Clean apple keyboard keys

Question: Q: how can i clean the white keys on my keyboard

How can I safely clean my iMac keyboard? The white keys look disgusting.

Posted on Apr 21, 2012 10:03 AM

Helpful answers

I use a baby wipe, keep water and any other liquids away from the keyboard or you risk killing it. You can also create a solution of 1 part vinegar for 4 parts water, dip a rag in it and wring it as hard as you can to get as much moisture out of it as possible. Then clean the keyboard while keeping a dry rag at hand.

Apr 21, 2012 10:06 AM

There’s more to the conversation

Loading page content

Page content loaded

Apr 21, 2012 10:05 AM

I use a baby wipe, keep water and any other liquids away from the keyboard or you risk killing it. You can also create a solution of 1 part vinegar for 4 parts water, dip a rag in it and wring it as hard as you can to get as much moisture out of it as possible. Then clean the keyboard while keeping a dry rag at hand.

Apr 21, 2012 10:06 AM

Lightly run the white side on your keys and the icky dirt comes off rather easily. I use it dry, and I lightly rub repeatedly, I don’t use a ton of pressure. DISCLAIMER: I’ve started using this recently, so I don’t know if repeated uses will eventually wear the lettering off. So please proceed carefully! Also, I assume that the regular Magic Eraser would work too, but use it DRY.

Jun 12, 2012 10:55 AM

We npticed that too. My wife discovered this trick. Use CLR. that cleaner that removes shower grunge from shower heads. with a cotton swab. Dip the swab in the fluid and then gently wipe against each key on the keyboard. We’ve done this a few times and it works just fine.

Jun 29, 2012 9:01 AM

I have just used Astonish — ‘The great household cleaner’. I used some barely damp jay cloth with Astonish on each key and it worked a dream — they have no more grunge and they feel lovely and smooth again 🙂.

Aug 22, 2012 8:55 AM

Some folks pop the keys off and wash them with soap and water or dishwasher top shelf. Google for videos or printed instructions.

Aug 22, 2012 9:00 AM

Don’t EVER use glass cleaners. I did it once, and the white plastic turned a little bit orange. For ever 😟.

Dec 3, 2013 4:54 PM

And just another little hint is to hold the keyboard upside downwhile doing anything with a damp anything to reduce the chances of any liquid running down the sides of the keys.

Mar 13, 2014 3:20 AM

Very good advice Iain!

And so is this: unplug it first! 🙂

Mar 13, 2014 3:42 AM

Cotton Bud, lightly dampened (but not wet) with white vinegar.

Mar 13, 2014 4:04 AM

I use a white vinyl eraser to clean the keys and canned air to blow off the eraser grunge. Turn off the keyboard first.

Mar 23, 2014 12:16 AM

I just cleaned my white key board and wanted to share. I used Pledge multi purpose and microfiber cloth. This worked better than a baby wipe & lysole wipes. It even cleaned the metal part in between the white keys which I did not think was dirty. Overall, my key board look brand new. I just spray a little pledge on the cloth, and with one fingure, rub the keys in a circular motion and done, fast and easy.

I am obsessed with this product, I even use pledge multi surface on my glass mirrors, stainless steel fridge, and bmw LOL. Cuz it works that good.

Jun 8, 2014 9:28 AM

I just tried the Mr Clean Magic Sponge. I dampened it just enough to activate it, rung it out and gently stroked it across the keyboard and it sucked the dirt right up. Keyboard looks like new.

Oct 7, 2014 7:05 PM

Hi everyone. I do not recommend the Magic Eraser or products like that. While they do work great to remove the grunge, they damage the keys and eventually the letters wear away. I have tried almost all suggestions here and still can’t find anything that works. And the instructions to be found on the Apple site are no good — a lint free cloth and water won’t remotely touch the grime. I will try the CLR, but any more suggestions are welcome.

Nov 25, 2014 3:07 PM

I Used rubbing alcohol, which is a great solvent, a q-tip and micro fiber cloth. Worked like a charm.

Mar 26, 2015 10:48 PM

Question: Q: how can i clean the white keys on my keyboard More Less

Источник

Cleaning Apple Aluminum Keyboard. or Any Other Soft-touch Keyboard

Introduction: Cleaning Apple Aluminum Keyboard. or Any Other Soft-touch Keyboard

As clean as you or I might try to keep our aluminum apple keyboards, they become filthy after a year or so. This instructable is to help you clean it out. Be careful, because i am not responsible if your keyboard breaks while doing this. SUCKS FOR YOUUU lmfaoo. but seriously it’s not that easy to break

Step 1: Unplug

this may sound obvious. but it needs to be stated. If you do not unplug your keyboard, you may cause serious damage to it electronically. so be safe, not sorry. Also, try to get away from your computer, so you don’t scratch your monitor (etc.); im only saying that because i’m clumsy and that sounds like something i would do. =]

