How to clean a greasy keyboard? We can help you with this.
Due to regular use, you may see that your laptop keyboard or an external (wired or wireless) keyboard becomes greasy or sticky with time.
This may lead to annoyance when using the keyboard and concerns such as keys not clicking correctly or the keyboard releasing unsanitary vibes. As a result, learning how to clean a greasy keyboard is mandatory to keep the peripheral in optimum functioning and sanitary condition.
A laptop keyboard can be washed with a Q-tip and a dampened cloth soaked in dish detergent and water. Q-tips and a dampened fabric with rubbing alcohol should be used to de-grease an external keyboard. You should also remove the keycaps and wipe them with a moist or dry cloth before reinstalling them (for a mechanical keyboard with removable keycaps).
Let’s take a closer look at the process and any helpful hints.
Review contents
How to Clean a Greasy Keyboard?
Grease and oils on a keyboard are common problems that people often face. Here’s how to clean and restore its condition, whether you use a laptop keyboard or an external one.
Cleaning Your Greasy Laptop Keyboard
Here is the procedure to clean a greasy laptop keyboard:
Items You Need:
- A Bowl
- Dish Detergent
- Microfiber cloths
- Q-tips
- Rubbing Alcohol
Member's Mark 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (32 Fl. Oz, 2 pk.) by Members Mark
Q-tips Safety Swabs, Family Size, 625 ct (Pack of 2)
$13.99 in stock
MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth,Pack of 12,Size:12.6" x 12.6"
$12.98 in stock
Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap (4x19oz) + Non-Scratch Sponge (2 Count), Original Scent
Sterilite Plastic Bowl 6 Qt
Read Next – 10 Best Keyboards For Writers
The Cleaning Process:
- Before cleaning, please turn off the laptop and unplug it from all power sources. Disconnect the other cables and devices connected to it as well.
- Tilt the laptop upside down when holding it in your hands. Then, please give it a gentle shake. This would aid in removing any sizeable sticky food particles or other traces that may have been lodged in the keyboard’s nooks and crannies.
- Fill a bowl halfway with warm water and apply some dish detergent. Mix all in thoroughly.
- Soak a piece of microfiber cloth in the mixture for a few minutes.
- Then, by pressing and twisting, squeeze out the excess liquid. The outcome would be a damp cloth.
- Wipe off the laptop keyboard with the cloth, getting into the crevices. Since the detergent combination will strip the grease from the keyboard, it will look smooth.
- When you’ve finished wiping the keyboard, dry it with another cloth.
- Additionally, gently wipe the sticky soil between the keys with Q-tips.
- You can start using your laptop when the keyboard has dried completely.
- Finally, sanitize the keyboard with rubbing alcohol by wiping it down with a sterile microfiber cloth or cotton buds.
Cleaning Your Greasy External Keyboard
Here is the procedure to clean a greasy external keyboard. Note that we will use rubbing alcohol as a solvent to dissolve the grease deposited on the keyboard.
Items You Need:
- Q-tips
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Microfiber cloths
Member's Mark 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (32 Fl. Oz, 2 pk.) by Members Mark
Q-tips Safety Swabs, Family Size, 625 ct (Pack of 2)
$13.99 in stock
MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth,Pack of 12,Size:12.6" x 12.6"
$12.98 in stock
Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap (4x19oz) + Non-Scratch Sponge (2 Count), Original Scent
Sterilite Plastic Bowl 6 Qt
Keyboard Cleaning Kit Laptop Cleaner, 10-in-1 Computer Screen Cleaning Brush Tool, Multi-Function PC Electronic Cleaner Kit Spray for iPad iPhone Pro, Earbuds, Camera Monitor, All-in-One with Patent
Hagibis Cleaning Soft Brush Keyboard Cleaner 5-in-1 Multi-Function Computer Cleaning Tools Kit Corner Gap Duster Keycap Puller for Bluetooth Earphones Lego Laptop Airpods Pro Camera Lens (Red)
2 Pack Keyboard Cleaner, Dust Cleaning Gel with 5 Keyboard Cleaning Kit Detailing Cleaning Putty for Car Dash & Vent Universal Office Electronics Cleaning Kit Laptop, Calculators, Speakers & Printers
1 used from $12.50
Laptop Screen Keyboard Cleaner Kit, Electronics Cleaning Tool for MacBook iPad iPhone Pro, Brush Tool for Tablet, Computer, PC Monitor,TV Camera Lens, Computer Vacuum Cleaner
Keyboard Cleaner Sets Switch Keycaps Puller Flat File for Mechanical Keyboard Cleaning Kits Small Brushes for Clean Computer Keyboard Dust Off PC Cleaning Tools
Rong Xuan Super Clean Keyboard Slime Dust Cleaner,Reusable Magic Keyboard Dust Soft Mud,Universal Gel Dust Slime Cleaner for Phone,Car Vents,Laptops,Cameras,Printers,Calculators, Screens (Blue)
SIN SHINE Keyboard Cleaner 7-in-1 Electronics Cleaner Kit - Laptop Cleaner Keyboard Cleaner Set with Keyboard Brush - Electronic Cleaner Box for PC Monitor, TV, Phone, Computer (BBH01-White)
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The Cleaning Process:
- Cleaning a wired keyboard, make sure the external keyboard is unplugged first. It would help if you also took out the batteries from a wireless keyboard as a precaution.
