Cleaner keyboard: 7 Best Keyboard Cleaners

Cleaners

7 Best Keyboard Cleaners

By

Brady Klinger-Meyers

Enjoy typing or gaming on a clean keyboard with these easy-to-use keyboard cleaners.

Whether you only use your PC for gaming or as a dedicated workspace, your keyboard will inevitably experience much of the traffic. That also means it can be a hot zone for bacteria, not to mention pretty gross over time.

That’s to be expected considering oils are left behind by your fingers, attracting all manner of dust and dirt. After a month of use, grime is caked onto the surface and underneath the keys.

Here are the best keyboard cleaners.

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Compressed air is great at blasting away dust and dirt caked on electronics and keyboards, especially the bits that get trapped in tiny corners and crevices. Unfortunately, canned air isn’t infinite, and, worse still, you run the risk of spraying liquid refrigerant. That’s not good and, quite frankly, a waste of money. Save yourself the hassle and invest in the powerful DataVac Electric Dust Blower.

The DataVac Electric Dust Blower doesn’t blow air from a reservoir, but rather takes in the air around you with its 500W motor, then blasts a very strong jet of air out the other end with 70 CFM of airflow. You get the performance of those finite cans of air without the harm of spraying liquids all over your hardware and keyboard.

Best of all, the DataVac Electric Dust Blower comes packed with a series of attachments. The pinpoint attachment, for example, is perfect for reaching smaller spaces or the air flare nozzle to widen the jet of air. It turns this keyboard cleaner from a simple air duster to an essential device for cleaning not just your keyboard but all of your electronics.

Key Features

  • Bundles with several attatchments
  • 500W motor
  • 12ft cable

Specifications

  • Brand: Metro
  • Weight: 2.7lbs
  • Dimensions: 6.75 x 4 x 7.5 inches
  • Power Supply: Corded Electric
  • Power: 70 CFM airflow
  • Package Includes: Duster, Air Pin-pointer, Air Concentration Nozzle, Air-flare Nozzle, Micro-cleaning tool kit

Pros

  • GIves you a reason to drop canned air
  • Can be used on other electronics
  • Powerful stream of air

Cons

  • Needs a more effective brush

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Maintaining a healthy keyboard involves more than just a quick dusting; a happy keyboard is one that has every corner and crevice detailed. Dirt and dust always manage to slip underneath the keys and onto the board underneath. To get into all the necessary spaces, the Hagibis Cleaning Soft Brush Kit is a great option.

At first glance, it looks like the Hagibis Cleaning Soft Brush Kit is just a simple nylon brush, but it’s hiding its superpower: Pop the top of the handle off and you’ll find a metal pen tip fitted with a high-density brush and a flocking sponge, both of which excel at scrubbing away dirt and dust in the little crevices of your keyboard. For sweeping away large swathes of debris, the soft nylon brush does the trick without damaging your keycaps or the internet circuitry.

Best of all, the Hagibis Cleaning Soft Brush Kit makes cleaning your keyboard a cinch without forcing you to invest in massive, unwieldy tools. It’s so compact that you can easily store it or bring it with you on your travels.

Key Features

  • 5-in-1 cleaning kit
  • Includes a key puller
  • Nylon brush

Specifications

  • Brand: Hagibis
  • Color: Black, Gray, Pink, Red
  • Weight: 2. 46oz
  • Dimensions: 5.91 x 3.15 x 1.1 inches
  • Package Includes: Nylon Bristles, Flocking Sponge, High-density Brush, Metal Pen Tip and Keycap Puller

Pros

  • Soft, fine bristles won’t damage your keyboard or internal circuitry
  • Portable and easy to store
  • Has all the right tools to clean every crevice

Cons

  • Tools are easy to lose if you aren’t careful

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Having tools and whatnot on hand to clean your keyboard is great and all, but what about preventative measures? With the Uppercase GhostCover, you not only have a protective cover for your keyboard but one that also excels at cleaning up the day’s dirt and Cheeto dust from your laptop keyboard.

