We don’t think about them very often, but laptop computers are miracles of modern technology. They give us all the power and functionality of a desktop computer in a compact, portable package, and they allow us to stay productive and connected even when we’re out and about. However, our laptop keyboards can collect dirt, dust, and other gunk, which is why it’s essential to know how to clean laptop keyboard parts.
Regular keyboard cleaning will reduce wear and extend your laptop’s life, and having a reliable cleaning option available will save you time and headaches. This article gives you five excellent cleaning methods and shows you how to clean dust from laptop keys and the surrounding areas.
You’ll get some fantastic options for quick exterior laptop keyboard cleaning. We also show you how to clean laptop keys and the boards and connectors underneath laptop keyboard parts for thorough and deep cleaning.
Cleaning Dust From Laptop Keys
You’ll wonder why you went so long between cleanings, and with our assistance, your Apple MacBook and Windows laptop keyboards will stay pristine and dust-free.
How to Clean Laptop Keyboard Exteriors
To make sure that your laptop stays in good working order, you’ll want to clean the keyboard regularly. You’ll also need to know how to clean a laptop screen. However, most of the time, you won’t need to do heavy-duty cleaning.
For regular cleaning, you can usually use a simple cleaning option to make sure that your laptop keyboard is free of dirt and dust bunnies. It’s a good idea to have a reliable exterior cleaning method that you can use to quickly clean your keyboard without taking up much time.
This section covers exterior keyboard cleaning options that only take a minute or two to complete. Incorporate these cleaning methods into your daily routine to ensure that you never encounter stuck or sticky keys. We show you how to use air and gravity to do most of the work for you.
Discover a fast and reliable way to keep your keys grime and dirt-free. Use any one of these options to keep your laptop happy when you need to maintain your laptop keyboard but only have a couple of minutes free.
Use Compressed Air to Clean Your Keyboard
Before you reach for liquid cleaners to spruce up your laptop keyboard, consider working with compressed air. Compressed air is an excellent option for cleaning a computer keyboard because you don’t run the risk of creating a short by introducing liquid into an electronic environment.
Pick up cans of compressed air at any large grocery store or office supply store for a low cost. Keep a can nearby so you can use it for regular keyboard maintenance.
Don the safety gear, and unplug and power down the laptop. Remove the laptop battery to avoid potential electrical issues during the cleaning process. Keep the computer open, and turn it upside down.
Gently shake the laptop while holding it upside down to dislodge and remove stray particles and dust. Turn it upright and set it on a flat surface.
Your compressed air container should include a straw attachment for precision jobs; attach the straw to the nozzle. Blow air between all of the keys, and turn the laptop upside down again and shake to get out the remaining debris. Wipe the keys with a clean cloth.
Clean Your Laptop Keyboard with a Vacuum Cleaner
You don’t have to compress air to make it useful for cleaning your keyboard. Suction works as well as positive air pressure to keep dirt and dust off your keys and out of the laptop crevices.
We recommend using either this method or the compressed air cleaning option regularly for safe and effective cleaning without running a risk of electrical issues caused by liquid cleaners.
Your home vacuum cleaner works well for this activity. Be sure to attach the crevice tool to increase and focus your vacuum’s suction.
Unplug the laptop and remove its battery before you begin to clean. Don the safety gear. Carefully turn the open laptop upside down, and shake gently to dislodge any loose particles or dirt.
Turn the laptop upright, and place it on a table or other flat surface. Switchthe vacuum’s power to high, and run the crevice tool between all of the keys. You should hear small crackling sounds as the vacuum sucks up the bits of dust and dirt in the laptop.
After a few passes with the vacuum, turn the laptop upside down again and shake it to remove any loose debris. Wipe down the keyboard with a clean cloth.
Get Your Keyboard Clean with a Disinfecting Wipe
Your issue might not be with dirt and dust in your keyboard’s crevices and dark corners. Sometimes, continual keyboard use while eating or working on other tasks can transfer a layer of food and grime to your keys and leave them sticky and unpleasant to use.
In these circumstances, your keyboard can become an attractive environment for bacteria and other organisms, which can result in the computer becoming a disease vector.
To take care of this issue, clean away the grime with disinfecting wipes. Using wipes regularly keeps your laptop clean and contaminant-free. Combine this cleaning option with one of the two previous methods for robust regular cleaning.
