It doesn’t matter if you’re disgusted by the germs that have accumulated on your keyboard (and that’s a surprising number on average), wish you had the keyboard back that was originally handsome, you’re dealing with the aftermath of a coke accident, or your keyboard is free again by Krümel & Co want to use.
It is worth cleaning the keyboard. We’ll show you the best way to do this.

How to clean the keyboard? You need these cleaning agents & helpers

Basically, the gentler the remedy, the better. Household products or cleaning agents that are too aggressive damage the material and may even loosen the print on the keys.
The following cleaners and helpers have proven to be practical:

• rag
• Neutral cleaner – if necessary also glass cleaner
• Water – does not have to be distilled
• compressed air spray
• Paint brush
• vacuum cleaner
• toothbrush
• Glasses cleaning wipes – remove grease residue and are therefore better than wet wipes
• Cotton swabs or toothpicks are often recommended, but can only be used to a limited extent because they are too thick for the gaps

Do home remedies help?

You should be careful when using spirits, alcohol, or ethanol. Use these agents when you want to remove very stubborn deposits or adhesive residue. Also, always use only a small amount so as not to damage the material and the hardware underneath the keyboard.
You should also only use vinegar if you are aware of the effect of the product on your keyboard.

Can the keyboard go in the dishwasher or washing machine?

A question that is not meant to be taken seriously. You should not put your keyboard in the dishwasher or washing machine.
It may get clean that way, but in all probability it will also break or at least deform.
Too high a temperature, the spin cycle or the high water pressure – the keyboard has to endure a lot.
As always, exceptions prove the rule. It can be fine, but we do not recommend this method.

Which keyboards are easy to clean?

Of course, the easiest keyboards to clean are those that can be taken apart. Here, too, PC keyboards have a clear advantage over laptop keyboards.

How often should I clean my keyboard?

There’s no magic number that says how often you should clean your keyboard. Cleaning is always necessary when the first deposits or other dirt appear. Regular cleaning every few months should be sufficient, protects against excessive deposits and shortens the next cleaning action.
You should not clean your keyboard too often in order not to overuse the keys or possibly speed up the removal of the pressure.

Tips & Tricks: How to professionally clean your PC keyboard or laptop keyboard

1. Lock the keyboard so that it is not out of place after cleaning

First, lock the keyboard of your PC or if that doesn’t work, it is best to shut down the PC or laptop. This ensures that the cleaning action does not disfigure the keyboard. You also prevent the risk of a short circuit.

2. Open, disassemble & “disassemble” the keyboard

As a rule, only PC keyboards – and not all – can be disassembled. If you dare, you can open your keyboard and clean it while disassembled. You can carefully loosen the keys from their anchorage with a slotted screwdriver. However, keep in mind that depending on the keyboard, assembling may be more difficult than disassembling. Take a picture of your keyboard beforehand. If you are not sure whether you can restore the keyboard to its original state, you should refrain from doing so.
But you can also thoroughly clean your keyboard without removing it.

3. Clean gaps and under the keys with compressed air spray

With an air pressure spray you can achieve a lot with a conventional PC keyboard as well as a laptop keyboard. To do this, hold the base of the spray in the gaps and blow air under the keys. To do this, work your way from left to right or from right to left. It is only important that you work according to the system, otherwise you will sabotage yourself. The spray blows dust and crumbs to the surface. All you have to do is suck them up.
A brush can also help to clean fine joints and transport annoying residue to the surface. Also try the simple method of turning the keyboard upside down and shaking it gently.

4. Remove sticky residue

Cola, lemonade or coffee – they quickly ran over the keyboard. Then it sticks or, in the worst case, smells. But other sources can also cause your keyboard to stick.
Try it first with a well-wrung but still damp cloth. Put a small amount of neutral detergent on it and try your luck. Even an old toothbrush can do a lot. However, be careful not to get liquids in the gaps or under the keys.
If you have tried all means, you can try a dry cloth and some high-proof alcoholto remove the sticky residue. Try to use as few agents as possible, as this can damage the material.

5. Remove deposits, grease and sweat

After you have brought the dirt to the surface, taken care of the gaps and removed particularly stubborn sticky residues, it is time to remove other deposits, grease and sweat from the keyboard. In short: to make the keyboard appetizing all over again.
You can also use a toothbrush and a glasses cleaning cloth or a cloth with a neutral cleaning agent. Use as little liquid as possible and run the cloth or rag over the keys. If deposits remain, you can loosen them with a toothbrush and then wipe them up with a cloth. In any case, finally, wipe over the surfaces with a dry cloth.

6. Disinfect keyboard

Last but not least, you can disinfect your keyboard. However, check in advance whether the disinfectant of your choice is suitable for your keyboard.

Too aggressive cleaners damage the material of your keyboard.

What types of keyboards are there?

Basically, keyboards can be divided into different categories – such as according to the device used, i.e. laptop keyboard, PC keyboard or tablet keyboard.
Keyboards also differ in their structure:

Mechanical keyboards

On mechanical keyboards, there is a mechanical switch including a spring under each key. This makes the mechanical keyboard more durable and the comfort is higher according to users. Why it is like that? The individual switches and springs make typing feel more precise.
The downside: Mechanical keyboards are usually more expensive than membrane keyboards.
This keyboard can be divided into linear and tactile keyboards. The former do not indicate whether the button is being pressed – in contrast to tactile buttons. This makes them particularly interesting for gaming purposes.

Membrane keyboards

With the membrane keyboard there are no switches and springs under the keys, but a “rubber knob”. This is compressed when a key is pressed and moves back to its original position when the key is released.
This also explains why the typing feel is spongy here. In comparison, more “force” has to be applied to press the keys down.
Membrane keyboards are the cheapest of the keyboard types, but they usually break more quickly due to their structure.