How do you clean your keyboard?

@yxinxin (467)
China
January 19, 2009 7:55am CST
My laptop is over five years old and I am still using it. It is kept in good condition only I hesitate to clean the beyboard thoroughly. I often blow against the keyboard with my mouth but it doesn't seem to help a lot. How do you do it? Do you have good method?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@cambiste (1244)
• India
19 Jan 09
I keep changing my PC every few months, and often i do worry about whats in my keyboard when it gets to like 6 months old. The first time i realized that dust could ahve seeped into my keyboard was when someone told me, "Do you want to see magic? Turn your keyboard upside down" I often wondered if there was a brush made specially for keyboards that can be used to clean it. or if the vacuum cleaner had enough suction power to do the trick. I'll keep you updated if i find any technique.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
Hi, cambiste! Thank you for your response! Do keep me updated if you find any technique. So far the only thing I can do is blow with my mouth.
@cambiste (1244)
• India
22 Jan 09
lol. Well, i do have a small hint of an idea. The keys of the keyboard can be removed... lifted off and expose the scan matrix thingy that reads your keypresses. How its done, im not sure. But if you're planning to do it, you'll need to copy the sequence of letters and charaters - QWERTY... into a sheet of paper so they dont get messed up when you replace them.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
21 Jan 09
With my laptop, I slightly dampen a soft cloth and give the keys a good wipe. I will then use another dry, soft cloth to wipe it down further, just in case I left any moisture on there. When it comes to my desktop keyboard, I pretty much turn it upside down and give it a really good shake! I have been amazed at the amount of crap that falls out of it when I do this! lol.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
21 Jan 09
Good idea! I'll follow you.
1 person likes this
@pshiv29 (91)
• United States
20 Jan 09
Ok, this is how I do it (desktop.)... I just usually clean out the main part of the keyboard, where the enter key is, and caps lock is. ( I dont use the F key's or the numbered keys, if I want numbers, I just go to the top row of keys...lol.) First.... get pen and paper, write down the key's, letters/numbers exactly as they are on the keyboard, right down to the punchuation key's. 2. get a regular butter knife or something to take the keys off. ( this is why ya write them down first!, so you know where they go later.) 3. wipe out the base of the keyboard where the key's were. 4. Get the paper ya wrote the key's down on, as you put the keys back, wipe off the keys, then using the paper, count spaces that are the same on the keyboard. As for a laptop... I have no idea!...lol.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
Hi,pshiv29! Thank you for your esponse! You're very practicable.
@wanpisu (207)
• Malaysia
20 Jan 09
Normally I used air blower to clean all the dust build up inside my keyboard. Beside the keyboard, air blower can also be use to clean the motherboard. For the dust in the keyboard surface I used tissue to wipe it.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
Thank you for your response! I clean the screen with tissue.
• India
20 Jan 09
I never clean my keyboard because, i am scared to open it because i may spoil it. For 4 years i am using the same keyboard and i have no problem with it i am very comfortable with it. I just clean it on the outside and blow air from my mouth and use vacume cleaner with very low pressure.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
21 Jan 09
Thank you for your response! It's not necessary to clean the keyboard very often, right?
@W3YL1N (117)
• Canada
20 Jan 09
I take a handkerchief and slowly wipe the keyboard. It somewhat helps but there is still dirt in between the keyboard.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
I'm planning to use a toothbrush. Thank you for the response!
@amitavroy (4819)
• India
19 Jan 09
I general I use a wet cloth and wipre it to get it clean. But the the keys are clean from the outside. So now and then I have to also use the vacuum cleaner to the dust inside the keyboard and that makes the keyboard proper clean/.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
I blow with my mouth to clean the dust inside. Thank you for your response!
@mirage108 (3402)
• United States
19 Jan 09
I would buy a can of compressed air and blow out the keyboard with that :) it works the best over blowing out with your mouth.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
I'll see if the canned air is availabe in my city. I am not well-informed. Thank you for your response!
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
19 Jan 09
I have a tiny little brush that actually came with my sewing machine that I use to clean between the keys. I use q tips too that are moist to clean the surface.
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
Hi, jillhill! Thank you for your response! Maybe I can use a used toothbrush to clean between the keys.
@Krissta (90)
• Canada
19 Jan 09
I buy canned air .. LOL I know that sounds funny, but I use it to clean my keyboard and my pc tower. It has no moisture in it so this way it doesnt affect the electrical parts. I usually just buy it at walmart for 10 bucks and can, and run around and blow all the dust and dirt ( and sometimes a bit of food ) out of my electronics !
@yxinxin (467)
• China
20 Jan 09
Canned air is not available in my place! Thanks for your response!