The Uppercase GhostCover isn’t your average microfiber cloth that breaks down over time. Thanks to trimmed edges and a premium, high-density blend used in its making, the microfiber is quite resistant to fraying and tearing. You’ll definitely have the Uppercase GhostCover for years to come.

More importantly, the Uppercase GhostCover’s microfiber blend is also what makes it much more effective at cleaning keyboards as well as screens. It wipes away fingerprints, grime, oil, dirt, and dust with ease, and when everything is said and done, you can lay it across the keyboard as a protective layer.

Key Features

  • Microfiber material
  • Fits 13-inch to 16-inch laptops
  • Oil-resistant properties

Specifications

  • Brand: UPPERCASE
  • Connectivity: None
  • Color: Clear
  • Material: TPU
  • Weight: 0. 317oz

Pros

  • Very effective at cleaning and preventing dust build up
  • Trimmed edges add great durability
  • Easy to clean after multiple uses

Cons

  • It is not machine washable

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Are you concerned with every flake of dust and dirt that lands on your keyboard? With the Fesciory Dust Cleaning Gel Kit, you not only have a great way to maintain your keyboard but have all the necessary tools for getting underneath, too.

For starters, the Fesciory Dust Cleaning Gel Kit comes packaged with four packs of cleaning gel that gobbles up dirt and dust on your keyboard rather than scattering it to the winds to only land on the keyboard again. Best of all, the gel doesn’t leave behind residue or a bad smell; in fact, it has a slight fragrance to it.

Before you get ahead of yourself though, you’ll want to use the cleaning kit that comes with it first, which is greatly appreciated and goes a long way to extending the life of a single gel pack as they’re only good for a few uses. With what’s given, you can brush away dust, pull keycaps off, get into corners, and even a cloth to wipe the keyboard down before ending with the cleaning gel.

Key Features

  • Long expiration date (2 years unopened)
  • Cleaning kit bundled with gel
  • Includes 4 packs of cleaning gel

Specifications

  • Brand: Fesciory
  • Material: Biodegradable gel
  • Weight: 5. 6oz
  • Package Includes: 4 Packs of Cleaning Gel

Pros

  • Traps dirt and dust instead of sweeping it away
  • Doesn’t leave behind residue
  • Malleable shape

Cons

  • Only has a limited number of uses

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If there’s one thing a fine nylon brush can’t do is scrub away the dried-on crust your keyboard will inevitably collect. To help lift away dirt and grime that’s caked on your keys and everywhere in between, get yourself a bottle of MiracleSpray Cleaner.

Thanks to the MiracleSpray Cleaner’s anti-static design, you can safely use it on your precious electronics and keyboard without causing damage. It’s even useable across multiple surfaces, including screens, and, best of all, it won’t leave behind streaks or residue.

What’s just as important is the microfiber towel that’s included with MiracleSpray Cleaner because what’s cleaner without a good cleaning cloth? Its edges are nicely stitched for durability, and when combined with the cleaner, does an excellent job soaking up oils as well as collecting dirt and dust along the way.

Key Features

  • Includes a microfiber towel
  • Anti-static properties
  • Multi-surface cleaner

Specifications

  • Brand: Miracle Brands
  • Capacity: 16oz
  • Package Includes: 16 ounce cleaner, Microfiber towel

Pros

  • Doesn’t leave behind streaks
  • Durable microfiber towel
  • Won’t leave behind residue

Cons

  • Does a poor job reaching corners and small gaps

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Having a fine brush on hand as your preferred keyboard cleaner is fine, but have you wondered where all that dust ends up? Into the air and eventually recollecting on your keyboard or something surface in the room. To prevent that and make the air that much cleaner to breathe, it’s time to consider the Meco Keyboard Cleaner.

The Meco Keyboard Cleaner is a handy, rechargeable handheld vacuum featuring an attachable duster. Not only will it wipe away debris, but it also funnels the dirt, dust, and liquids, straight into the vacuum where it’s sucked up with 2200KPA of suction power.

Best of all, the Meco Keyboard Cleaner won’t cost you a cent, outside of your initial purchase. This is because the HEPA filter inside is quite easy to clean with just a quick rinse under the sink and left aside to dry.

Key Features

  • Washable HEPA filter
  • Fully charged indicator light
  • Includes attachments

Specifications

  • Weight: 15.5oz
  • Collection Capacity: 500 Milliliters
  • Wattage: 5W
  • Filters: Cartridge, HAPA
  • Brand: Meco
  • Suction Power: 2200KPA
  • Battery Type: Rechargeable
  • Runtime: Up to 4 hours

Pros

  • Really good suction for its size
  • Can brush away dust while you vacuum
  • Solid battery life

Cons

  • Small capacity

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If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that your keyboard is a magnet for dust and crumbs. Of course, it doesn’t help that you keep eating at your desk, but if you keep an OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe nearby, what’s the harm?

The OXO Good Grips Sweep & Swipe is a compact retractable brush with soft, fine bristles to sweep away debris without scratching the keyboard. For the smaller crevices though, you can pull out the thin-tipped brush that bundles with the OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe which also features a silicone wiper.

What of smudges and oils? That’s what debris ultimately clings to. Well, on the other end of the OXO Good Grips Sweep and Swipe, you’ll find a microfiber pad. It does an excellent job wiping up leftover grime.

Key Features

  • 2-in-1 design
  • Soft retractable brush
  • Includes thin brush with silicone wiper

Specifications

  • Brand: OXO
  • Weight: 1. 41oz
  • Dimensions: 1 x 3 x 3 inches
  • Package Includes: Cleaning Brush, 2-in-1 Brush and Microfiber Pad Tool

Pros

  • Silicone tip can reach tight corners and crevices
  • Microfiber pad cleans smudges and oils
  • Small; easy to store or travel with

Cons

  • Can’t remove the microfiber pad

Buy This Product

Q: Should I Spray Cleaner Directly On My Keyboard?

No, that’s not a good idea at all.

Even with the keycaps still attached, liquid will find its way in between the keys and reach the electronics underneath. Instead, spray cleaner (designed for electronics) onto a microfiber cloth and use that on the appropriate sections of the keyboard. It should by no means be soaked with cleaner, only enough to make it slightly damp.

Q: What Accessories Do I Need For Cleaning Keyboards?

It’s a combination of the type of keyboard you have and the mess you’re dealing with.

Low-profile keyboards, like Apple’s Magic Keyboard, are far easier to clean with a good microfiber cloth and a bit of cleaner and you’re good to go. However, for something like a mechanical keyboard, an electric blower and cleaning gel go a long way in lifting dirt and grime from the surface and cracks. In both cases, having a semi-soft brush to scrub away caked-on dirt is always a plus.

Q: Do I Have To Clean My Keyboard?

Yes, and you should make a habit of cleaning the surface of your keyboard at least every day, even if you’re just wiping it down for the night.

Aside from health, it also disrupts the keyboard itself. There’s enough space between the keycaps for dirt and cookie crumbs to slip through and hide under the keys. You’re then left with a sticky mess for your keys to stick to and ruin your gaming or typing experience.

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Related Topics

  • Buyer’s Guides
  • Gadgets

About The Author

Brady has been crafting buyer’s guide for MakeUseOf since 2021, though his professional writing experience stretches as far back as 2018. He focuses primarily on gaming, using his background as a video game journalist to help readers find the right gadgets, accessories, and hardware to get the most out of their setup.

How to Clean Your Computer Keyboard

These days, our desks are multi-purpose battle stations. We eat lunch or snacks as we respond to Slack messages or play PC games after hours. We also let our desktop setups gather dust once we retreat to the couch (or, let’s be honest, bed) with our laptops.

Dirt and food crumbs can make for a messy keyboard, which is unhygienic but can also disrupt your peripheral’s functionality. Don’t let Dorito dust wreak havoc on your typing tools. As spring—and two-year WFH anniversaries—approach, it’s time to wash more than your hands.

If it’s not a standalone keyboard, we can help you clean your entire laptop. Otherwise, it’s time to gather your cleaning supplies and learn how best to spruce up a keyboard.

Turn It Upside Down

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

The easiest, and most obvious step, is to turn the keyboard upside down, thump the underside, and shake out all the yuck you can. Unplug the keyboard from your computer or turn off its wireless function, then pick it up and flip it so the keys are facing a surface you don’t mind getting dirty for a moment.

Tap the bottom (not too hard), holding it at a variety of different angles. You should be able to get the bulk of the loose stuff out this way. Expect a cascade of crumbs, poppy seeds, and the like, depending on your favorite snacks.

If you’re using a keyboard with removable keycaps (mechanical keyboards, especially, tend to feature these), take those off and shake out the keyboard without them in the way. Tap the underside of the keyboard to ensure that it’s free of anything clinging onto the surface.

The final step here would be to sweep the dirt and debris bit off the desk or table with a brush and dustpan…and try not to get too queasy while you reflect on snacks long past. If things still look grungy, keep reading. There are a few other things you can do.

Brush Out the Muck

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

Dirty keyboards are such a plague that specially designed keyboard brushes(Opens in a new window) exist in all shapes and sizes to help you sweep out the crumbs, hair, and other forms of crud you’ll find amid your tainted QWERTY layout. Available in cleaning kits or on their own, nylon cleaning brushes can resemble a small handheld duster, an ink pen, or even the brush on a car-window ice scraper.

If you don’t feel like spending money on a dedicated brush, you can use household replacements, such as a standard toothbrush or a discarded baby-bottle brush, to clean up your keyboard—no fancy, specialized tools necessary. Simply run the brush through the space between your keys and—voila—your keyboard is as clean as the day you bought it.

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

That assumes the gunk isn’t stuck to the sides of the keys themselves, as is often the case. If so, you may need a stiffer brush. (Toothbrushes are pretty good for dislodging that caked-on stuff.)

Blow Out Your Keyboard

Photo: Zlata Ivleva

For PC users, canned air(Opens in a new window) is an essential purchase, whether you want to clean out your keyboard or your gunked-up case fans. For keyboards in particular, it can blow much of the dust out of your way without much effort. All you have to do is insert the straw-like plastic hose inside the nostril of the can, and you’re ready to blast away.

You just can’t start blowing compressed air across your keyboard willy-nilly, though. Take some precautions first. Canned air won’t eliminate all of the dirt under the keys, but it will blow away everything that’s visible, and the debris will scatter across your desk and floor in a nasty cloud. It’s best to do this outdoors, or perhaps over the bathtub.

Removing the keycaps will make this more effective, so do that first if it’s possible. Just don’t push the straw right up onto the surface you’re blowing on because canned air tends to create condensation when you do that, leaving pools of moisture or frost behind. Experiment, but keep a little distance to prevent harming your keyboard.

Another tap-and-shakeout session is worth doing after your air blasting. You’ve probably dislodged debris and pushed it into other places within the keyboard body at this point. These pieces may shake out more easily now than before.

Take Out the Cleaning Gel

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

Want to be Steve McQueen in The Blob? One icky-but-effective way to clean your computer keyboard is to invest in some of the gooey, often bright-colored stuff known as cleaning gel or cleaning gum. (Cyberclean(Opens in a new window) is one widely found brand.)

This gelatinous adhesive picks up dust and dirt by squeezing between the smallest cracks of your keyboard (including between the keys) and suctioning up any crumbly bits or dirt it touches. You can reuse the blob until it turns a dark gray, or until you can’t bear to look at or touch it anymore, which will probably be sooner than that.

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Note a handful of caveats around using a product like this to clean your keyboard. For one, some kinds can leave oily residue behind, a counter-intuitive outcome. You might need to use a pipe cleaner or a cotton swab to soak that up. Also, the gel itself gets dirty, so you have to keep replacing it, and even if it’s still technically usable, the half-used wads of it are very gross.

Give Your Keycaps a Bath

(Photo: Zlata Ivleva)

If you have a mechanical keyboard with removable keytops, you’re in luck because these keys are easy to clean. Before you take off any of the keycaps, be sure to take a picture of the keyboard so you know where to replace them all when you’re done.

You can clean your keycaps by soaking them in a container of soapy water. It’s as easy as filling up a container with water, squirting in some hand or dish soap, and scrubbing your keycaps with a small brush or rag once they’ve had a good soak. After that, sit them out to air-dry completely, so you don’t short out your keyboard’s electronics with dripping-wet caps.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can disassemble some keyboards to their bare frame so you can get out every last crumb. You might need nothing more than a small screwdriver. If you take the keyboard apart, take some pictures as you go so you know how to put it back together.

Wipe down the non-conductive parts with a damp cloth. Make sure, however, that in doing so you don’t get any soap or water on the key switches or any circuits.

Clean All Your Electronics

(Photo: Getty Images)

Now that the keyboard is out of the way, it’s time to move on to your other electronics that may have become dirty after regular use. We can help you correctly clean everything, including your phone, tablet, headphones, laptop, desktop, TV, smart speaker, game controller, smartwatch, and fitness tracker.

Gabe Carey contributed to this story.

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Clean keyboard is a guarantee of comfort / Habr

LeeMiller

Time to read
2 min

Number of views 4.5K

Computer hardware

In this article I will tell/advise some not quite accessible, but effective methods for maintaining the original look and cleanliness of the keyboard ( Especially this question is for those who use keyboards that are not cheap.) . And some people who follow hygiene during the flu season will also be able to protect themselves in an office environment.

Cleaning wipes, with a special antibacterial formula and an antistatic agent, which allow you to eliminate accumulated dirt, as well as reduce its further appearance due to antistatic, which will not attract dust, hair and falling (dead skin pieces that make up most of the dust in our apartments and workplaces)

Cost from 1. 89 to 299 dollars , which leaves an average of 1 5 cents for 1 cleaning.
the company also makes protective products for Apple monitors.


Over time, in any super-keyboard, the grooves between the keys become dirty, which crunch treacherously and deprive the keyboard of soundlessness, not to mention an unpleasant sensation. In this case, Cyber ​​Clean will help us: ( it was already mentioned on Habr )

While aerosols and brushes only smear dust around the keys in the keyboard, this devilish “lizun”, ( strangely but could not find the Russian word for this object in the original – “blob”. ) easily penetrates into any hard-to-reach place, taking the form of a surface, collects dead skin, hair, food crumbs, dust and absorbs it.

Features:

  • Thanks to its formlessness under pressure, it cleans the surface even beyond direct reach;
  • Micro-bacteriological studies have proven that Cyber ​​Clean kills up to 80% of harmful bacteria;
  • Environmentally friendly – biodegradable;
  • Has a color indication that shows when Cyber ​​Clean loses its functionality.

— Starting at £7.95 (~$13) Can be ordered from the Firebox online store. In Russian online stores, it is sold for $24.00, which is on average up to 20% of the cost of a new keyboard, but if it is used only for a keyboard, then the original appearance can be preserved for an average of a year.

EazyCare Keyboard Cleaners by AM or OneClean.
EazyCare is a product for antibacterial cleaning and disinfection of keyboards. It is a bottle with a spray, on one side of which there is a smart applicator that fits perfectly between the keyboard keys.
– bottle capacity: 35 ml;
– water-based liquid;
There is also a Duo series, which consists of two bottles, one for the monitor, the second for the keyboard.

