Brushes, cleaning gels, electrical blowers, and small vacuums are the major types of cleaners you’ll need depending on the type of mess you have under your keys. If you opt to clean your keyboard, we’ll address some of your questions:
Why You Should Clean Your Keyboard?
Most keyboards have more than 104 unique keys, making cleaning laborious and time-consuming. Most owners do not clean and disinfect their keyboards for this reason. But it’s incorrect, and here’s why.
Computer keyboards are one of the most frequently handled surfaces in homes and offices around the world, making them one of the germiest.

According to a 2018 study titled “Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phone and Computer Keyboard Surfaces,” 96 percent of the 25 keyboards tested were contaminated with bacteria. These bacteria can be found in moisture-trapping dust, crumbs from food, unwashed hands, and accumulated muck.
According to the findings, utilising commercially available antibacterial wet wipes can minimise the presence of microbes on everyday gadgets such as cell phones and computer keyboards. And that we should take efforts to prevent bacteria transmission, such as hand washing and maintaining proper hygiene.
You May Also Like: Best Brushes, Cleaners and Cleaning Gels to Clean Keyboard, & Laptop,
Okay! While you’re reading this, your keyboard isn’t getting any cleaner. It’s most likely growing dirtier. So, let’s get started discussing which cleaner is ideal for you.
What Are The Tools You Can Use To Clean Your Keyboard?
You can clean your keyboard with a variety of tools and equipment. The sort of keyboard you have, how dirty it is, and how much money you have to spend all influence your decision. We’ll go over all of the tools you may use to clean your keyboard, and we’ll go over how to utilise them in detail later in this post.
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cleaning Keyboard Brush Kit
- dust electrical blowers
- Cleaning Compounds
- Paper or cloth towels
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Surface wipes/disinfecting wipes
- Compressed air duster can
- Rubbing alcohol
- Microfiber cloth
- Toothbrush
- Cotton swabs
How Can I Clean My Keyboard Using A Keyboard Cleaner?
You might fall under one of these categories:
- Your keyboard isn’t very dirty, and you want to clean your keys before they become a hot sticky mess, then you can use cleaning gels or brushes. Brushes are good for daily maintenance, and Goo is great because it traps all the debris inside itself, so you don’t need to flick things out of your keyboard only to have to flick them off your desk.
- Deep-Set Stuff must be loosened, and your keyboard requires assistance. Blowers and hand-held vacuums can be used. Electric blowers are powerful enough to remove all the dust that wipes and gels can’t reach. However, I love vacuum cleaners since they sucking up dust rather than poofing it back into the air.
- You’re a perfectionist with a penchant for getting into nooks and crevices. For more accurate work, you can utilise a set of brushes that can be customised: round or soft, with silicone or rubber for more precise work.
The dust has dissipated, but germs and bacteria remain trapped between the keys. Use isopropyl alcohol and disinfection wipes like Lysol or Clorox wipes to reduce them.

After that, use a microfiber cloth to wipe away any excess liquids from the keyboard and allow it to dry completely before plugging it back in.
Can I Use Alcohol Wipes To Clean My Laptop Keyboard?
Yes, you may clean your laptop keyboard using alcohol wipes. Just make sure the alcohol you’re going to use won’t destroy the writing off your keyboard. Isopropyl alcohol, for example, is safe to use, whereas ethyl alcohol can damage your keys.
To be safe, test the alcohol on one of the keys to verify if the letters are still intact.
To remove any remaining grime, use a disinfectant wipe all over your keyboard, then dip a cotton swab in the alcohol and carefully clean all of your keys and keyboard surface.
Note: Make sure the wipes and cotton swabs aren’t dripping wet, as this will damage your keyboard.
Can I Wash My Keyboard With Water?
Yes, you can use water to clean your keyboard. Some people even use a dishwasher to clean it.
However, I’m not aware of any keyboard manufacturer who supports this procedure for cleaning their product.
Submerging it in water is not something I would trust. Some individuals just remove the keycaps with a Keycap Puller, wash them, then replace them when they are dry.
Here are some of the instructions to follow, in order to have the best outcome when cleaning your keyboard in the dishwasher:
- To begin, only do this if you have a regular plastic keyboard. This should not be done with a laptop, a laptop keyboard, or any other electronic device.
- It may take up to 7 days for the keyboard to completely dry. As a result, make sure you have a spare keyboard on hand.
- Remove the keys and only wash the keyboard for a thorough cleaning.
- Dish soap should not be used.
- Only put the keyboard in the dishwasher, and don’t use a heavy cycle because the keyboard can be damaged by excessive heat.
- If your keyboard is a wireless keyboard, remove the batteries.
What Should Be Used To Clean The Keyboard Keys?
If you have a compressed air can or an electric blower, use it to clear out any remaining debris.
Then clean the tops of the keys and between them with a cotton swab. It should be pouring wet, not dripping wet.
Replace the cotton swab with a new one when you see it has collected up enough dirt to cover your entire keyboard.
A toothpick can also be used to remove certain extremely obstinate trash.
Finally, polish your keyboard with a microfiber cloth or a lint-free cloth to eliminate any remaining dust.
Remove all of the keys with a keycap remover if possible, and clean them well. If feasible, use alcohol or wash them with water and leave them to dry.
How Often Should I Clean My Keyboard?
Everyday!
To prevent germ build-up and spread, wipe your keyboard on a daily basis.
Cleaning your keyboard on a daily or weekly basis helps to keep germs at bay while also making it more enjoyable to use!
After you’ve shut down your computer for the day and turned off the keyboard, wipe it down with a disinfecting wipe.
You might also want to invest in a keyboard cover to keep dirt out of the gaps between the keys. It may be a cost-effective solution depending on how quickly your keyboard gets dirty. Just make sure it’s the right size for your computer keyboard.
Dos and Don’ts While Cleaning The Keyboard
Even something as easy as wiping a keyboard needs some deliberation. Here are a few concepts that you might not consider, but once you do, they will seem obvious.
- Before cleaning a keyboard, make sure your computer is turned off.
- Unless the keyboard model is specifically labelled as dishwasher safe, do not wash it in the dishwasher.
- Don’t shake your laptop because you can break some of the components. Turn your laptop over gently and softly touch it to remove crumbs.
- Instead of using water, use a disinfectant — water may remove noticeable stains, but it is ineffective in removing bacteria or oil.
- Do not attempt to dry a wet keyboard in the dryer or in the oven.
- Before you begin cleaning, unplug the keyboard and remove the batteries.
- When removing the keys to clean a keyboard, be careful not to break it.
You should also add NEVER use a hair dryer on any electronic device to dry them. They can fry the electronic components inside. …speaking from experience.