cleaning mac keyboard
A couple of weeks ago I was visiting a friend who asked me to set up his mac. It was old mac that hadn’t had much use so the keyboard was still clean and fresh as though it had just come out of the box. I really noticed how smooth it all was when I typed on it. When I got home and typed on my own one which came out of the box about 4 years ago and has had constant use, I noticed how filthy and disgusting it was. Covered in dog hairs and dust. Typing on it was not easy or smooth. It was time for a clean.
I have often removed the odd key if it is particularly dirty or sticky (from chocolate or jam). But this was the first time that I have removed all of the keys at once in order to give the keyboard a jolly good cleaning. It took about an hour and required very few tools and equipment. And now I’m typing on a nice clean keyboard, as smooth as the day it came out of the box.
So what do you need and how do you do it? Well, you’ll need about an hour to spare. And along with that a screwdriver, some kitchen paper, a few cotton buds, a tea towel, a bowl, a colander or sieve and warm soapy water.
Before you start open up keyboard viewer and display it on the screen. You’ll need to be able to see the layout of the keys later on when you have to put them back in. You could also take a photo. Then with a screw driver (flat headed) gently prise off the keys. They don’t need much effort, so don’t force them. Some of them have a wire clip thingy underneath such as the Return key and the space bar. Leave the clips in that position for use later.
When you have removed all of the keys pop them in a bowl large enough to hold them and cover with warm soapy water. Not too hot or boiling. Washing up liquid will do. That’s what I used. Stir them around a bit, make sure they are covered and leave them to soak for at least 10 minutes.
While they are soaking you can clean the space under the keys with your kitchen paper and cotton buds. You can use warm soapy water here too, but sparingly, in order to clean the really stubborn spots.
Now carefully pour the keys into the colander or sieve and rinse off with some warm water. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how clean they are! Shake them very gently to remove even more water and then lay them out onto a tea towel or any kind of absorbent cloth. You could dry them properly with a hair dryer, but I just gave them a blow and shake as I popped them back into their places.
And that is the most painstaking part, a bit like a jigsaw puzzle really. You think you know where all the keys go until you have to pop them back in. I did the ones with the wire clips first. I gave the wires a bit of a wipe and gently clicked them back into the underside of the key. Then I replaced all the ones I knew for sure and then looked at the screen for reference. Some keys still had a little bit of water in them, but a good shake or a blow was enough.
Et voila! Just like new. If you have never cleaned your mac keyboard and you’ve had it for a while, then do give it a go. It really is worth that hour. 