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Deskside meals, coffee spills, that one suspiciously sticky spot you just can’t get rid of. Our keyboards have gotten their fair share of wear and tear, and every once in a while, a little TLC wouldn’t hurt. So we scoured (pun intended) the web for a few helpful tips from the pros. