Your laptop is probably your most valuable possession for many reasons, in which one of them being the fact that it serves the purpose of not just providing comfort but also helping out with serious work. Some people these days can't go a day without spending hours behind the screens of their laptops and that is just fine - we are almost sure that could be your reality too.

It has shown itself as one device that has become a monumental part of our lives. Especially during this pandemic where a large percentage of companies have adopted the system of working from home for their workers, more and more people are inclined to spend a great deal of time on their laptops.

The more this device is being used, the more susceptible it is to developing faults - whether major or minor. More often than not, we are quick to take our laptops to a technician immediately a small fault is detected - which is actually the right thing to do when faced with such a problem; however, in some cases, it is a tad unnecessary.

One of those small faults that is bound to plague our laptop devices every once in a while is a faulty keyboard. Many usually see this as more than it seems when it could just be a tiny fault that could be solved by just cleaning the keyboard. Because of the constant use of the laptop, there is a tendency that particles either from the food you eat while using the laptop or from dust or other means could find their way into the keys of the laptop. Eventually, when this dirt builds up, they could make the key(s) sticky and faulty.

So before being quick with heading out to the repairs for fixing when you discover an issue with your keyboard why not try some of the step-by-step solutions that will be discussed extensively in this article on

How to get crumbs out of your keyboard?

(1)  Shake the dirt out

Sometimes, all that is needed to get the crumbs and dirt out is simply to shake the device - especially when the dirt hasn't gotten deep into the keys. This should be your first line of call. To do this effectively, ensure your laptop is unplugged, open the screen and flip the laptop in such a way that the keyboard is facing downwards just close to the bin so that all dirt particles would go in directly. Then shake vigorously. You may discover that this is all you have to do to get rid of the dirt and fix the keyboard fault but if not, proceed to the next step.

(2)  Use brushes to dislodge dirt particles

Skating the laptop vigorously may not get to the dirt particles especially when deeply seated in the keys. To get beneath the keys, you want to adapt a more proactive solution which is the use of brushes. There are specially designed brushes that are usually mainly for this purpose - keyboard cleaning brushes. They are designed in such a way that the brittles are soft and long, this is to ensure that they don't get too rough on the keys to cause damage and to ensure that they get deep into the keys. However, as an alternative, you can make use of makeup brushes or toothbrushes. These could work efficiently in dislodging dirt particles from beneath the keys. However, you want to make sure that when opting for a toothbrush, you go for the ones with softer bristles as the harder ones could be too rough on the keys.

(3)  Use compressed air

Just like shaking the laptop may not be efficient enough to solely get the crumbs and dirt out of the keyboard keys, brushes too may seem ineffective in some extreme cases where the brushes can't get to the dirt. But not to worry, we have got you covered with a solution that should work, and that is the use of compressed air. Basically, a can of compressed air is composed of dry air and with the help of the can's opening, you can extinguish high-pressure air to the affected areas of the keyboard and dislodge the dirt in them with full force. One advantage of this method is that it is very targeted, effective, and doesn't harm the keys function in any way. You may have cause to be concerned if the air isn't dry but since it is, there is a lesser chance of the keys getting damaged by the air sprayed on it. To do this aptly, direct the can at a 75 degrees angle, ensuring it is facing directly underneath the affected keys, then spray with full force. I can't overemphasize the essence of holding the can firmly and ensuring it is directed as it should to avoid haphazard spraying.

(4)  Cleaning between the keys with a wet cotton bud

On rare occasions, the reason why your keys may be rigid is because the causative agent isn't particularly solid but probably a sticky liquid like a syrup that has dried overtime and is causing a mess. In this case, shaking, brushing or spraying may not do much as the sticky substance will still remain adamant between the keys, to address the situation you have to apply a more proactive solution that's the best fit for the situation. In this case, all you have to do is soak a cotton bud into alcohol and use it to maneuver between the sticky keys, ensuring you get to every nook and cranny between and beneath the keys of the keyboard.

(5)  Removing the affected keys

This is like the last resort you are advised to try out before handling your laptop to a technician for proper fixing. Sometimes the dirt particle causing the stickiness of the keys could be just something sitting beneath the keys and is needed to be removed. If that is the case, brushing/spraying/shaking/cleaning with cotton buds may not do so much. So you have to pop out the affected key, remove any dirt you can find with a brush, clean beneath the keys with alcohol, and then allow to dry before fixing the keys back in. Ideally, this should make your sticky keys work. It is the most direct method of cleaning the keys.

All the steps discussed above should help with taking crumbs and dirt out of your keyboard. You are advised to follow the aforementioned steps routinely so as to prevent this from happening. You will rarely have to bother about rigid keys if you are fond of always cleaning your keyboard. So, follow due diligence by cleaning your keyboard as often as you could and you will discover how long it will last you.

If after trying out all the steps discussed in this article and you still discover that your keys are still dysfunctional, the best thing to do in such a case is to hand it over to a technician to take care of the problem professionally. Eventually what may be required may be a total change of the keyboard or probably some touches here and there to get the keyboard fully functional.

I hope this article has been instrumental in educating you on how to get crumbs out of your keyboard and generally take care of your laptop keyboard?