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Its so much easier to chuck your dirty stuck keyboard into the dustbin and buy the cheapest one for as little as Rs.200. Or if you have a keyboard for which you have spent a fair amount or simply because you care a bit for the environmental – spend a few spare minutes to clean up and have some good fun too!

What you need are:

1. A screwdriver (depends on your keyboard – usually the star-type)
2. A tweezer (needed for some types of keyboards – if you need to pry open the keys)
3. Detergent and water
4. Dry cloth
5. A used toothbrush
6. Plenty of sun OR a blower (if you are in a hurry) – your vacuum cleaner will do
7. Optional: White electronic grease (or) some Vaseline and an ear-bud for application

Here is how you start…

Opening it up:

1. 101+ keys can be a lot to remember – make sure you will be able to put the right keys back – use any means necessary – a digital photo, another keyboard or the paper-packing of your keyboard – you will thank me for this in the end.
2. Disconnect your keyboard and remove any batteries (for the wireless models)
3. Unscrew all visible screws from the bottom (some may be hidden under the warranty stickers)
4. Try open the keyboard (if needed) gently – most keyboard should open quite easily
5. Make a mental (or paper) note of the position of various parts. Especially, if you are the non-analytical variety

What not to water wash:

6.   Gently get to the section where the key are. You may choose to select the upper body for a wash as well – ensure that there are no electronic components, including wires) entering the wash.

7.   You can clean the dust off the electronic parts and the rubber contacts using the blower and the dry cloth. Do not water wash the PCB,  rubber contacts or the electronic circuitry – it can cause irreparable damage.

Washing the keys:

8.  Start separating the keys from the keyboard upper body. In some cases a tweezer may be needed to gently press/pry open the bottom end of the keys that is used to prevent the keys from falling off when you turn the keyboard upside-down

9.  Now that you have all the keys and the part of the keyboard that holds the keys ready, its time to wash them. Use the detergent and the brush to do the needful.

Ensure that you clean the undersides of the keys and the keyholes on the board – that’s what causes tardiness. Some of the larger keys will have a metal (rectangle-like) support (see image) – this can be cleaned as well. 

10.   Rinse thoroughly and dry in the sun – you can use a newspaper to spread on.

Drying:

11.  Ensure that the keys and the board are dried well in the sunlight. I would strongly recommend using the blower in hi-speed mode to dry and clear any water in hidden corners.

12.  Make sure the parts are absolutely dry before reassembling.

 Fixing it all back:

13.  Optionally grease the metal support behind the larger keys using white grease or Vaseline. The ear-bud is a good choice for an applicator. You can also apply the same onto the grooves for these pins on the keyboard.

14. Now, put back the keys one-by-one. Take care with the larger keys to ensure they have the required support duly fit (see picture).

15.    Reassemble your keyboard carefully. Before you tighten the screws, its a good idea to check that the keys are correct and work smoothly.

16.  Tighten all screws.

Congratulations! Your cleaner smoother keyboard is now back in action!

PS: This article was typed using the keyboard that is shown in these images and was washed yesterday

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