Proactive PC Maintenance – Cleaning Your Keyboard

Many times as an IT Technician I have come across some really dirty, disgusting computers.

However, the most unhygienic part of a computer system is the one you have the most contact with, the keyboard.

The dust that falls between the keys is for the most part dead skin cells from your fingers and hands. Your fingers and hands come into contact constantly with all kinds of dirt and germs so all of this is being passed onto your keyboard. Moreover, should anyone else be using the same keyboard then you are then sharing each others 'mess'.

However, despite this, many people rarely, if ever think about cleaning their keyboard. In this guide I will explain how to quickly, easily and effectively clean this dust and debris from your keyboard.

Be Prepared

Collect the following items:

• lint free cloth

• dry lint free cloth or duster

• suitable cleaning fluid such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA)

• cotton buds

• Can of compressed air

Here is what you need to do

1. Shut down your computer

2. Unplug your keyboard from your computer base unit

3. Flip the keyboard upside down and gently shake out any dust and debris.

4. With the keyboard still turned over, tap each key a couple of times to release and stuck debris and gently shake again

5. Using a can of compressed air, blow any debris from around, and if possible, under the keys

6. Dip a cotton bud in a little IPA (or similar) and use it to clean the sides of the keys

7. Dampen a lint free cloth with a little IPA and gently wipe over the surface of each key

8. When all this is done, wipe it over with a dry lint free cloth or duster.

9. Finished! Plug it all back in and enjoy your nice, clean keyboard.

Remember, this is a Proactive Guide, so this guide should be followed regularly to prevent reactive measures such as replacing a dirty keyboard with jammed keys!