10 Best Keyboard Cleaners in 2022 (OXO, Cyber Clean, and More)
And you haven’t got the most delicate of movements, so you don’t trust yourself to pop off the keys for a good cleaning–that is, without breaking anything. (We feel you.) So we came up with a list of easier, less risky keyboard cleaning alternatives and a guide to help you figure out which cleaner is right for you.
Quick List - Top Keyboard Cleaners
Cyber Clean
Disinfects With Ethanol and Picks up Dust and Loose Crumbs
MetroVac
Extremely Powerful Gusts of Air and an Expansive Set of Nozzles
OXO
Silicone End for Scraping off Gunk and Dirt; Soft Brush for Attracting out Hair and Dust
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How to Choose a Keyboard Cleaner – Buying Guide
The Type of Cleaner Depends on How Dirty Your Keys Are
Brushes, Wipes, and Goo to Pick Up Moderate Amounts of Gunk
If you're looking to clean your keys before they become a hot and sticky mess, then you can go for a goo or brush cleaner. Neither have the power to dislodge anything that’s stuck deep or firmly underneath your keys, but both are quick and easy to use.
Brushes are good for daily maintenance and picking out any dust or particles that get into your keys before they have a chance to build up. With brushes, though, you want to make sure the bristles aren’t too rough or stiff, or you could the run the risk of scratching your keys.
Goo’s great because it traps all the debris inside itself so you don’t need to flick things out of your keyboard only to have to flick them off your desk. Just know that once it’s saturated with gunk, you’ll have to toss the slime and buy a new pack.
Wipes are great for mild surface grime, like when you accidentally drop food on the keys or type after eating something sticky. These are often in the forms of cloth soaked in disinfectant. If you have keyboard stickers, though, the cleaner may cause stickers to peel off.
Handheld Vacuums and Blowers to Dislodge Deep-Set Stuff
Note that they are powerful, to the point that you may want to use them outside, with a pair of safety goggles and a mask to protect you from the dust and chip bits that are going to be peppering your face.
Though more expensive, we do recommend electric blowers over cans of compressed air, especially if you’re concerned about the environment. Most of these cans utilize hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are a potent greenhouse gas. Tetrafluoroethane, a common HFC, has a global warming potential (GWP) of over 1,400, whereas CO2 has a GWP of 1.
Vacuums are good because they suck dust up instead of dispersing it back into the air. However, before use, make sure your keyboard doesn’t have any keys that pop off easily. Vacuums are also shunned because they run up the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD), which can zap your electronics. However, most keyboards don’t have many sensitive components, so it’s not as big of an issue.
Customizable Parts Can Get into Nooks and Crannies
Vacuums and air blowers may also come with different nozzles–so you can deliver both big powerful blasts and smaller, more concentrated gusts between keys.
For Extra Peace of Mind, Make Sure it Disinfects
Normally, we’d just recommend you finish up the job with Lysol or Clorox wipes. However, if you want to save yourself some trouble, then look for cleaners that have sterilizing agents. Alcohols such as ethanol are popular and effective disinfectants.
10 Best Keyboard Cleaners
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Cyber Clean Home and Office｜3 pack | | Currently unavailable | Disinfects With Ethanol and Picks up Dust and Loose Crumbs |
2 | MetroVac DataVac Electric Duster｜ED-500 | | Currently unavailable | Extremely Powerful Gusts of Air and an Expansive Set of Nozzles |
3 | OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush｜Orange | | Silicone End for Scraping off Gunk and Dirt; Soft Brush for Attracting out Hair and Dust | |
4 | EasyGo Compucleaner 2.0 | | Cost-Effective Blower With Two Powerful Speed Settings | |
5 | OXO Good Grips Keyboard & Screen Deep Cleaning Set | | Keeps Both the Keyboard and Screen of Your Laptop Debris-Free on Your Travels | |
6 | MECO Keyboard Cleaner with Cleaning Gel | | Ideal for Daily Clean-ups to Clear Dust and Small Debris | |
7 | Metro Vacuum DataVac Pro 4.5 Computer Vac/Blower｜MDV-1BA | | Gentle Yet Effective Vacuum-Blower Combo for Delicate Electronics | |
8 | APBFH Anti-Static Cleaning Keyboard Brush Kit | | Stiff Bristles for Quickly Scraping Between Tall Keys | |
9 | Zonon 202 Pieces Keyboard Cleaner Cleaning Tools Set | | Perfect for Getting at the Junk Under Your Keys | |
10 | ColorCoral Universal Dust Cleaner｜5 pack | | Individually-Packaged Packs of Gel to Clean on the Go |
Cyber CleanHome and Office ｜ 3 pack
Disinfects With Ethanol and Picks up Dust and Loose Crumbs
If you use it regularly, there’s a good chance you won’t need to turn to any other cleaners. This will survive months of weekly use, and the body turns green when it’s time for a replacement.
