Many of us use our work computers for personal purposes as it can be quite a pain to keep shifting between the personal computer and the work computer. Even if you’re not doing anything wrong, it’s important to make sure that your personal information isn’t left behind when you leave your job. That way, you won’t have to worry about someone accessing your personal information in your absence.

Here’s a 10-step checklist that will guide you in the clean-up of your work computer, after which it can be turned in.

1. Remove your Browser Data
For Firefox, go to Tools > Clear Private Data. Check all the boxes i.e. Browsing History, Saved Form and Search History, Cache, Cookies, Offline Website Data, Saved Passwords, Authenticated Sessions; and then hit Clear Private Data Now.

For Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > General > Browsing History. Click Delete and you then have the option of deleting your entire browsing history by hitting Delete All.

2. Download and run Crap Cleaner
The software is available here. It removes unused files from your system. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner.

3. Run a Disk Cleanup
Go to Start > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup

4. Remove All Wireless Networks
Go into the Windows Wireless Network Connection Settings (or IBM’s or whatever app is managing your wireless) and remove all the wireless networks, especially your home one. There’s no reason to leave your system automatically trying to get on your home network.

5. Uninstall Softwares
If you downloaded software that is only relevant to you, not to the job, delete it. Delete any Instant Messaging programs you’ve downloaded, as well.

6. Remove Passwords
Remove saved passwords from all the applications that came with the computer, including Live Messenger. Ensure that you uncheck the Remember Me option on these applications.

7. Deactivate Licensing
Deactivate any applications that have licenses over the Internet that are specific to your hardware. For example: Deactivate iTunes from the Advanced menu; Deactivate licensing and remove saved keys from Windows Media Centre.

8. Backup your email
Refer the following backup creation instructions for Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird.

9. Backup everything else you want from your work computer
If you want to save yourself the headache of weeding out the important stuff, go and get yourself a Portable Hard Disk (more than 250 GB) and copy everything from your work computer to it. And then delete everything that exists on your work computer (assuming you have already handed over necessary data to the person taking over from you).

10. Logout and turn in your machine
It is clean and usable for the someone else.