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Keycaps · How-to guide

How to Clean Keycaps: Remove Dirt, Shine, and Stains From Keyboard Keycaps

Clean keycaps by soaking in warm water with dish soap, scrubbing with a soft brush, and air drying. This guide covers cleaning methods for ABS and PBT keycaps, removing stubborn shine, and what to avo

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Standard Cleaning: Warm Water and Dish Soap

Remove the keycaps from the keyboard using a keycap puller Place in a container or bowl of warm (not hot) water with a small amount of dish soap Agitate gently with your hands or use a soft-bristle brush to scrub each keycap

For Stubborn Grime

A denture cleaning tablet in warm water is a commonly used cleaning method in the mechanical keyboard community. Drop one tablet in the soaking water, it loosens organic deposits more effectively than dish soap alone.

What to Avoid

Hot water: warps ABS keycaps. Use warm (body temperature, not scalding) water.

Cleaning the Keyboard Without Removing Keycaps

For routine maintenance without a full soak: Tilt the keyboard and tap gently to dislodge loose debris Use compressed air to blow debris from between keys

Frequently Asked Questions

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Standard Cleaning: Warm Water and Dish Soap

Remove the keycaps from the keyboard using a keycap puller Place in a container or bowl of warm (not hot) water with a small amount of dish soap Agitate gently with your hands or use a soft-bristle brush to scrub each keycap Rinse thoroughly with clean water Pour onto a dry towel and let air dry for several hours (or overnight)

For Stubborn Grime

A denture cleaning tablet in warm water is a commonly used cleaning method in the mechanical keyboard community.

Drop one tablet in the soaking water, it loosens organic deposits more effectively than dish soap alone.

What to Avoid

Hot water: warps ABS keycaps.

Use warm (body temperature, not scalding) water.

Undiluted alcohol: damages ABS legends and can affect some dye-sub prints.

Abrasive scrubbing: scratches legend printing on pad-printed and laser-etched keycaps.

Forced air before full drying: ensures no water is trapped inside the keycap hollow before reinstalling.

Cleaning the Keyboard Without Removing Keycaps

For routine maintenance without a full soak: Tilt the keyboard and tap gently to dislodge loose debris Use compressed air to blow debris from between keys Wipe key surfaces with a slightly damp microfiber cloth Spot-clean individual keys with a cotton swab dipped in diluted IPA

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Answers

Frequently asked questions

Can I put keycaps in the dishwasher?

Dishwashers use hot water above the safe temperature for ABS keycaps (warping risk) and the pressurized jets can damage legends. Hand washing in warm (not hot) water is safe for both ABS and PBT keycaps.

How do I remove the shine from ABS keycaps?

ABS shine is caused by surface abrasion of the plastic, not a surface coating, it cannot be cleaned off because the plastic surface is actually worn. The only solution is replacement with PBT keycaps, which resist shine due to their harder material. Some people find that sanding with very fine grit (1000-2000) sandpaper removes the gloss layer and provides a matte texture, but this removes the legends if they are pad-printed or laser-etched.

Can I use isopropyl alcohol to clean keycaps?

Diluted IPA (50% or less) is safe for spot-cleaning PBT keycaps and removing sticky residue. Undiluted IPA or repeated application can damage ABS keycaps and may affect dye-sublimated legends over time. For routine cleaning, warm water and dish soap is the safer choice.

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