Zen and the Art of Cleaning My Keyboard

To paraphrase The Beatles, “Happiness is Clean Tech Gear”.

I take particular satisfaction when it comes to keeping my computing equipment in tip-top shape. The old rule still applies: I never eat next to my computer. I do, on occasion, enjoy having a cup of coffee while I work, but I make it a point to always keep my coffee mug well beyond arm’s reach of my keyboard and mouse.

That being said, dust, hair, and dead skin will eventually find their way into every nook and cranny of one’s computer setup.  This weekend, I took it upon myself to fully take apart both of my low-profile Nuphy Air 96 keyboards, for the purposes of giving them both a deep clean. It’s been over a year since I purchased them new, and the time was right.

My keyboard cleaning routine is as follows: Once a month, I use a microfiber cloth, doused with a few squirts of Whoosh cleaner, to clean the top of my keys, as well as the side and bottom of the keyboard chassis. (I make sure to unplug the keyboard beforehand.) Once a year, I take apart all the keycaps for a deeper clean.

 

With mechanical keyboards, like the Nuphy models I own, cleaning is actually pretty easy. I used a keycap puller to remove each of the keys, keeping the keys in proper order for later reassembly.

 

After removing all of the keys, I used my DataVac Electric Duster to blow away any and all errant dirt and debris out of the keyboard chassis. The DataVac unit is safe for use on electronics and expels air at a reasonable force to extricate any dirt that might be lurking. It’s also durable and long-lasting; I’ve owned mine for more than 10 years.

 

Next, I used a cotton swab dipped in Isopropyl Alcohol to clean each of the keys and the keyboard chassis. For one keyboard, I went through about 3 cotton swabs, using both ends to pick up grime.

 

With the chassis and keycaps cleaned, I reassembled all of the keys and plugged the keyboard back in. I repeated the same process for my other Nuphy keyboard.

For my Logitech MX Master 3s mice, I clean them once a month using some Whoosh and a microfiber cloth.

A cleaning routine doesn’t have to be complex. What I’ve just described above takes about an hour from start to finish. In a strange way, I also find the process deeply relaxing and meditative. John, Paul, George and Ringo would more than likely approve.

-Krishna

Krishna June 29, 2024 cleaning a dirty keyboard, cleaning mechanical keyboard, Datavac Electric Duster, Nuphy Air 96 keyboard, Whoosh cleaner