Hand salsa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hand salsa is a slang term used to refer to the skin oil, sweat, and dirt that accumulates on computer peripherals. According to Word Spy, an online dictionary, it is "the grimy substance that accumulates on a mouse or other input device after extended use."[1] Urban Dictionary offers a similar definition.[2]

The first PlayStation gamepads were created with rubberized grips to reduce the amount of hand salsa.[1] Some peripherals may accumulate more of it than others, requiring regular cleaning; as it is difficult to clean, some computer users prefer to buy new peripherals that accumulate the substance less easily.[3] Mice are the most commonly affected hardware,[4] though gamepads, keyboards,—on which hand salsa is sometimes called "keyboard plaque"[5]—and joysticks[4] also accumulate it easily. Newer mice are often designed to keep hand salsa out of the inside, though it still collects on the surface.[6]

Although the term hand salsa is nearly only used in reference to the dirt collected on computing peripherals, musical instruments are also susceptible;[7] however, when on instruments, it is usually called by the more general terms, grime or dirt.[8] Piano keys, in particular, become dirty rapidly, causing a player's fingers to slip or stick when playing.[9]

To clean hand salsa, a damp, lint-free cloth may be used; liquid soap can also be applied to most peripherals.[10] However, internal components may be damaged if they become wet.[11] Pianos are cleaned similarly to computer peripherals, though the keys should be cleaned using an up-down motion, so that no moisture seeps down between them. Also, a different cloth should be used for the black keys, as their paint could smudge the white. After cleaning, the keys should be dried, to prevent warping.[8]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Word Spy: Hand salsa. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  2. ^ Urban Dictionary: Hand salsa. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  3. ^ Techware Labs. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  4. ^ a b Pseudodictionary: Hand salsa. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  5. ^ Word Spy: Keyboard plaque. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  6. ^ Boomslang review. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  7. ^ Grime on instruments. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  8. ^ a b Piano Expectations. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  9. ^ Cleaning plastic piano keys. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  10. ^ Webopedia: How to clean computer parts and devices. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  11. ^ How to clean your Mighty Mouse. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.