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Im a software developer and having multiple desktops and Its really hard to clear the keyboard, mouse and other peripherals.

I have tried Using big size painting brush for my keyboard but it wont work for others.

If anyone can answer this it will be a great help to me and others as well.

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    What are you cleaning off? Dust only, smudges, loose paint, other?
    – l0b0
    Commented Jun 24, 2016 at 12:12
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    @Chenmunka Do you really think by turn it upside down and shake it will work with keyboards?
    – Joomler
    Commented Jun 24, 2016 at 12:31
  • @Joomler Only if you drop crumbs down there! Maybe try using an electro-static dry cloth. Smilier to the Swiffer wipes, it can be folded in half and the fold line can be slid into numerous narrow, hard to reach areas. Just a thought. Also cotton swabs work well for some things.
    – L.B.
    Commented Jun 26, 2016 at 13:35
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    DON'T try to blow dust off a keyboard as it will pack dust under the key covers into the tiny scissor springs under some types of keys. Use a vacuum cleaner. Cover the end with the clean mesh such as the type used on bags that onions are sold to prevent sucking the keys off the k/b.
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 26, 2016 at 18:18

3 Answers 3

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Air dusters (example) can remove loose dust, and are useful when you can't reach or don't want to open things up a lot. Wipes or towels (damp, not wet!), with a thin soap solution if necessary, take care of light grime. Anti-bacterial soap removes bacteria from user interaction devices.

If you're OK with taking your hardware apart you can leave plastic parts in a warm soap bath for a while to easily tease out tough stains.

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    Air dusters are a BAD idea. DON'T try to blow dust off a keyboard as it will pack dust under the key covers into the tiny scissor springs under some types of keys. Use a vacuum cleaner. Cover the end with the clean mesh such as the type used on bags that onions are sold to prevent sucking the keys off the k/b.
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 26, 2016 at 18:16
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I get good results with a cotton swab and some Isopropyl alcohol. It's good to clean sticky and greasy stuff from you mouse. It always stood next to my computer in the days before the optic mouse.

Loose dust is easiest cleaned away with compressed or canned air.

You can also use a vacuum cleaner with a small crevice cleaner on it.

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  • DON'T try to blow dust off a keyboard as it will pack dust under the key covers into the tiny scissor springs under some types of keys. Use a vacuum cleaner. Cover the end with the clean mesh such as the type used on bag that onions are sold to prevent sucking the keys off the k/b.
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 26, 2016 at 18:13
  • My vacuum cleaner doesn't suck the keys from my keyboards. So no problem there. I never had problems with dust under my keys but as you say, with some types may cause problems.
    – Janw
    Commented Jun 27, 2016 at 8:50
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    Some Apple PowerBook keyboards use em. Easy to pop off or put back on unless they're inside the vacuum cleaner bag.
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 22:14
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Unless you're talking about down the cracks, under the keys, etc you could only reach by disassembly, then about the best thing to clean anything with is a pair of microfibre cloths.

I wrote a train-spotter's guide to cleaning screens on Ask Different - the same applies to any hard surface.

repro from Ask Different: Cleaning my Macbook Pro Retina leaves greasy 'streaks' across the screen ...

Two microfibre cloths, available from any supermarket. Don't get the 'smooth' ones specially for glass, they can be a bit hard on a plastic screen, get the 'fluffy' ones that make your fingers itch, like picking up tiny velcro.

One cloth completely wetted in lukewarm water [nothing else], then squeezed as dry as you possibly can [trick - fold in 4, then roll & wring. You really want it as dry as possible]. The other cloth totally dry. If the screen is warm, you may need the first cloth very slightly wetter - but never anywhere near wet enough to dribble if squeezed - you really don't want any water that could run down the screen. The cloths work better when almost dry anyway. If the screen is cold & also dark, i.e. computer off, you'll also find it much easier to see when it's clean.

Wipe the damp one gently over the screen, multiple times, turning the cloth, pay attention to the edges & corners. The trick is gentle repetition, rather than 'force'. Then, whilst the screen is still very slightly damp, wipe over again with the dry one, completely drying the surface.

Smears gone forever… well, until next time ;-)

Please don't be tempted to use any type of domestic cleaner or alcohol. You never know what type of screen coating any given screen has & some cleaners can irreparably damage the coating layer of some screens.

Alternatively...
If you mean down below where you could possibly reach with a cloth or even air-blower, then you can in fact put keyboards in a dish-washer or washing-up bowl, so long as you keep the water cool, use no soap except the simplest of [hand] dishwashing detergent [supermarket cheapest own brand contains little in the way of contaminants, hand softeners etc] and allow a lot of time for natural drying, not using the heated dryer cycle.

I know, it's one of those things that you keep seeing in advice columns, yet never dare test for yourself.
Test on some old keyboard you don't care about & report back afterwards.

[Caveat: this works better on expensive keyboards than cheap ones. Cheap ones sometimes rely on a lubricant to fool you into thinking they work smoothly. After cleaning they will become 'clickier' than when new.]

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  • DON'T try to blow dust off a keyboard as it will pack dust under the key covers into the tiny scissor springs under some types of keys. Use a vacuum cleaner. Cover the end with the clean mesh such as the type used on bags that onions are sold to prevent sucking the keys off the k/b.
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 26, 2016 at 18:19

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