How to Clean a Keyboard

[Ol Smoke]

Having owned my own computer repair center, I came across a lot of dirty keyboards. I tried several things over those years to clean them.

The one that worked the best, I will put on here.

 

***NEVER USE SOAP & WATER ! ! !

 

Items needed for cleaning. Stiff haired long bristle brush. I use a 1" artist's brush. Rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol. Hair dryer. Small cup. Hand towel.

canned air.

 

First thing to do is unplug it from the PC or remove the battery. Take it apart by removing the screws in the back panel.

Remove the electronic "skin" and set it aside.

Pour rubbing alcohol into a small cup, and dip the brush. Then start by getting into the small crevices around the keys with the wet brush.

Once you have all the keys cleaned, use the towel and dip it into the cup, and clean the surface areas. Once you have it clean, use the hair dryer

to remove any left over alcohol that might be hiding in places. Once you are done with that, take the canned air and spray around the keys to

remove any debris. Set the shell down, with the bottom facing you. Wet the towel from the alcohol in the cup, and clean the contact points of the

key bottoms. Set the shell aside and let it air dry.

 

Take the skin and set it down in front of you, and wet the towel again with the alcohol. Using your finger behind the towel, clean the contact points of

the key areas on the skin. Set it aside and let it dry for 2 minutes.

 

Now reassemble the keyboard and you are ready to go.

[rolf]

I usually buy a new keyboard

[Ch11m33y aka. ChiLLy<3]

that doesnt work if u got a mechanical keyboard like me <.< and the best way to clean a mechanical keyboard is:

1. remove all buttons and put em in the cage for forks and spoons and stuff in ur dishwasher and seal the top with something

2. using a clean small brush clean the inside of the keyboard.

3. make sure all keys are 100% dry and place them back on their appropriate places

Edited February 10, 2013 by Ch11m33y aka. ChiLLy<3

[Saizou]

Last time I cleaned my keyboard, I opened it up and then washed it under the shower (with soap) after treating it with alcohol, leaving it to dry up on the radiator. It has never been cleaned before and it was 6 years old minimum at that time. Let's just say that I found utterly horrible things stuck under the buttons (actually between the buttons and the top board they are mounted into)...

[Lulu]

Anyone have any suggestions for a laptop keyboard? There's a lot of gunk under the keys that I can't get to.

 

I haven't tried opening it up and going in from that back, though.

[pyrka]

depends on what you have a laptop. I have to undress her to clean the keys ...

[Jopa]

I opened it up and then washed it under the shower like Saizou I mean seriously, you open it and clean up all means at its disposal

[RedBaird]

Anyone have any suggestions for a laptop keyboard? There's a lot of gunk under the keys that I can't get to.

 

I haven't tried opening it up and going in from that back, though.

I suggest you look for a pictorial step-by-step disassembly guid for your model of laptop. If you take the KB out entirely, be careful of the ribbon cable connectors. They don't pull out, but should have tiny release catches on each side. (That was at the end of a line in the guide that had scrolled off the right side of my screen ).

[LainTime/Bazingaa^_-]

The only way I have done it is like this:

1: spill a glass of wine on it.

2: panic and unplug it fast as hell and turn it upside down

3: remove all the keys and start drying it with some paper

4: disassembly the keyboard

5: clean out all the wine and then reassemble it

6: try to log back on to the computer without any keys (the hard part)

Done

[yellow flash]

I get the crumbs from keyboard by hammering its bottom to table upside down.

[Heretic121]

I get the crumbs from keyboard by hammering its bottom to table upside down.

Same here, as well as hair and other bits and bobs.