A dirty keyboard can pose many problems. Not only is a dirty keyboard prone to malfunctioning, the spaces between the keys can also harbor dangerous bacteria that can negatively affect your health. A clean keyboard means a healthier you. Start cleaning up towards a new squeaky clean lifestyle now. E-Gunk 101 Wordsmiths and computer experts coined the word “e-gunk” to refer to the dirt and grime that make their way into computer parts, especially the spaces in between keyboard keys. E-gunk is an interesting mixture of dirt, skin cells, food residue, lint, and other stuff. If you tilt a dirty keyboard and see greenish stuff falling from the spaces, you have a pretty good idea how disgusting these particles can be. Many people, particularly office workers, can use a gunk-filled keyboard without any problems. As time goes by, these particles can build up and cause unresponsiveness and malfunctioning. E-gunk is also a favorite breeding ground for cockroaches, disease-causing bacteria, and even potentially life-threatening viruses. Causes of Dirt Buildup Many things contribute to dirt, grime and bacteria that build up on your computer keyboard. Here are some common culprits:

• Dust. If your computer is situated in an area that's not well-ventilated or exposed to contaminants like vehicle exhaust or road dust, the particles can make their way into your keyboard.
• Dead skin cells. We all shed thousands of dead skin cells. If you do a lot of computer work, dead skin cells will find their way into the spaces between the keys of your computer keyboard.
• Dirty hands. Rings of dirt on the keys of a shared computer keyboard are almost always caused by dirty hands, sweaty hands, or even wet hands.
• Solid food particles. If you are one who typically sneaks in some snacks inside your office, then bits and pieces of your chocolate chip cookies, salted peanuts, or fried corn nuts may have ended on your keyboard.
• Liquids. Sugar bits and other solid particles in your drink may be hardening up inside the keyboard, and these can cause a big e-gunk problem.

Why Clean Your Keyboard?

• Hygiene. Dirt particles and e-gunk are a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Food particles are a perfect food source for cockroaches, which can then lay eggs on crevices and spaces between keys. Rats and house mice can also feed on the small amounts of food that get stuck inside the keyboard frame. Bacteria and pests can cause harmful diseases and infections. If you use a shared computer, other users may also spread contagious skin diseases on your keyboard.
• Functionality. A clean keyboard always works better than a dirty keyboard. Dirt and food particles embedded in between your keys can reduce responsiveness. Too much dirt can also cause some keys to get stuck.
• Appearance. Dirty keyboards look very unappealing. People do not want to use dirty keyboards. The way your computer looks says a lot about what kind of computer user you are.

Regular Cleaning: Tools You Need A regular cleaning job is all it takes to get rid of dust and dirt stuck in between your keyboard keys. To give your keyboard a moderate cleaning, here are the tools you'll need:

• Cotton buds
• Soft, dry cotton cloths
• A can of compressed air
• Cleaning fluid or isopropyl alcohol.

Regular Cleaning: Steps

Shut down your computer and disconnect the keyboard from the CPU.

Spray compressed air in between the spaces of the keys to help dislodge dirt, grime, and food particles.

Hold the keyboard upside down, and gently shake out debris. The dirt will fall out of the crevices and spaces between the keyboard keys.

Take a cotton bud and add two to three drops of cleaning fluid or isopropyl alcohol on one end. Use the bud to clean the sides of the keys.

Add a small amount of cleaning fluid or isopropyl alcohol onto a soft, dry cloth, and use the cloth to wipe the surface of the keyboard.

Thorough Cleaning: Tools You Need Extremely dirty keyboards need more thorough cleaning, especially if some keys refuse to work. Here are the tools you'll need:

• Cotton buds
• Soft, dry cotton cloths
• A can of compressed air
• Cleaning fluid or isopropyl alcohol
• Hand-held vacuum cleaner
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Toothbrush
• Paper and pen, or a digital still camera.

Thorough Cleaning: Steps

Follow the first four steps of a regular keyboard cleaning job.

Take a picture of the arrangement of keys on the keyboard, or draw the arrangement of the keys.

With a flat-head screwdriver, gently remove the keys you need to gain access to the inside your keyboard. If all your keys are dirty, you may need to remove all the keys from your keyboard. The best way to do this is to lift the key from the bottom, and gently dislodge it from the frame.

Remove the dirt and grime from the frame using a hand-held vacuum cleaner on the lowest setting possible.

Clean the keys one by one using the cleaning fluid and the toothbrush. It will take a lot of time and patience, but you need it to maintain the cleanliness of your keyboard.

After the keys have dried, replace them in their proper positions. Consult with your picture or your notes, because one of the most confusing parts of a thorough keyboard cleaning is putting the right keys back into their right places.

Dirty keyboards are unappealing and may harbor infectious and contagious diseases. A little bit of patience and some regular keyboard maintenance can make your daily computing jobs and tasks a breeze.