Lo, after the passage of a few moons, oils, dust, drink drips, and food crumbs doth gather even in the keyboards of our noble laptops. None art exempt from this plight, not even we, the wise in the ways of technology. Yet fear not, for methods to restore thy laptop to a state of cleanliness doth exist.
Behold, we hath laid out the finest ways to cleanse thy laptop keyboard, whether thou seeketh merely to disinfect or require a thorough purging. But ere thou embark on this noble quest, heed these critical steps.
‘Tis prudent to take a moment and observe common-sense precautions:
– I. If precious data doth dwell within thy laptop, back it up, for ’tis always wise.
– II. Turn thy laptop off completely. Thou may even desire to remove the battery, if possible.
– III. Ensue that thy laptop is unplugged and devoid of accessories (including USB dongles).
– IV. Ensure that thou hast the space and time. Cleaning thy keyboard is not a task to be undertaken lightly — remember, ’tis simple to replace a desktop keyboard, but great woe if thy laptop keyboard doth suffer harm.
Verily, for the dust that hath taken up residence ‘pon thy keys for a great while, grab thy vacuum cleaner. But wait! I doth mean procure the appropriate kind of vacuum for this task. The standard solution is a hand vacuum equipped with small brush attachments, which thou canst carefully maneuver around thy keyboard while suctioning up the dust. A larger vacuum may suffice if ’tis equipped with a dust attachment and possesseth not too much power. Indeed, thou would not wish for thy vacuum to consume any keys.
In an ideal world, a micro vacuum attachment would be the perfect solution, yet such devices are seldom found outside of laboratories and specialized workstations. However, thou may procure thine own if thou art truly dedicated to the care of thy keyboard.
Compressed air doth present another option, but ’tis not recommended. This double-edged sword may indeed blast away much of the dust and crumbs, yet it may also blow such detritus further into thy laptop, potentially causing more problems. A vacuum cleaner doth usually offer a more efficient solution, thus commenceth there.
For the grime that cannot be dissuaded, born of oils, skin cells, grease, and other foul substances, thou may approach this task with disinfecting wipes, or better yet, a melamine cleaning sponge, which excels in vanquishing such filth. Aye, soak the sponge in water, wring it out, and allow it to dry sufficiently so as not to leave streaks of moisture upon thy keyboard. Tenderly rub a corner of the sponge upon the soiled parts of the keys until the grime is banished. Beware, for the melamine can be abrasive if not handled with care. ‘Twould be wise to proceed slowly and avoid rubbing away the key characters. The material is easily shaped to fit thy needs, so feel free to fashion it accordingly for more bespoke work.
Another variety of sponge may serve in a similar fashion, yet may not be as effective against stubborn stains.
Thus, if thou harborest worries of germs upon thy keyboard, especially after toiling in an office or classroom teeming with the sickly, ’tis time to bring forth the disinfectant. Seek out isopropyl alcohol and a bundle of cotton swabs. ‘Tis imperative to use isopropyl, for stronger variations may inadvertently remove some of thy keyboard’s letters. Cotton swabs are essential, for liquids near thy keyboard are to be avoided at all costs, even when cleansing. Dip and dab a swab until damp but not in danger of dripping, then proceed to wipe thy keys one by one. This method may be somewhat tedious, yet ’tis most effective, especially when one findeth oneself with idle time to spare.
To be continued…
