In the modern world, perhaps, no one imagines himself without various gadgets that make life much easier. Computers, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other equipment accompanies everywhere: at work, at home, during the journey. But when something fails, many are completely confused and do not know how to behave in such a situation. To avoid unexpected breakdowns of electronics, you should follow the minimum rules for working with this technique. And if many people try to observe “computer hygiene”: do not eat or drink hot coffee and tea while working at the keyboard, then others will not get it. In any case, no equipment is immune from dust, pet hair, hair, and other contaminants. So that’s why here we give some tips for cleaning the keyboard on a laptop.

Consequences of keyboard contamination

No matter how carefully you monitor the cleanliness of the workplace, over time a large number of foreign particles begin to accumulate under the buttons of the keyboard. Accumulated pollution leads to difficulties during operation: the buttons begin to stick or fall. As a result, the typing of the text becomes impossible. But this is probably the most innocuous thing that can occur due to the ingress of foreign small particles inside the keyboard. Such pollution can bring a big problem if it gets inside the device. Dirt and dust that has penetrated into the “stuffing” of the gadget can damage the laptop’s radiator – the ventilation will cease passing air and the device will overheat.

Unprepared for such a problem, users rush for help in salons and workshops. Undoubtedly, they will clean up the keyboard from dirt there, but the cost for such a simple service will be fairly decent. With basic concepts about cleaning the keyboard at home, you can take care of your personal laptop.

Types of cleaning the keyboard

Depending on the quality and thoroughness of the process, there are 2 types of cleaning:

• Light means the removal of surface dirt and dust from the keys and the space between them.
• During deep (thorough) cleaning, even small dust particles are completely removed from the contacts so that they do not penetrate the internal device.

Important! The more often a light surface cleaning of the keyboard will be made, the less often there will be a need for thorough cleaning of the device. Moreover, not all laptop models have the ability to completely disassemble the keyboard (remove the buttons) – some laptops have to almost completely disassemble for deep cleaning, which makes the process very difficult.

Special cleaners used for electrical engineering

Surface cleaning of the keyboard should be carried out at least once a month. In specialty stores and websites you can purchase special cleaning kits. As a rule, it includes a brush, a napkin (not paper!), And a liquid.

It is also possible to prepare a cleaning fluid at home. To do this, simply dilute with water-isopropyl alcohol in a ratio of 1: 1 and, having wetted a piece of cloth in the prepared solution, wipe all the keys and the upper surface of the housing.

A similar procedure can be performed using soapy water. After moistening a cotton swab in a soapy solution, carefully treat each key, and then wipe the surface of the laptop with a dry cloth. This will help prevent excess moisture from getting inside the equipment.

The use of acetone, ethyl alcohol, vodka and other aggressive substances for the surface cleaning of the keyboard is unacceptable. These liquids can not only erase paint from the surface of the buttons but also damage (for example, melt) the body itself.

How to remove pollution from the buttons

Dust and small debris very often accumulate under the buttons, thereby provoking failures in the laptop. The easiest way to get rid of such pollution is by shaking them. It is enough to disconnect the laptop from the power supply, remove the battery and turn it over. Gently shake the gadget over the table a few times and lightly palm on the keys. Unnecessary crumbs and small mote will fall right on the table.

If such manipulations do not lead to a positive effect, you can use the following methods of cleaning at home:

• With the help of a hairdryer. Unplug the laptop from power, open it and tilt it slightly. In the hairdryer, select the cold air mode and direct the flow to the keyboard.

• Household vacuum cleaner. Put the narrow nozzle on the vacuum cleaner hose and turn it on for minimum operation. Walk a few times with the nozzle on the buttons of the laptop and on the back of the keyboard.
• A brush with a hard pile or with the help of an old toothbrush can “sweep away” excess dirt and dust between the buttons of the laptop.
• The use of specialized innovations, such as jelly cloth and a can of compressed air. The sticky base and excellent plasticity of the jelly cloth are the main properties of this novelty. Place it on the surface of the buttons of the device and run it well between the keys from different sides. If the device is not too dirty and cleaning is done regularly, then the jelly cloth can be used several times. Using a portable can of compressed air is similar to vacuuming, but is safer for the device.

Deep cleaning

If the surface cleaning does not lead to high-quality keyboard operation, then a deep cleaning of the device should be carried out. The phased description of the process is as follows:

• Disassemble the keyboard.
• Using a screwdriver, carefully remove the keys.
• Using a cloth and cleaning fluid, clean the rubber bands and contacts.
• Return all keys to their seats.

If you are afraid that you may confuse button cells, take pictures of the entire keyboard before removing the keys. Restoring the buttons to their places after cleaning will be much easier.

Important! If you are not confident in your abilities and technical knowledge, it is better to seek help from specialists. In the service center, the buttons will be removed with special tools, without damaging anything, they will professionally clean the device and return everything to their places.

Keyboard emergency help

There are such force majeure situations when hot coffee or a sweet drink spills onto the surface of a laptop. Regular cleaning the keyboard, in this case, will not be enough – you should act without delay:

• Immediately disconnect the instrument from the power supply and remove the battery.
• Turn the device over and try to drain as much liquid as possible. Shake the opened laptop a little.
• Without turning the device, blot the keys with a soft cloth.
• Dry the stream of warm (not hot!) Air with a hairdryer.
• When the keyboard is completely dry, disassemble and wipe it with diluted isopropyl alcohol. Be prepared for the need to replace protective membranes in some cases.

If you cannot fix the problem yourself, contact your service center for assistance. Perhaps, after a full diagnosis, it will become clear that you need to replace some laptop parts.

Providing the correct and regular maintenance of electrical equipment, you not only extend its work, but also save on expensive repairs and, especially, buying a new one.