How to Clean Keyboard Yourself and Not Break Anything

We tell you how to carry out a general cleaning of the keyboard with and without disassembly.

Do not disassemble the keyboard

Let's start with the simplest methods that do not require disassembling the keyboard. They are suitable for daily cleaning to keep the keyboard in good condition. If the keys are pressed once, and a new life is already emerging in the device, immediately proceed to the next option, where we tell how to disassemble and safely clean the keyboard.

Detergent Treatment

The first and most obvious solution is to wipe the case and keys with detergent. For this, special napkins for caring for equipment or alcohol are suitable, you can also take a regular dishwashing detergent or shampoo. The main thing - do not use corrosive chemicals intended for cleaning plumbing. They may contain alkalis, which are dangerous for plastic, which at best will wipe the paint off the keyboard and, at worst, damage the case.

Then everything is simple - take a microfiber cloth or a regular rag that wipes off the dust, moisten it with soapy water and wipe the device thoroughly. Use cotton swabs or a soft-bristle brush to clean the space between the keys.

Compressed air cleaning

If you like to eat above the keyboard, it probably has accumulated a lot of crumbs. They can be blown out with compressed air - spray cans are sold with it in any large hardware store. This option is more suitable for mechanical keyboards, the keys of which are held high above the body. Low laptop keyboards are better to disassemble or vacuum.

Vacuum cleaning

A portable (aka a car) vacuum cleaner will not only help to clean the furniture or the interior of the car, but will also pull out all the crumbs and dust from under the keyboard keys. For example, with the Bosch PAS 18 LI Set, the kit comes with a special crevice nozzle for hard-to-reach spots and a brush that will help clear all the space between the keys.

We disassemble the keyboard

This is a method for those who have not cleaned the keyboard for a long time, spilled something on it, or simply want to carry out a “spring cleaning”. The main thing is to be patient, because after disassembling you will have to return all the keys to their place.

Removing the keycaps from the keys will be quite simple - use the special forceps tool that came with the device, or ordinary tweezers. If you have a mechanical keyboard, under the keys you will see the switches, behind which the contacts are hidden. If you have a membrane keyboard, there will be rubber inserts under the caps, that is, the membrane itself.

Some buttons - especially long spaces and [Shift] - are reinforced with springs or a metal clip that fastens on both sides of the key. This is necessary to evenly distribute the click so that the button works even if you click on it not in the center, but from the edge. Do not be afraid to disconnect these fasteners - they are easy to return.

As a rule, the switches themselves and the membrane are clean enough, and you will need to wash only the keyboard body. But do not rush to carry the gadget under the shower - not all models are waterproof. Most mechanical keyboards with high stroke are equipped with special sides that protect the switch contacts from moisture. Such devices can be quickly washed under the tap, dried with a towel and reassembled in their original condition.

Membrane membranes, on the contrary, are best kept away from moisture - wipe them with a damp cloth, being careful not to fill with water or detergents. Wash the caps separately, dry them thoroughly and return them to their rightful places with a little force.

As for the multimedia keys - if they are hidden under the same caps as the main ones, clean them according to the same principle. If they are not removable, wipe on top or use a portable vacuum cleaner.