Get rid of the mysterious sticky stuff under your keyboard with compressed air equipped with an extension nozzle. Turn the can at a 45-degree angle and spray between the keys. Tap and shake the keyboard and then repeat spraying. Finish by cleaning the piled up grime with a damp cloth.
It's easy to use isopropyl alcohol (never ethyl alcohol because you might remove the printed letters/numbers) with a damp cloth and Q-tips to remove the built up dirt. Always use a cloth rather than applying the alcohol directly to the keys.
USB vacuum cleaners to do the hard part of sucking up potato chip and pretzel debris. Just plug into your USB port and use the thin keyboard tool to make your keyboard look like new again. Also includes a built in LED light. (MSRP $10)
CyberClean makes cleaning fun! Just take the yellow gel blob that looks like Play-Doh and press it over the keys to lift out dirt and bacteria. The patented sticky formula from Switzerland even kills germs on contact. It's also good on cell phones and any other potentially infectious surface. (MSRP $11)
This tip is for folks with a lot of patience. First make a copy of your keyboard layout and turn your computer/keyboard off. Next, remove the keys with a screwdriver. Clean out what's underneath the keys and then clean each key with a damp cloth and Q-tip.
If you eat at your keyboard or type with dirty hands or if multiple people use your keyboard, you need to protect yourself daily with Clorox or a disinfectant spray (on a cloth) to control the germ invasion.
Yes, it does sound extreme, but it works if you want to save time and don't need your keyboard for a few days. Wash the keyboard using only water and remember to remove all of keys. Then let it dry out for two or three days.
If there's an ample supply of Post-it Notes around, they'll come in handy when you want to clean your crumb-filled keyboard fast. Just turn the sticky edge of the Post-it towards the hard-to-remove specks and voila!
Using a hairdryer is great for general dusting and debris-clearing. It also saves time. Just point it at the keyboard and go with the heat on or off. Can be used with or without the compressed air can.
Using Scotch Tape or another brand of transparent tape can help you quickly remove dirt and crumbs. First give the keyboard a good shake and then start applying the tape.
How to clean your computer keyboard by, among other things, using a hair dryer.