Reviewers didn't like that you can’t use the slime with stains or anything that’s caked on. Some people have used a toothpick to root around and kind of loosen things before finishing up with the goo, though.
Most reviewers said it works great, however! It's easy to use and versatile; some have also used it to clean tablets and even detail cars.
MetroVacDataVac Electric Duster ｜ ED-500
Extremely Powerful Gusts of Air and an Expansive Set of Nozzles
The other reason is it’s going to blow loads and loads of dust out of crevices you didn’t even know existed. You do have to keep it plugged in, but the cord is over ten feet long. It also comes with a set of nozzles to give you huge, powerful blasts and more concentrated streams for hard-to-reach places.
Reviewers agree that this keeps their keyboards much cleaner than compressed air cans. They weren't crazy about the bulk of the cord or the fact that it's pretty loud, but they love how powerful it is.
Silicone End for Scraping off Gunk and Dirt; Soft Brush for Attracting out Hair and Dust
The brush end has soft bristles that won't cause any damage, and the whole thing is retractable so you can take it on the go. PC and MacBook users alike loved how easy it made the job of cleaning their electronics. Some wish the silicone end was a bit harder, but most said it got the job done.
Cost-Effective Blower With Two Powerful Speed Settings
Reviewer complaints mostly consist of the large size of the nozzles and the fact that the motor heats up pretty fast. This would be better used in short bursts than a long de-dusting session. Overall, most buyers were impressed at the power this compact machine can deliver.
Keeps Both the Keyboard and Screen of Your Laptop Debris-Free on Your Travels
Reviewers wouldn't recommend this for heavy-duty cleaning, and they say the cloth can get in the way if you're using the brush on the storage ring. However, buyers agree that it's great at picking up loose dirt and it's great for working out and about.
Ideal for Daily Clean-ups to Clear Dust and Small Debris
Even with daily use, a charge can last at least a week, though as battery levels drop, the suction power will also weaken. Actually, reviewers say it’s not super powerful to begin with; it won’t pick up anything large or sticky. You can use the included goo for bigger debris as long as it’s not caked onto your keyboard.
Metro VacuumDataVac Pro 4.5 Computer Vac/Blower ｜ MDV-1BA
Gentle Yet Effective Vacuum-Blower Combo for Delicate Electronics
While this may not be a leaf-blower, it is certainly enough to get clouds of dust out of computers and keyboards, so use this outside. The vacuum, likewise, is not that strong, which actually makes it well-suited for electronics with fragile components. Reviewers love its portability and how it saves them from having to buy air blower cans.
Stiff Bristles for Quickly Scraping Between Tall Keys
Negative reviews of the brush set mainly focused on the stiffness of the bristles, but many buyers agreed that it was good for light cleaning. Some even use it for other electronics around the house!
Perfect for Getting at the Junk Under Your Keys
If your keyboard cleaning experience involves a deeper clean than just shaking it out and vacuuming around the keys, then you'll want to invest in this versatile set. You can pull keys off the keyboard safely using the key puller tool, and then you can gently brush away any dust, dirt, and crumbs you see.
The dampeners included can help reduce the clacking noise of larger mechanical keyboards. Some reviewers weren't crazy about the brush, but even those buyers agreed that the key puller is what makes this set most worth it.
Individually-Packaged Packs of Gel to Clean on the Go
If you're not into the idea of having a giant jar of cleaning gel on the desk or you just want a more portable version of it, then consider these handy goo packs. Each pack can be used multiple times, and they supposedly smell like lavender! Once the gel becomes dark, though, it needs to be replaced.
Reviewers were surprised at how well this worked after a bit of maneuvering. It was able to pick up crumbs, dust, and more. They loved that they could keep one in the car, at home, and at the office. Just keep in mind that some gel bits may get left behind.
More Supplies to Stock Your Office With
Now that you've streamlined your keyboard cleaning process, why not reinvent your entire desk environment? Here are some helpful products to get you started.
Top 5 Keyboard Cleaners
No. 1: Cyber Clean｜Home and Office｜3 pack
No. 2: MetroVac｜DataVac Electric Duster｜ED-500
No. 3: OXO｜Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush｜Orange
No. 4: EasyGo｜Compucleaner 2.0
No. 5: OXO｜Good Grips Keyboard & Screen Deep Cleaning Set
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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