Step 2: Remove Keys

when snapping off the keys, it is crucial to be extremely careful. the attachments are in different directions, so pay attention. lift the key in the upper left corner until it snaps, then see which direction it is in. snap the other part off and make sure no pieces broke off. it cannot be explained. so start with the keys you use the least, so you can practice. after the second key, you’ll be a pro. some bigger keys like the enter key or the spacebar have more than one connection and may have metal pins, so keep that in mind. just always remember to be careful

Step 3: Clean Keys

with a medicine dropper, pour a liberal serving of rubbing alcohol onto a folded paper towel. rub the keys vigorously against it and the filthy grime will just pour off. the paper towel will get dirty and start to crumble, so change places occasionally

Step 4: Replace Keys

replace most of the keys by firmly pushing them straight down. the keys with metal brackets have to have the metal brackets correctly inserted before you can push down. i had a little trouble with the f-keys, in which some of them were permanently depressed. for these keys, i just removed them and deliberately hooked the pins in first then pushed the snaps down.

Step 5: Sparkly Clean

Done!! overall, i’m ecstatic about the results. my keyboard is crisp white once again. it took me about an hour and a half, but i did it while relaxed and could be done much faster

Be the First to Share

Did you make this project? Share it with us!

Источник

How to Clean a MacBook Pro Keyboard the Easy Way with Keyboard Cleaner

Cleaning the keyboard on a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air is a necessary chore from time to time, but it can also be more challenging than expected as anyone who has done so can attest. The moment you start wiping down the Mac keyboard, it’s inevitable for keys to be pressed, and as a result, things are typed, applications are accessed, messages are sent, improper code is written, gobbledegook is made, amongst other potential mishaps. Of course with a desktop Mac, you can simply disconnect the keyboard, but that isn’t possible on any laptop in the MacBook line. You can’t put the Mac to sleep because then hitting a key would wake it up, and you don’t want to shut down the Mac because aside from being inconvenient, you almost certainly want to clean the power key as well.

This is where a little app that has been around for ages called Keyboard Cleaner comes in to play, it locks down the Mac keyboard and rejects all input (aside from the quit command) so that you can press as many keys as needed as you wipe down and clean the keyboard. Once you’re finished, you leave the app. Easy. So, let’s walk through how to use Keyboard Cleaner in Mac OS X to properly clean the keyboard on a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air.

Cleaning MacBook Keys by Locking Them Down with Keyboard Cleaner

Technically this app works on any Mac keyboard at all, but we’re focusing on the MacBook Pro and MacBook line since they can’t simply disconnect the keyboard for cleaning purposes. Instead, we’ll lock down the keys and prevent input and improper text entry with the help of a free little app.

Download Keyboard Cleaner app from here (a similar app is here), decompress the archive, then right-click and choose “Open” to get around Gatekeeper (the app is from ’06, but still works great)

When the screen turns to all black and says “Happy Cleaning”, you’re ready to clean the MacBook keyboard:

Now lightly* wet a cotton cloth or rag (not the type that sheds or pills) so that it’s ever so slightly damp, and wipe down the keyboard on the MacBook Pro

When finished cleaning the MacBook keyboard, hit Command+Q keys to quit out of the Keyboard Cleaner application and enjoy your nice clean keyboard

Works wonderfully, doesn’t it? No more shutting down the MacBook, and no more pressing a gazillion keys into who knows what application as you clean the keyboard. Just launch Keyboard Cleaner, clean up the keyboard, quit the app, and you’re good as new again.

I recommend using water only to clean the keyboard, but if you have stubborn grime, gunk, or some other mystery crud on the MacBook keyboard, you may want to use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol solution. You can also use small amounts of isopropyl alcohol with a cotton swap like a q-tip to clean the area between keys on the keyboard as well.

If you plan on doing this often, you’ll probably want to keep the Keyboard Cleaner app handy in the /Applications/ folder for future usage.

* Be absolutely certain the cloth rag is not too damp, it should be just slightly wet to the touch. If you can squeeze any water out of it whatsoever, it is too wet and you need to use a different cloth. Liquid or water getting in between the keys or other surface crevices on the Mac can cause liquid damage to the Mac and you want to avoid that.

Know of any other tips or tricks for cleaning keyboards? Let us know your key cleaning secrets in the comments.

Источник

How to properly clean any Mac computer’s keyboard

Just two weeks ago, it finally came time to replace my seven-year-old MacBook Pro. I’d lost hours of work watching the spinning wheel of death, but the last nail in the coffin was my D, F, and C keys becoming unresponsive.

I had to jam the keys down with brutal force to get the letters to appear on screen, a battle I waged for all of an hour before throwing up my hands and heading to the Apple Store.

I know the unresponsive key thing was probably my fault; knowing I’d be replacing the MacBook sometime this year, I had given up on cleaning it long ago, so I can only imagine the buildup of dust and crumbs permeating the keyboard.

Now that I’m typing away on a brand new MacBook Pro, I’m committed to cleaning the keyboard at least monthly. Sure, a weekly cleaning might be even better, but let’s be realistic here.

