If you’re reading this article you most likely looking for a cure to your NKS (Nasty Keyboard Syndrome). It’s usually detectable when someone else sits at you computer and says something like “Eww your keyboard is grossly neglected and beyond discussing, On second thought I’ll just tell you where that funny youtube video is and you can type it in on your dirty-dirty Mc.Nasty keyboard”… or something like that.
Keeping your cleaning your keyboard is a breeze and when done on a regular basis will extend its life. Hey maybe even your life extended, considering your higher sanitation levels, hmm.
I’ll give you some keyboard cleaning steps to take; How far you go will depend on the nastyness of your keyboard. The higher the nasty, the more steps you take. Got it?
All right, its computer keyboard cleaning time! (Get Psyched!)
1. Tap Your Nasty Keyboard
All the cookie curbs and food that has been collecting over these past few months ahem*years*ahem, can be dropped out of the keyboard by turning it over and taping on the back. Give it a good shake too.
2. Blow Keyboard Out With Compressed Air
Turn you keyboard right side up again and give it a blow; using a compressed air can, aim between the keys and get close, pull the trigger. Put those tiny dust and food particles into exile. If you don’t have compressed air, it’s cool move on to the next step.
3. Suck Keyboard Clean With Vacuum Action
Sure, Vacuum out the stuff that between your keys. Put on the brush/duster attachment and run the sucker over the keyboard. Give the keyboard a shake and run the vacuum over it again.
4. Going After the Surface Gunk
At this point, your keyboard should be free of all dust and crumbly bits. So what’s left? The oily grime on top of the keyboard and between keys - the real nasty sticky stuff AKA key plaque.
To move forward you going to need the following:
Isopropyl (Rubbing alcohol); 90% works best and ensure it’s not ethanol based. Plus it’s a green alternative to “electronic cleaners” that cost twice as much and use a whole bunch of toxic cancer causing agents.
Take a clean cotton cloth and dab some Isopropyl over it, wipe clean the tops of the keys and the rest of the surface removing on the sticky dust and gunk that collected over time. Try your best to get in-between the keys with your cloth.
5. Getting the Keyboard Stubborn Snug Gunk
In between the keys is a touch reach with just a cloth, you’re going to need…
A Tooth brush - Any old one will do. Go to the bathroom and pick up anyone that you don’t intend on using. I’m sure your spouse won’t mind as long as your rinse it off after and don’t tell her/him about it.
Pour a little isopropyl into a cereal bowl and dip the end of the bristles into the stuff, you don’t want to much of the stuff, just enough for the tooth brush to be damp. Now brush over and in-between the keys. The brush will be lessening and picking up the key plaque move between the keyboard and the bowl keeping your brush clean of the gunk.
6. The Keyboard Abyss, Cleaning Under the Keys
If you got a sticky mess under the keys, or you just like being thorough you’re going to pop some keys of the keyboard to clean what’s underneath.
**Bonus tip: Unless you’re really good at puzzles, Take a picture of your keyboard with a digital camera or run it through the copy machine, this way you’ll be able to put all the keys in the right place when it comes time to reassemble it.
Use a small flat head screwdriver or a butter knife (oh butter knife is there nothing you can’t fix) and pry-pop off the keys. The key should come off easy with a satisfying click sound; *click* ooooh.
Once the keys are off, remove the dry dirt with tap, blow and suck method (giggle) you did previously.
If your keys where sticking previously in a certain area then remove the stubborn messy area with firm tooth-brushing and your good friend – isiproponal. Using a cue-tip also makes a good tool for getting into tight places and ridding the sticky gunk.
Run the brush over the entire exposed under key area and then pad dry with a cloth.
7. Snap Back On the Keys
Using tender loving care, and your reference picture of your keyboard (The bonus tip) push each key back to it’s proper place. Tap each replaced key a few times to ensure that it moves freely; good.
8. Congratulations!
Yay, now the moment of truth.. plug in your keyboard and give it a test. Nice work, Mavis Beacon would be proud. Now you can brag to all your friends that your keyboard is superiorly clean.
