Food, insects, dust, hair, etc. Your computer equipment could actually turn square if you don’t perform routine maintenance. 

In this article, we’ll look at how to fully clean your gaming keyboard so that it works like new again. For membrane keyboards, this guide still applies. 

Although there are several ways to complete this task, I’ll show you one today that is less expensive.

Cleaning your mechanical keyboard with a vacuum

Should a mechanical keyboard be thoroughly cleaned? You can remove minute dust particles with the use of the keyboard vacuum. 

Avoid applying too much pressure because doing so could harm the keys. To clean the keyboard plate, use a microfiber cloth that is just slightly damp.

How long does it take to clean?

Although the cleaning time will undoubtedly vary widely depending on your abilities, allow between an hour and an hour and a half to complete the task. 

The hardest part, as you will see later, is cleaning each key individually. If you are pressed for time, you can skip this step, but it would be a shame!

Items to possess

It is advised to have the following tools in order to clean your mechanical gaming keyboard properly:

• A “key puller” to remove your keyboard’s keys with ease (not mandatory)
• Cotton swabs, makeup remover, or any other item that is somewhat equal, water, and a bowl (for mixing)
• Tissues, toilet paper, or paper towels; and • A vacuum cleaner

Take them out

You must first take all of your keys out of your pocket. It won’t be simple to remove the first ones without a key puller, I won’t lie to you about that. 

If you don’t want to worry, you know what to do because the tiny one typically costs less than 5 euros.

Utilize the key puller to remove your keys. Ironically, it is quicker to remove the next few keys with your fingers once the first few have been removed.

You can see the catastrophe now that all of your keys have been gone. You might hesitate before eating in front of your computer if, like me, you only clean it every few months or never.

Clean them

You will first submerge them in water before cleaning them. Both a bucket and a sink will work. After that, you can dry them by spreading out paper towels.

It’s time to get your concoction ready! 

In my situation, I use makeup remover, but you could use something similar, like a cleansing product. In a bowl, combine 1/4 makeup remover and 3/4 water. then combine.

We now reach the most tedious and time-consuming aspect of the process: cleaning each key individually using cotton swabs and paper towels in order to do the task properly. 

Although the letters might vanish, you could also let them soak in your solution. After completing this process, rinse your keys and dry them again with paper towels.

Getting the keyboard clean

The largest one will be taken out first. Over a sink, garbage bin, or toilet, shake your keyboard. 

You could even do it on a white sheet while marveling at how much data your keyboard can hold! The procedure’s goal is to get rid of the biggest undesirable fragments.

Among your keys

Then, using cotton swabs, clean up any debris that hasn’t dropped, such as hair and dust.

While doing this, use your other hand to vacuum slightly above to pick up any debris that the cotton swabs loosen but fail to capture.

When this is finished, there should typically just be a small amount of dust residue behind. Pick up the tiniest leftover residue with a cotton swab that has been moistened once more.

Besides your keys

Simply use a paper towel dipped in the previously prepared substance to clean the components that are not between your keys (the visible section of your mechanical keyboard when it is not disassembled). 

Once finished, use a dry paper towel to clean everything down. Re-vacuum to get rid of any remaining particles.

Several recommendations and warnings

Before reconnecting your device if you used a lot of liquid, ensure sure everything is dry.

You won’t get anything by blowing or typing frantically on your vacuum cleaner to remove crumbs, and you won’t get anything by ruining your keyboard.

If you have the money, you can purchase specialized goods online to replace the makeup remover and water solution.

A few pointers for keeping a keyboard tidy

We provide some straightforward advice for maintaining a clean keyboard.

Periodically sanitize the keys

Your mechanical keyboard may need to be cleaned with wipes made specifically for this reason if several of you use it. After using the wipe, use a microfiber towel to clean the keys.

To collect the crumbs, use a post-it note

You can’t get the breadcrumbs out of the keyboard, have they gotten in there somehow? To gather any leftovers that can obstruct the mechanism, place a post-it note between each key.

Don’t eat while using the computer

If you absolutely have to eat lunch in the office, stop and savor your sandwich. It’s simple for detritus, like bread crumbs, to slide under the keys. 

Additionally, the fragile circuitry on the keyboard could sustain long-term harm if you unintentionally spill sauce or liquid food on it.

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, cleaning your mechanical gaming keyboard isn’t very difficult, but it does demand caution and patience. 

You should perform this task to maintain the health of your equipment roughly every six months. Clean your mouse too while you’re at it!