— Cost from $15-60.

UPD:

Do not use soap solution or chemicals, you can damage the product and void the warranty, such incidents have already happened.
Sincerely, Logitech Customer Care.

Tags:

  • keyboard
  • hygiene
  • cleanliness

Hubs:

  • Computer hardware

    • 9004 9

    Total votes 47: ↑35 and ↓12 +23

    Comments
    65

    Ilya Miller
    @LeeMiller

    User

    How to clean the keyboard from dirt yourself / Offtopic / iXBT Live

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    Cookie Policy

    Regular cleaning is essential
    maintenance of equipment, which can significantly extend its service life.
    The keyboard is no exception here, so for its correct and durable
    work also needs care. In addition, “general cleaning” of the keyboard
    allows you to get rid of the unpleasant appearance. For me, for example, external
    the type of technology directly affects the enjoyment of operation. Yes and annoying
    no one canceled sticky keys.

    In this article I will try to share
    the basic rules for self-cleaning the keyboard and the necessary
    tools.

    Contents
    • Types and methods of cleaning
    • What to use
    • We carry out a complete cleaning
      keyboard
    • Let’s summarize

    Conventionally, cleaning the keyboard can be divided into
    2 main types: cosmetic and full. Cosmetic cleaning includes
    themselves surface cleaning and blowing the keys without disturbing, so to speak,
    the integrity of our device. Such cleaning will not take even a couple of minutes, however
    suitable only to maintain the achieved result, therefore, if there is
    the problem of sticky keys or after several years of use formed inside
    “food warehouse”, I strongly recommend that you first spend
    complete cleaning.

    Fortunately, for this procedure,
    we do not need any equipment or miracle liquids – enough water and
    alcohol. Of the additional accessories you will need an ordinary clean
    a rag, cotton buds, a brush and a special tool for pulling out
    keys.

    As for slimes and slimes, they are not
    I recommend. Special slimes really clean hard-to-reach places, but
    still cost money and quickly turn into an unpleasant clot of dirt. And if
    “lucky” to buy a low-quality slime, then a quick dust cleaning will turn into
    in a long cleaning from small pieces of this “miracle remedy”.

    The first thing to do before the whole process
    – take a picture of the location of the keys. Yes, the layout is the same everywhere, but
    each firm may have features that complicate the whole process, so
    make sure in advance. Next, disconnect the keyboard from the network.

    Detach the keys. Here it is desirable to have
    appropriate tool, because pulling everything out with a knife or fingers is not very
    convenient and unsafe for the integrity of the keyboard itself. Also suitable are tongs or
    tweezers.

    We place all detached keys in a warm
    soapy water for 10-15 minutes, and at this time we are cleaning, so
    called bottom. Cotton swabs or slightly damp water are perfect for this.
    rag corner. After the time has passed, we take a toothbrush or a regular dense brush, and
    then carefully clean each key by laying them out on a dry cloth.
    Leave them in this state for 1-2 hours until they are completely dry. For
    You can use a hair dryer to speed up the process.

    Opening our photo and putting it all together
    initial position. If you work with a mechanical keyboard, then on this
    stage, it is better to lubricate all switches with a special fluorine-containing grease. She is for sale
    in construction and computer stores, but can also be ordered through
    marketplaces.

    Cleaning the keyboard from dust – the process is not
    complex, but extremely important, as it extends the life of the device, making it
    work more stable. The frequency of such cleaning depends on the device itself.
    and frequency of use. Personally, it’s enough for me to do a full cleaning once
    every six months and every month, blow the keyboard with compressed air, wiping the outer
    Part.

    That’s it. For those who are looking for gifts for the New Year, we offer reviews of useful devices for home and family:

    – Review of Tefal Vintage Bakery kitchen scale with a beautiful design and “tare” function

    – Inexpensive kitchen helper. Overview of the Scarlett SC-HB42F84 immersion blender.

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