Mechanical keyboards are among the most reliable computer accessories. They are not only more accurate and responsive than a membrane keyboard, but they are also highly enjoyable to use.
Even better, compared to membrane keyboards, a mechanical keyboard is significantly simpler to clean.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise caution while considering whether to wipe your keyboard.
The last thing you want to do while cleaning your keyboard is cause damage because, despite (or perhaps precisely because of) all the advantages of mechanical keyboards, they are frequently much more expensive than membrane keyboards.
We’ll demonstrate how to thoroughly clean different types of mechanical keyboards and teach you how to maintain your mechanical keyboard so you don’t have to clean it as frequently.
Maintenance in advance
The adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” holds true for both cleaning your electronics and other situations.
Your mechanical keyboards will endure for years if you establish a weekly cleaning schedule for them (and avoid having to do more in-depth maintenance on a regular basis).
Additionally, the routine maintenance procedure just takes a few minutes to complete. Here is the cleaning method you ought to employ every week or every two weeks.
Switch off your keyboard. Even though you won’t perform a thorough cleaning during your weekly or biweekly maintenance, you should always check to see that it is unplugged from any power sources before you begin any work. It must also be left disconnected until it is entirely dry.
This is more of a preventative measure to guard against keyboard damage than it is for your personal safety.
Start by clearing off any dry particles, such as crumbs, that may have lodged themselves beneath or in between the keyboard’s keys. In fact, we don’t advise performing this task with compressed air.
Compressed air generally won’t be a major concern if you have a cheap mechanical keyboard or simply intend to carry out this repair occasionally, but it can also blow debris into the switches themselves. either induce long-term corrosion or themselves. For more thorough cleaning, it is best to use an anti-static vacuum cleaner with smaller bristles.
Grab a microfiber cloth and thoroughly dampen it with warm water. The greatest option is microfiber because it is exceptionally soft and won’t run the risk of damaging the keys’ surface.
While using a rougher cloth doesn’t harm the keys right away, over time it could start to wear down the surface of the keys. On the other hand, paper towels risk leaving behind debris or scratching the surface.
Use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe the surface of the keys and the gaps between them. Before connecting it back in, let the keyboard entirely dry out.
Spill Management
You might not have enough time if you dropped a drink on your keyboard to deal with the more involved cleaning procedure.
In this situation, it’s critical to unplug your keyboard as soon as you can because continued contact with liquids can swiftly result in irreversible damage.
But how will a liquid affect the switches and caps on your keyboard? Really, it depends. As long as you completely dry it after the water and unplug it, the damage won’t be too severe.
However, sticky, sugary beverages can seriously harm Switches. You can check the keys to see if they function before entirely removing the caps.
If not, you’ll probably have to completely replace the keyboard. If so, you can just employ the unconventional cleaning method we outlined above.
Extreme Methods of Cleaning
The majority of customers will be able to completely clean their keyboards using the aforementioned techniques, but if you have a more demanding keyboard or are fussy about keeping things clean, you might want to invest in a reputable gadget.
Referred to as an ultrasonic cleaner. Even though they might be a little more expensive, they can be used to wash jewelry and other home goods.
The initial steps in utilizing an ultrasonic cleaner are very similar to the previously mentioned conventional cleaning procedures.
But when you’ve taken the keyboard plugs out, you should put them in the cleaner rather than a sink for cleaning.
The ultrasonic gadget vibrates them at a high frequency for a more thorough cleaning and can also be used with dish soap or denture cleanser.
You can wash mechanical keyboard in a matter of minutes as opposed to hours.
How are soiled mechanical keyboards cleaned?
You should clean your keyboard more thoroughly if it has become soiled over time. The guide mentioned above contains comprehensive instructions on how to accomplish this.
How should keyboard keys be cleaned?
In either scenario, you must take the keyboard’s keycaps off. Although using an ultrasonic cleaner is the best option, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to maintain a clean keyboard.
You can get by just fine with some rubbing alcohol, some soap, or denture cleaning tablets.
How frequently should my mechanical keyboard be cleaned?
Every week or so, give your keyboard a brief once-over, and every three to six months, give it a more thorough cleaning. The guide above contains instructions for both procedures.
Are mechanical keyboards dishwasher-safe?
Although it is technically feasible to clean a keyboard in a dishwasher, only membrane keyboards and only those made of plastic qualify for this.
Mechanical keyboards should never be washed in a dishwasher because of the sensitivity of the parts and the nature of the materials used to make them.
Conclusion
Even though mechanical keyboards are intricate machines, cleaning them doesn’t have to be a hassle.
We believe you have learnt everything you need to know above, but if there are any techniques we could have missed, just let us know.