Buy disinfecting wipes at any grocery store or home improvement center. To clean your keyboard, unplug the laptop. Remove the battery to ensure that you don’t accidentally execute an application or send an email while you work on the keys.
Carefully turn the open laptop over, and shake it to clear out any dirt particles. Place the open computer upright on a desk or table.
Wipe down the keys one at a time, making sure to get the sides as well as the tops. If your laptop keyboard has enough space between each key, clean in the crevices, as well. After you’ve cleaned each key individually, turn the laptop upside down again, and shake it to get out any remaining dirt.
How to Clean Laptop Keys – Deep Cleaning Methods
Sometimes, an exterior cleaning won’t do the trick. Over time, dirt and other debris can work their way underneath laptop keyboard parts and start to gather on the circuit boards and key connectors. You might also have an accident and spill liquid on your keyboard.
Those sorts of issues require extra cleaning to make sure that your laptop stays in good shape. Knowing how to tackle laptop keyboard elements with a heavy-duty deep clean is crucial to keeping your portable computer happy and operating at peak efficiency.
This section examines deep cleaning options for your laptop keyboard. We look at an excellent cleaning method using isopropyl alcohol that you can use when you want to do some serious keyboard cleaning.
You’ll also get a time-tested method for removing keys and giving the area underneath them a complete cleansing that won’t damage your laptop. With these techniques, you’ll no longer worry about facing challenging keyboard cleanup jobs.
Get Your Laptop Keys and Surrounding Area Clean with Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol, also called rubbing alcohol, is perfect for cleaning laptop keys and an ideal screen cleaning solution. Because alcohol evaporates rapidly after application, you can use it without worrying about damaging the laptop components.
Rubbing alcohol is a fantastic general cleaner that knocks out any dirt or spills on or behind your laptop keyboard. If you are cleaning after a liquid spill, clean the area as soon as possible after the accident occurs to avoid long-term damage to your laptop.
Unplug and power down the laptop before you begin, and be sure to pull out the laptop’s battery, as well. Don the gloves. Soak a swab in alcohol, and then gently swab each key, making sure to clean both the top and sides of each one.
Clean behind each key by depressing a key and slipping the swab in underneath the surrounding keys if you can do so safely without damaging the equipment. The alcohol swabs will quickly become black with dirt and debris.
Change out the swabs frequently to keep the swabs clean and working correctly on the keys and surrounding equipment. Once you’ve cleaned as much as possible with the alcohol swabs, wipe the keys with a clean cloth.
Remove the Keys and Clean Behind Them
Laptop keyboards can get incredibly dirty if you let them go and neglect regular maintenance. If your laptop goes without cleaning for too long, you might need to remove all of the keyboard keys to give them and the board and connectors a once-over.
Removing and cleaning individual keys can take some time and elbow grease. But, doing so is the best way to tackle big cleanup jobs and get your laptop back to brand new condition.
Some keyboards are single-unit pieces that you can’t remove individually, so always check your laptop’s user manual before using this cleaning solution. You can clean a desktop keyboard with this option as well, but be sure first to disconnect it from the PC.
Power off your laptop, unplug it and remove the battery. Then, don the gloves. Pick up the blunt-ended utensil or screwdriver, place the flat, thin end under each key, and apply gentle pressure to pop them off the connectors.
Don’t forget to remove the space bar, too. After you remove all of the keys, place them in a basin of warm water, and add a teaspoon or so of liquid dish soap. Let the keys soak in the warm soapy water while you continue cleaning the laptop itself.
Turn the open laptop face down, and shake it to dislodge any loose particles. Then, place the upright laptop on a flat surface. Clean the surface behind the keyboard, including the circuit board and any key connectors, with alcohol-soaked cotton balls until completely clean.
Use the toothbrush to dislodge any crud around the connectors. Use a cloth to gently clean the keys, making sure to wring out the cloth frequently. Rinse and dry the keys. Pop each key onto its connector with gentle, constant pressure.
We hope you had a fantastic experience exploring our laptop keyboard cleaning tips. The laptop is a remarkable modern gadget that makes our lives much more comfortable.
Its compact nature and cracks and crevices are perfect for collecting dust bunnies and dirt, however. This article shows you five excellent methods for maintaining a clean keyboard and will help you preserve your laptop for the long haul.
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