How to Clean a Keyboard

To extend the life of your keyboard, you need to make sure you clean it often. Once a month would be ideal, but as a minimum make it a point of cleaning your keyboard 3 to 4 times a year. Do not feel intimidated by the idea of having to take the keyboard apart. As hard as it may look, you only need a few basic tools for the whole process to go smoothly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Cotton buds
• Cleaning fluid for electronics or alcohol
• Can of compressed air
• Cloth
• Screwdriver

1. Make sure your computer is off and unplugged. Disconnect all cables so you can move the keyboard more easily around, and make sure you have good light surrounding the work area.
2. Start by shaking the keyboard upside down to release any obvious dust or waste. This is especially useful on desktop computer keyboards, since they are larger and usually have more space in between keys.
3. Use compressed air to blow in between keys and get any loose debris out. In laptops, make sure that you blow close to the keys. Always use the spray at an angle so debris gets dislodged and moves away. If you blow directly down, you risk pushing the dirt into the keyboard, rather than out.
4. Use cotton buds with cleaning fluid to access in between keys. This may be your best choice if you are cleaning a laptop keyboard, which is difficult to take apart and fix.
5. Remove the keys off a regular keyboard to clean each part thoroughly. If you do this, remember to write down the order of the keys so you can return them to their original position later on. Some keys, especially the space bar and shift, can be difficult to remove and you may need a screwdriver to exert pressure on them so you can pop them out.
6. Wait until the pieces have dried off completely before you put the keyboard back together. This is true even if you are using alcohol or cleaning fluid.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't use water to clean your keyboard. It can rust and ruin the electronics.
• You can try cleaning and drying fluids off your keyboard after a spill, but it's important that you do this immediately after the spill. In the case of a laptop, you may need the help of a professional. Desktop keyboards can be cleaned of spills by taking them apart and using cotton buds.

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