How do you clean a gaming keyboard and make it look like new again?

If you want your gaming keyboard to always be like new and in perfect condition, you've come to the right place, because we're going to explain how to properly clean a mechanical keyboard in 4 simple steps.

Before we get to work, let's review the materials we'll need:

  1. Isopropyl alcohol
  2. A toothbrush
  3. A microfiber cloth

Now that we have all the equipment, we can start cleaning the gaming keyboard.

Steps needed to clean your gaming keyboard.


First step: surface cleaning

To remove loose dirt, we are going to turn the mechanical keyboard over by giving it light taps on the rear part. In this way we will manage to knock out the most superficial dirt and that stuck between the keys.

This first step is to be carried out from time to time, as a routine cleaning, so that dirt does not accumulate to the point of causing a malfunction of the device.

Step Two: Remove All Keys

In the vast majority of gaming keyboards, the keys can be removed. To do this, we just have to hold each key by their sides and gently pull upwards

We recommend that you take a picture of the mechanical keyboard before removing any keys, even if you know their exact location. This way the replacement process will be much easier and you won't go wrong once your gaming keyboard is cleaned.

Step Three: Cleaning the Keyboard

Once all the keys have been removed, we will clean them using a cloth lightly moistened with isopropyl alcohol, this being the only product that does not damage the plastic covering the keys. You can opt for hygienic alcohol, but if it is not applied carefully, it can damage the plastic.

Fold the cloth in several layers, pour the alcohol on it and use it to clean the surface of the keyboard, paying particular attention to the spaces between the keys. Then, apply the cloth to the plastic covering each key.

Fourth step: reassembly

Once the base of the mechanical keyboard and each of its keys have been cleaned, it is time to put them back in their place.

The process is very simple: using the same gesture as to remove them, put the keys back in place, gently and without forcing. Do not forget to refer to the photograph that we advised you to take beforehand, in order to place each of the keys correctly.

How often should a mechanical keyboard be cleaned?

Once this deep cleaning has been carried out, our mechanical keyboard will be like new, but we must not forget to repeat this operation. It is important to set yourself a deadline for carrying out maintenance cleaning at regular intervals.

The frequency depends a lot on the use to which you subject your material. If you happen to eat above the keyboard, you will need to do this cleaning every month, but if you just sit down to write, play or work, doing it once, every 6 months, will suffice.