Your laptop keyboard sees it all—coffee drips, snack crumbs, dust, pet hair, and who-knows-what else. Over time, all that gunk can build up and cause sticky keys, unresponsive buttons, or just make your laptop look downright gross.

Good news is...You don’t need to be a tech expert to clean your keyboard safely at home.

You just need the right tools, a little patience, and this step-by-step guide.

Let’s get into it! 🧼💻

✅ Step 1: Power Down and Unplug

This one’s important—never clean your keyboard while your laptop is on!

• Fully shut down your laptop (don’t just close the lid).
• Unplug the charger and any connected devices.
• Remove the battery if your laptop allows for it (many newer ones don’t, and that’s okay).
• Disconnect all USB drives, mouse, etc.

Safety first—this protects both you and your laptop from any accidental damage.

🔄 Step 2: Shake It Out (Literally)

Grab a garbage can or do this over a towel.

• Open your laptop to about a 90° angle.
• Carefully turn it upside down.
• Gently shake and tap the back to knock loose any crumbs or debris stuck under the keys.

You might be shocked at what falls out—it’s like a snack time time capsule! 🍿

💨 Step 3: Use Compressed Air

Now for the detail work:

• Attach the thin straw to a can of compressed air.
• Hold your laptop at a slight angle (around 75° is great).
• Spray short bursts of air across the keys, working row by row.
• Try to hit each key from different angles to knock out all the hidden debris.

Tip: Keep the can upright—don’t shake it or tilt it too much, or you could accidentally spray out cold liquid propellant.

🧽 Step 4: Wipe It Down

Now that the big stuff is gone, let’s tackle the surface:

• Lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher is best).
• Wipe the tops of each key and the surrounding area.
• For tough grime, use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol for spot cleaning.

Don’t soak the cloth—damp is good, dripping is bad. You don’t want moisture sneaking into the keyboard.

🪥 Step 5: Detail Between the Keys

If things are still looking a little gross:

• Use a soft-bristled brush (like a clean paintbrush or toothbrush) to sweep between keys.
• Follow up with another quick pass of compressed air if needed.

This helps loosen anything stubborn hiding in the cracks.

⏳ Step 6: Let It Fully Dry

This step is easy but essential:

Let your keyboard air dry for at least 15–30 minutes before turning your laptop back on. Isopropyl alcohol dries quickly, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

⚠️ What NOT to Do

To avoid damaging your keyboard:

🚫 Don’t use water or household cleaners🚫 Don’t spray any liquid directly onto the keyboard🚫 Don’t use a vacuum with strong suction—it can create static or damage keys🚫 Don’t try to remove keycaps unless you’re absolutely sure how (they’re fragile!)

🧰 Still Having Trouble? We’re Here to Help

If a key is still sticking, or if you’ve had a spill (coffee, juice, etc.), a deeper clean or repair may be needed. That’s where we come in.

At AS Computer Solutions, we can:

• Deep clean keyboards with proper tools
• Replace damaged keys or full keyboard assemblies
• Help recover from liquid spills before they become bigger problems

🏡 Local. Honest. Here When You Need Us.

Whether it’s a quick keyboard cleanup or something more serious, AS Computer Solutions is your friendly neighbourhood tech team in Onoway.

📞 Have questions? Need help? Reach out anytime!: (780) 967 0215

🌐 www.ascomputersolutions.ca

📍 Onoway, Alberta

📧 [email protected]