Keyboards are prone to suffer corrosion damage from liquid spills and build-up of dust and debris, requiring constant cleaning and maintenance.
Over time, all this debris works its way into the spaces between and under your keys. This could cause you to have sticky keys or keys that just stop working because the electronics can no longer read the keystroke.
The short answer is yes—you can use a vacuum to suck out all the crumbs and debris, but be careful. Many keyboards have pop-off keys that a standard home vacuum might easily suck up. A better idea is to use a USB-powered vacuum designed for keyboard cleaning.
It's an essential tool for millions of jobs, but the unassuming keyboard can harbor some nasty, scary, dangerous germs and bacteria. In fact, studies show more than 3,000 organisms occupy every square inch of the average keyboard.
You never want to clean your keyboard with a soaked cloth, as that can damage the hardware that lives underneath the keys. Wipe all surfaces of the keyboard down -- buttons, keys, cover -- and allow it to dry before plugging it back in or turning it on.
Use compressed air
Use compressed air. It allows you to blow out dirt and dust particles from your keyboard as well as any particles lodged in between the keys. Be sure to hold the compressed air can upright and away from your body, and aim it at the keyboard while depressing the nozzle.
Be sure to dry between the keys as best you can. Let the keyboard dry upside down for at least 24 hours. Check the keyboard for stickiness once it is dry. If you spilled anything other than water, you will likely discover that some keys are sticking.
IP Ratings for Mechanical Keyboards
They are thoroughly dust resistant and can withstand jets of water.
You should give your keyboard a quick clean once per week. All you've got to do is wipe down the surface of the keyboard a couple of times: 1. Wipe the keyboard with a damp microfiber cloth.
Marketed as “canned air”, aerosol keyboard cleaners rarely contain just “air”. The main ingredients found in most aerosol chemical-based keyboard cleaners are: 1. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) are known greenhouse gases.
Can you clean a Keyboard with Baby Wipes? Baby wipes can be used to clean grime and dirt off of your keyboard. A surface wipe down of the keyboard and case can get rid of the most visible grease and dust bunnies.
Soak your keycaps in warm soapy water to remove any dust or grime. Ideally, swish them around for the first 5-10 minutes, and then let them soak for an additional 45 minutes. Shoot some canned air into the board to further remove any straggling lint or dirt.
Disinfectant wipes like the ones Clorox makes should generally be fine on keyboards. Apple just relented on this last week after years of recommending against cleaning agents in all forms. Make sure to wipe gently, of course. But if you have those wipes lying around, you should feel safe to use them.
If your keyboard is still not functioning properly or you notice that some keys are still having trouble, you may need to unscrew the keyboard to dry out any excess moisture. Sometimes the moisture can seep further in. In those cases, it's essential to make sure the moisture is dried up.
Sometimes liquid seeping into your keys can damage them and prevent them from working. This outcome is particularly likely if you didn't address the problem immediately or didn't let the entire keyboard dry out before using it again. Even water can have minerals in it that can dry on your keyboard components.
DO: Disassemble further if keys are still not working. If keys are acting up, you might need to unscrew your keyboard and try to dry out any moisture that seeped further in. If this still doesn't work, you might be running out of options aside from taking it into a shop or replacing it entirely.
Moisten a cotton cloth or paper towel with rubbing alcohol and use it to clean the tops of the keys. Do not pour alcohol or any other liquid directly onto the keys. Reconnect the keyboard to the computer once it is dry.
You should lightly clean a mechanical keyboard with a small vacuum or a brush regularly. One of the advantages of a mechanical keyboard is that it's relatively easy to clean — you can remove and replace the keys with minimal effort to thoroughly cleanse the keyboard deck.
For Cleaning the keyboard:
Keeping your keyboard clean from the inside is the primary reason for removing keys. You cannot clean the dust particles stuck inside the keyboard unless you remove the keys. Removing the keys is a must for deep cleaning and the longer life of the keyboard.
Take our keyboards: The team found the average office keyboard has 3,543,000 colony-forming units (CFU) of bacteria per square inch—20,589 times more bacteria than you'll find on your average toilet seat., which only has 172 CFU per square inch.