includes a microfiber cloth, a chamois-like cloth, a soft brush, a detailer dusting brush, and a PC cleaning handbook (shown below).
The case is made of rough polyester (exterior), smooth nylon (interior), and what I assume is synthetic leather.
The case opens like an organizer (or a cosmetics case) and has individual pockets and "spaces" for everything to fit into it.
The quality of the case is on par with a generic CD binder: nothing special, but good enough.
Function
Believe it or not, the cleaning kit actually comes with a multi-language handbook. Yes, a handbook.
Just in case you're unsure of whether the kit is actually for makeup application, Sony provides an instructional booklet on how to use it to clean your PC. And as you saw above, there's even a dedicated pocket in the case to store it!
A labeled diagram of a desktop and notebook computer are both included in the "Areas that need cleaning and their corresponding cleaning implements" section of the handbook.
The microfiber cloth is for cleaning the PC's body. It's thick and soft and perfect for wiping away smudges from glossy gadgets. Most of you probably already have and use a microfiber cloth at home; some mobile devices even ship with one.
Sony calls the chamois-like material the "clear-view cloth." It's designed to clean the LCD and can be used as a mitt or a "finger hood" to reach screen corners. It gets rid of fingerprints on touchscreens much better than the bottom of a T-shirt or a sleeve; in most cases, a single sweep across the screen is all it takes. I've been using this cloth a lot on touchscreen digital media players and phones.
The makeup brush is what Sony refers to as the "dirt brush." It's supposed to be used to remove dust from hard-to-reach areas like vents and wires behind a desktop computer. According to the handbook, its "different lengths of hair effectively cleans with minimal movement and retains fine dust, preventing dust from flying around." The bristles are made of "poat hair" (typo for goat?) and are soft and washable.
I haven't found a use for it yet, but the quality is good and it's nice to know that I have an emergency makeup brush if I lose my real ones.
Finally, there's the detailer dusting brush made especially for the keyboard. I use it all the time on my Vaio TZ keyboard, which needs an unreasonable amount of care to keep clean (those cans of compressed air I mentioned above are for the TZ), and it's great. There are two different lengths of synthetic bristles, so they do a fantastic job at getting into the cracks between the keys and removing all the junk that somehow gets in there.
Conclusion
And that's the Sony Vaio PC cleaning kit (VGP-CG100).
It may seem ridiculous that Sony makes something like this (and that I bought it), but it's a good value for the price, the cleaning tools are of high quality, and everything nicely fits into the case for easy storage and transport. It's also not bad looking and hey, for a Sony fangirl like me, I can't complain about those Vaio labels either.
The VGP-CG100 is available now from Sony Style Japan for 2480 yen (~$25) and can also usually be found on eBay for about $30-$40.