- Slowly turn and shake the keyboard while keeping it in your hands to automatically remove oversized particles and other residues.
- Dip a Q-tip into the rubbing alcohol to dampen it. The Q-tip mustn’t be too wet.
- Clean the area around the keyboard keys with it. As you will see, the Q-tip can gather debris, and you can need more than one Q-tip to clean the area around all the keys properly.
- Dispose of the Q-tips correctly until you’ve finished.
- Wet a microfiber cloth with rubbing alcohol to ensure the fabric isn’t so wet. Alcohol can otherwise cause critical harm.
- Clean the keys and areas between them using the damped cloth.
- Take another dry microfiber cloth to remove the wetness on or around the keys. You will see that the keyboard appears cleaner than before and free of grease and oil residues.
- You should insert and plug the batteries (wireless for a wireless one) if you know there is no wetness left on the keyboard.
- Start using your clean keyboard again.
Cleaning a Mechanical Keyboard with Removable Keycaps
If you have a mechanical keyboard with removable keycaps, you can remove them through a keycap puller.
Take a photo of the keyboard first, and then remove the keycaps. Next, use a dry microfiber cloth to rub all the keycaps gently.
You may use a bit of solvent, like rubbing alcohol on the cloth, but be careful not to overuse it; otherwise, it can affect the keycaps and the printed letters.
Allow the keycaps to dry completely before inserting them on the keyboard. The photo you took earlier would help you for this purpose.
The Causes of Greasy Keyboards
Over time, keyboards may get sticky or greasy. There may be a variety of explanations for this, and we’ll go through them here.
Natural oils formed by your fingers include a coating of oil and grease on the keys when you use them. If you have oily skin and use a laptop or an external keyboard, this can be a problem. However, since this will damage the peripheral, you can clean it daily and keep it free of oils and grease.
Another explanation is that people often eat while using computers. The oils from the food are passed to the keyboard through your fingertips, accumulating grease and oils on and around the keys. As a result, experts recommend that you not eat or drink near your machine.
An oil leak on your desktop or external keyboard is also a probability. This may be more harmful, so you can immediately turn off your screen and clean the keyboard.
The oil might have been under the laptop’s keyboard and damaged the internal components. As a result, you should take your computer to a reputable computer repair shop to get it cleaned.
Also Read: How To Clean A Laser Mouse
Final Thoughts
We hope that the knowledge given here on cleaning a greasy keyboard will assist you in maintaining the peripheral in good working order.
Following the abovementioned procedures, the keyboard should be smooth, polished, and free of greasy or sticky stains.
Take notice that the techniques for desktop keyboards and external keyboards are distinct. As a result, observe the steps strictly.
Member's Mark 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (32 Fl. Oz, 2 pk.) by Members Mark
Features
- Antibacterial cleansing agent for minor cuts and abrasions
- For preparation of skin prior to an injection
- Helps prevent risk of infection
Q-tips Safety Swabs, Family Size, 625 ct (Pack of 2)
$13.99 in stock
Features
- Pack of 2, Each 625 Count, Total 1250 SWABS
- Perfect eye shadow applicator. Dust on shimmering powder to highlight cheekbones.
- Pretty and Polished: Fill in lips with your favorite gloss or lipstick with Q-tips cotton swabs.
- 100% Cotton is Soft, Safe and Pure
- More cotton at the tip than any other cotton swab
MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth,Pack of 12,Size:12.6" x 12.6"
$12.98 in stock
Features
- ULTRA SOFT MATERIAL & SCRATCH FREE - Ultra soft and highly absorbent microfiber cleaning cloths, great for cleaning windows, kitchenware, car or other delicate surfaces.
