How to Clean a Keyboard Naturally

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This summer I have been trying to get a lot of cleaning done around the house and one of the germiest places that I have always wondered how to clean is my computer keyboard. I have to admit I rarely clean it except for removing dust. But, after researching some natural alternatives for how to clean a keyboard, I found it is really simple!

Your computer keyboard is said to be 5 times dirtier than a toilet seat! Yuck! According to one microbiologist that examined a keyboard at a work place, the surface of the computer keyboard harbored bacteria 150 times more than acceptable limits.

Additionally, after the microbiologist swabbed several other computer keyboards in the office, he found e.coli, staphylococcus aureus, and coliforms present, similar to what would be found on a toilet seat!

At work or at home, if you share your computer with others, the more people that use your keyboard the greater amount of germs on it! Whether your kids are using it or you have co-workers that share your computer, who knows what kind of added germs they’re bringing! Computer keyboards are also susceptible to accumulating not only dust and bacteria, but crumbs and other debris. If you’re like me, you probably snack at your desk!

Now that I know the facts, I’m going to use this solution for how to clean a keyboard naturally a lot more often! It’s easy to remember to clean it because when you see the dust between the keys it’s a good time to do both, dust it and get rid of the bacteria, too.

Simple and all Natural Way to Clean Your Keyboard Using Vinegar!

Why is vinegar a great tool for natural cleaning? Vinegar is an excellent, powerful, and effective disinfectant! It can kill bacteria, germs, and even mold! This age old natural way to clean, was something your grandmother may have used many years ago, and it still works great. It has no harmful chemicals and doesn’t release toxins in the air!

Another benefit is that vinegar is very inexpensive and you can use it for cleaning just about any surface in your home, it has so many purposes! You can use it for everything from cleaning your kitchen counters to your bathroom tub!

Even though vinegar is very effective for cleaning, one study found it was not able to completely eliminate the bacteria, staphylococcus. So, that’s why I added a few drops of tea tree essential oil to my mixture as tea tree oil has been found to be pretty effective for targeting the staphylococcus bacteria strain. Due to new research on the effectiveness of using tea tree oil, hospitals are even now integrating its use for the clearance of staphylococcus aureus to prevent contamination.

How to Clean a Keyboard Naturally

Ingredients:

• 1/4  cup water
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• optional: add a few drops of tea tree oil (which is antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral)

Directions:

1. First you’ll need to turn off your computer, you can unplug your keyboard if you prefer too.
2. Grab a cup or bowl and add the water and vinegar, give it a stir with a spoon.
3. Take a hand towel or any type of clean cloth, I use these soft dish towels, and dip it in the bowl with the mixture.
4. Ring out the cloth so that it is still wet, but not dripping and rub it over the entire keyboard. You can give it a good rub since your computer is off, you don’t have to worry about it messing up anything. To get in between any tiny spaces, you can use a cotton swab and dip it in the mixture as well, this can sometimes help to get between keys.

*You can also do this for your mouse too! It’s another super germy place we need to be cleaning more often!

That’s it! Just let it dry before turning your computer back on.