Check out the products used in this article:

MacBook Pro (From $ 1,299 at Apple)

How to clean any Mac computer’s keyboard

For an ideal Mac keyboard cleaning, you will need a can of compressed air , a vacuum with a soft bristled attachment, and a few clean lint-free cloths.

1. Power off your Mac and remove any cables or hardware connected to the computer.

2. Hold the keyboard upright at a 75º angle (with the keys slightly facing the ceiling, not the floor), with the long axis of the device parallel to the floor.

3. Spray the compressed air along the keys. Make sure you hold the can upright, as it will expel cold fluid if turned, and keep the nozzle about one inch from the keys. Spray consistently from right-to-left or left-to-right, moving from the upper rows to the lower rows.

4. Now turn the computer screen vertical and/or keep the keyboard at a 75º angle, then spray from the «top» to the «bottom» (the end with the Escape, Caps Lock, and Function keys down to the arrow and Enter key side, e.g.) using the same method.

5. Place the computer or keyboard on a clean, flat surface, and lightly run the vacuum over the keys using the soft bristled attachment. Follow a pattern from right-to-left or left-to-right, top-to-bottom.

6. Lightly dampen a portion of cloth with water, then gently pass it over a portion of the keyboard in a steady, single-direction motion. Make sure to use several cloths or different portions of the same larger cloth to clean the keyboard to ensure the dirt, dust, and grease are removed, not merely moved about.

Читайте также:  Как платить телефоном apple pay

And give your computer a few minutes to fully dry after cleaning it before you power it on.

Источник

How To Fix Sticky Keyboard Keys on a MacBook

Notify Me of Changes Stop Notifications

Introduction

Sticky keyboard keys are a common problem with laptops, usually resulting from drink spillage, food crumbs, or other substances gumming up the keys. Fortunately, with this guide, it is an easy fix.

If cleaning your keyboard doesn’t work fix your issue, iFixit does sell replacement keyboards, upper cases and such for Macs.

Tools

Parts

No parts specified.

Step 1 How To Fix Sticky Keyboard Keys on a MacBook

Before getting started make sure to completely turn off your computer.

Click on the apple in the upper left-hand corner of your computer screen. A drop down menu will appear.

Click «shut down».

Step 2

Dip a q-tip in isopropanol, and wipe around each sticky key.

Make sure the q-tip is damp, not dripping.

You may need multiple q-tips, as they get pretty dirty.

Step 3

Use a toothpick to remove crumbs or debris from under the sticky keys.

Step 4

Now test out your keys. If they are still sticky continue on to Step 5.

Step 5

Use a spudger or plastic opening tool to pry up sticky keys.

Insert the spudger under the side of a key.

Use your fingers to twist the key off.

To avoid damaging your laptop, use a spudger or plastic opening tool rather than the butter knife shown in the image.

Step 6

When you are removing a key if one or both of these white plastic pieces come off the key board, don’t worry. They are called key carriers and are very easy to put back on.

If one part of the carrier is still in the keyboard, remove it so you have both in you hands.

Look at the second picture and align the two piece then push them together. There should be a soft clicking sound.

In the same alignment as the second picture, place the carrier in the spot on the keyboard where it came off and press firmly into place.

Step 7

Put soap and warm water in a cup.

As you remove the keys, put them in the soapy water.

Let the keys soak for 10 minutes.

Step 8

Wipe down your keyboard with q-tips damp with rubbing alcohol.

Step 9

Optional: If your keys are particularly sticky use rubbing alcohol and a q-tip to wipe the back of the keys.

Dry the keys completely with a paper towel.

Step 10

Pop the keys back on:

First align the key and press firmly into place.

Then, move your finger side to side until you hear a double clicking sound.

150 other people completed this guide.

Author

Lilly Paul

Member since: 02/24/2015

1 Guide authored

• 
• 
• 

Cal Poly, Team 24-6, Green Winter 2015 Member of Cal Poly, Team 24-6, Green Winter 2015

12 Guides authored

48 Comments

YOU ROCK THANK YOU

(I’m going to type «S» a few times to demonstrate how well this helped me!

Ugh it frustrates me that the author doesn’t comprehensibly guide you through the complexities of taking keys off and on your keyboard. They are delicate and fit together elegantly. You should really elaborate before going and telling people to yank their keys off.

I disagree. He specified what to use, how to put them back on, etc. It’s clear and precise!

Anyway I’m going to try this tonight so we’ll see how it goes!

Actually it’s really not clear. If the key carriers come off and you don’t see how they were originally in the keyboard then there’s a huge amount of possible combinations as to which way around they could go. The author actually says “refer to the second picture to see how they go together” and then FORGOT TO UPLOAD THAT PICTURE ! You may have been lucky, but as many times as I’ve done this, it’s still a nightmare to figure out exactly which way around and which way up these little pieces go together. You may be lucky and get it right, or you may get it wrong but it’s still “good enough” or you may get it wrong and the key will never quite work the same again and you’ll end up taking it to a shop to replace the whole %#*@ keyboard for some ridiculous price because the author didn’t proof-read this article better and actually include the pictures that he said to refer to !

Источник