Keep your keys germ-free and looking brand-new
If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge
According to research done by IT company CBT Nuggets, your laptops keyboard could carry 20,000 times more bacteria than your toilet seat. And with so much of your work, school, socializing, and entertainment now taking place online, youre probably using your laptop more than ever.
Whether youre struggling with crumbs, dust, fingerprints, pet hair, or sticky residue, you should be able to clean your keys with materials you already have lying around. And if you share a device with other members of your household, you can prevent the spread of germs as well. Itll just take a few minutes out of your day, and your keyboard will look brand-new.
Heres what to do.
Turn it off
Before you get started, turn off your computer. You dont want to accidentally hit a hotkey combination that leads to disaster. Unplug it, as well, to reduce the risk of shorting something if any moisture gets inside. And make sure you have everything important backed up in case something goes horribly wrong. (This is, of course, good practice whether youre cleaning your keyboard or not.)
Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
Get rid of crumbs
To clear out the biggest crumbs, dust, or other debris that wandered into your keys, turn your laptop upside down and allow them to fall out. Gently tap the bottom of the chassis to dislodge any stubborn particles. You can also press cleaning slime into the spaces between your keys, which sticks to and picks up debris.
If that doesnt get everything, give the keyboard a once-over with a vacuum. Make sure that you use a small attachment and the lowest power setting. (The last thing you want is to suck up one of your keycaps.) If you have a small handheld vacuum, even better.
You can also use a can of compressed air. Spray the air in a zigzag pattern so you dont miss any nooks and crannies, and make sure you hit all sides of each key. If you dont have compressed air, you can try another device that blows air (such as a blow dryer). Do not spray air directly under the keycaps; it could damage delicate electronics.
If youve done all of this and still have some gunk under your keys, you may need to pop the keys off. Whether you can do this will depend on your laptop model. In some cases, it wont be possible to do without breaking the keys, and youll want to speak to a professional. If you need to remove your keycaps, look up your laptop model and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Even fancy RGB keyboards need a wash from time to time.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Disinfect and remove smudges
Next, clean the surface of the keyboard itself to eliminate germs, smudges, and stains. First, wipe everything down with a disinfectant wipe. Avoid any wipes that contain bleach. If you dont have wipes, a soft cloth with some rubbing alcohol can also work. Wipe the keycaps one at a time, as well as the areas between them, to make sure you get every spot.
You want to avoid getting any liquid under the keys, so dont use any cloth thats dripping wet. If needed, wring your wipes out before you use them. Do not spray water or any cleaning liquids directly on the keyboard.
Next, go over everything with a damp cloth (again: damp, not dripping). Ideally, youll want to use a microfiber cloth. If you dont have one, another cloth is okay. Try to avoid anything abrasive that could scratch the keys, like a paper towel.
Finally, dry the area off with another soft cloth. There you go all clean!
Home>>Theatre>>Your laptop’s keyboard is 20,000 times dirtier than your toilet seat. To keep a clean workspace and make sure you’re not spreading germs, you’ll probably want to clean your keyboard from time to time. Here’s what you can do, using everyday household supplies.
Theatre