Keyboards

The best advice for handling or cleaning a keyboard is � don't.

Keyboards are cheap. It doesn�t pay to care for a damaged or defective keyboard. If there is a serious problem, just replace it.

However, you may insist on maintaining your keyboard. For example, Jews clean their homes of the leavened food before the holiday of Passover. Some of this leavened food may have gotten into the keyboard, so it might be necessary to clean it out.

The tips on this page apply to removable keyboards. Keyboards that are an integral part of laptop computers, on the other hand, require different guidelines.

Clean the outside of the keyboard just as you would clean any other plastic item on your computer. Get a spray for cleaning computer plastic at a computer store. Don't spray it directly on the plastic, but rather on a piece of soft cloth. Use that cloth to clean the visible parts of the keyboard.

However, inside or under the keys, is difficult to remove the dirt.

Turn over the keyboard and shake it from side to side, or tap it on the back. This will remove some loose crumbs.

Remove some of the keys in order to do a more thorough job. This is only recommended for those who have technical skills. It is not always possible to return the keys properly to their location. Try these steps at your own risk, and don't complain if any key that you have removed stops functioning. You have been warned.

Take out a sample key and see if it can be replaced properly. You might test the scroll lock key. Unless you use certain advanced features in a spreadsheet, you probably never used it, and it is likely that you won�t use it in the future. Try to pry it out with your finger. If that doesn't work then use a small screwdriver to pry it out a bit from different angles. Don't pry it out from only one side or angle, or you may crack the inside of the key. After removing the scroll lock key, you can peer underneath the keyboard and see if you want to remove additional keys. The rest of the keyboard may look clean. You may be able to shake the crumbs to the area of the scroll lock key. Alternatively, you may decide against removing any more keys because it was difficult to remove the scroll lock key, or because it will be difficult to replace it. You may discover that the removed key opens a larger area underneath, such as soldered circuits, that you do not want to expose. It may be better to leave it alone.

In some cases, you can remove just a few keys and soak the keyboard in soapy water. Check the printed instructions on the bottom of the keyboard or in the keyboard packing carton to confirm that it is permitted. After immersing the keyboard in soapy water, shake it around and then rinse it in clean water.

Be sure that the keyboard is completely dry before using it. You should not use anything that is wet or damp with electrical equipment.

In some older keyboards, the area under the keys themselves is accessible only after unscrewing the bottom of the keyboard. Warning: In some cases, when the keyboard is unscrewed on the bottom, all of the keys can fall into your lap. In other words, you can do it, but it entails taking a risk.

Comfort

Some keyboards can be raised in the back to make them more comfortable to use. Other keyboards have several settings and they can be raised different amounts in order to increase your typing comfort. Pick the height that is comfortable for you. Still others have wrist supports, which are discussed in the ergonomics section of this website.

Laptop keyboards

So, how should you care for your laptop computer keyboard?

On the one hand, the keyboard is easier to repair than in the past. On the other hand, in the worst case scenario, it is possible to connect an external keyboard to the computer.

Where do you want to go now?