Tips:* Some people actually wash the keyboard in a dishwasher. Don’t attempt to clean a keyboard that way unless you’re willing to risk losing the keyboard. If you do put a keyboard through the dishwasher, make sure the keyboard is completely dry before using it. This should definitely be avoided with wireless keyboards. * You can remove all keys from your keyboard, put them in a little closed bag (like for socks) and wash them with your clothes in the washing machine. Clean the keyboard skeleton with your vacuum cleaner and a wet rag. * Or, simply take a picture of the Gateway MT3707 MT3711c Keyboard (http://www.sunvalleyus.com/GatewayKeyboard/MT3707-MT3711c.html ) with your digital camera before you start pulling the keys off. * The keys on a laptop can be difficult to replace, especially keys like the space bar and the Enter key, which have a separate support under them that needs to be installed along with the key. * An alternative to compressed air is to use an electric hair dryer with the blower on high. It matters little if the heat is on or off. It’s great for dusting too.* Consider leaving the space bar in place. It is hardest to get back on and easiest to break. * If you forget the order in which the keys on your keyboard go, simply boot up your computer. Go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>Accessibility>On Screen Keyboard This will give you a keyboard on the screen, which you can simply copy the order of letters/numbers/characters off.* Laptop keyboards are a bit different. It is not usually necessary to remove keys from a laptop in order to clean it. Isopropyl alcohol and Q-Tips or compressed air is usually enough.Warnings: * When spraying compressed air, do not turn the can upside down. Doing so can cause liquid propellant to spray into the keyboard, damaging it. Also, be sure to use the compressed air in a well ventilated area. * If you remove the keys, keep them away from small children or pets. Loose keys pose a choking hazard. * Do not inhale the contents of the compressed air. While it’s safe to use in a ventilated area, the concentrated contents are toxic and could injure or kill you.

Let’s get started…1. DisconnectBefore you go all crazy with the cleaning, be safe and disconnect your keyboard from the computer. If it’s one of those wireless keyboards then remove the batteries first; all good. 2. Shake ItTurn over your keyboard and give it a good shake; Getting all the loose dust and debris to fall on the desk; meh, you’ll vacuum it up later. 3. Air blastI love playing around with compressed air in a cans; I once huffed in a puff and had a bad chemical aftertaste in my mouth for good hour, so I advise aiming it only at your keyboard. Blow out all the junk that Step 2 shaking missed.

4. Debris Suck Debris in your keyboard sucks and so does your vacuum (but in a different sort of way). Put these two types of suck together and you got gleaming clean baby! I’ll put the duster brush on the hose and get right between the keys; run right over it all. Any dust and loose crumbs should be 90% eliminated from your keyboard at this point.

5. Alcohol Time You going to need rubbing alcohol for this, AKA isopropyl, 90% or better, also a dry lint free cloth. Dab some iso on the cloth and give all the keys a good wipe down; this cuts through all the grease and grime on the keys and on the entire surface. Go back for extra daps of ol’alcy if need be. 6. between the KeysIn between the keys can be just as important, so get an old tooth brush. In fact dentist recommend that you replace your tooth brush every two months, so use the one that past this two month mark; just make sure to get a new one that day (unless you like that level of intimacy with your keyboard)

Instead of tooth paste, it’s Alcohol again (just like uncle rehab). Oh yes, dab some iso on and get busy between the rows. If your keyboard is particularly bad you might need to rinse it off a few times with the rubbing alcohol. Pick up all the Grodies.

7. Going Down UnderHey if it’s been a long time since a good cleaning, might as well do it while you’re at it. You may be fascinated by what’s going on underneath the keys; it can be a nasty world down there.

[Tip: Take a picture of your keyboard with a digital camera, or a copy machine so when it comes time to put the keys back on, you know where they go.]

So grab a flathead or a butter knife and start (gently) prying off the keys, they should just pop off exposing the grimy underworld.

I find using a tooth brush with the iso works to loosen up all the nasties, then a wipe down with the cloth. If there are some really narrow corners, you can use a cue tip with some iso; works gang busters!

8. ResembleAfter giving the board a bit of time to dry, reassemble. The keys just snap back in place; “oh shoot where all the keys go?” Ha! Well I guess you should have thought of that before you disassembled your keyboard. I’m sure you’ll figure it out – smarty pants.

Yes! You’re done, and the finishing line looks like a shiny new keyboard; Mother will sure be impressed. Now go do something productive.