How to clean a mechanical keyboard with an air duster

To clean a mechanical keyboard with an air duster, unplug it, hold it tilted so the crumbs can fall out, and blow between the keys in short bursts. On the BLOWZER X6, use the 40K mode with the needle nozzle. For a deep clean, pull the keycaps first and blow across the bare switches on 80K.

Work row by row from the top of the board to the bottom, so the debris always moves toward the edge you are tilting down.

What you need

• The BLOWZER X6, charged over USB-C
• The needle nozzle
• A cleaning brush from the kit
• A keycap puller (for the deep clean) and a bowl for the caps
• A towel or sheet of paper to catch the debris

Steps: quick clean (keycaps on)

1. Unplug it. Disconnect the cable, or switch a wireless keyboard off.
2. Tilt it. Hold the keyboard at a steep angle over the towel, top edge up.
3. Brush first. Run the brush between the rows to loosen crumbs and hair.
4. Blow between the keys. Fit the needle nozzle, set 40K, and give short bursts along each row, aiming into the gaps and down toward the lower edge.
5. Turn and repeat. Tilt the keyboard the other way and go over it again, then tap it gently upside down over the towel.

Steps: deep clean (keycaps off)

1. Photograph the layout. Then pull the keycaps with the puller. Leave the long keys (space bar, Shift, Enter) on if they have stabilizer wires and you are not sure how they go back.
2. Blow across the switches. Still with the needle nozzle, set 80K and blow across the plate from one side to the other, with the board tilted.
3. Brush the plate. Then blow once more. Keep the bristles away from the switch stems, where they can push dust inside.
4. Clean the caps separately. Soak them in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse, and lay them out stem up until they are completely dry (Das Keyboard's guide). The cross-shaped stems hold water longest.
5. Refit the caps. Use your photo, then plug the keyboard back in.

Safety note

• Always unplug or switch off the keyboard first.
• Never put caps back on while they are still damp.

What to avoid

• Blowing straight down into a switch from close range. Blow across and out instead.
• Pulling stabilized keys if you have never refitted them.
• 130K on a keyboard. 40K and 80K are enough.

Keep it at the desk

The Desk Dock with Nozzles, a free print file, holds the X6 on its USB-C cable next to the keyboard, with four nozzle seats.

Doing the whole desk? See How to clean a PC with an air duster and How to clean laptop fan vents with an air duster. More about the BLOWZER X6, its three modes and five nozzles.