- ABSORBENT & LINT FREE - Made of 85% Polyester, 15% Nylon. These non-abrasive cleaning rags can soak up water from the countertop and tables instantly and without lint or streaks left behind. Clean with or without water, from worktops, appliances to kitchens, bathrooms, mirrors etc, they will make your house sparkling.
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- GENEROUS SIZE: Each kitchen towel measures 32 x 32 cm (12.6 x 12.6 inches), offering a good coverage area for efficient cleaning. Comes in a pack of 12 microfiber towels, providing ample supply for various cleaning needs around the home or office.
Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap (4x19oz) + Non-Scratch Sponge (2 Count), Original Scent
Features
- Contains 3x more grease-cleaning power (cleaning ingredients per drop vs. The leading competitor's non-concentrated brand)
- Concentrated formula helps you get through more dishes with less dishwashing liquid
- Original Scent. 50% Less Scrubbing
- Comes with 2-pack of Dawn sponges
- Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap Refill, Original. Usage instructions-Do not add bleach. Not for use in dishwashers
Sterilite Plastic Bowl 6 Qt
Features
- Plastic Bowl
- 6 qt.
- Plastic
- White
- Bulk
Keyboard Cleaning Kit Laptop Cleaner, 10-in-1 Computer Screen Cleaning Brush Tool, Multi-Function PC Electronic Cleaner Kit Spray for iPad iPhone Pro, Earbuds, Camera Monitor, All-in-One with Patent
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Hagibis Cleaning Soft Brush Keyboard Cleaner 5-in-1 Multi-Function Computer Cleaning Tools Kit Corner Gap Duster Keycap Puller for Bluetooth Earphones Lego Laptop Airpods Pro Camera Lens (Red)
Features
- Separated Dual Head Design: Hagibis 5-in-1 computer cleaning kit with Nylon Bristles, Flocking Sponge, High-density Brush, Metal Pen Tip and Keycap Puller, dual head hidden design to meet a variety of cleaning needs
- Soft Brush Does Not Hurt Keyboard: Special selection of nylon brush with moderate softness and hardness, three-row design with high pore strength, good elasticity, stiffness and compactness, more labor-saving friction
- Multifunctional Cleaning Kit: Flocking sponge can clean the dust in the wireless charging case of the earphone. High-density brush can clean the dirt on the sound outlet hole of the earphone. Metal pen tip can clean the stubborn dust
- Easy to pull keys: With a simple key puller, the change of key cap is no longer laborious and the removal of key cap is cleaner and more thorough
- Easy to deal with all kinds of cleaning needs: 4 kinds of cleaning head, multi-purpose, deep cleaning every corner of the keyboard earphones and LEGO, make dust nowhere to hide
2 Pack Keyboard Cleaner, Dust Cleaning Gel with 5 Keyboard Cleaning Kit Detailing Cleaning Putty for Car Dash & Vent Universal Office Electronics Cleaning Kit Laptop, Calculators, Speakers & Printers
1 used from $12.50
Features
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- 【5 Keyboard Cleaning Kits】:1*rubber blower: for dust removal; 1*key puller: quickly pull out the keys on the keyboard for deep cleaning; 1*wiping cloth: clean stains on the keyboard surface and computer screen; 1*hard brush : Remove stubborn stains; 1*Soft brush: Very suitable for removing dust on sensitive keyboard components.
Laptop Screen Keyboard Cleaner Kit, Electronics Cleaning Tool for MacBook iPad iPhone Pro, Brush Tool for Tablet, Computer, PC Monitor,TV Camera Lens, Computer Vacuum Cleaner
Features
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Keyboard Cleaner Sets Switch Keycaps Puller Flat File for Mechanical Keyboard Cleaning Kits Small Brushes for Clean Computer Keyboard Dust Off PC Cleaning Tools
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- 【Special Design】 Byhoo provides you with two pieces of soft cloth with different styles and sizes. Gray soft cloth can be used with file to alleviate the surface damage caused by friction. The bicolor cloth can be used as a pad when cleaning the keyboard. It can prevent dust debris from falling on your desk and make your keyboard cleaning easier
Rong Xuan Super Clean Keyboard Slime Dust Cleaner,Reusable Magic Keyboard Dust Soft Mud,Universal Gel Dust Slime Cleaner for Phone,Car Vents,Laptops,Cameras,Printers,Calculators, Screens (Blue)
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SIN SHINE Keyboard Cleaner 7-in-1 Electronics Cleaner Kit - Laptop Cleaner Keyboard Cleaner Set with Keyboard Brush - Electronic Cleaner Box for PC Monitor, TV, Phone, Computer (BBH01-White)
Features
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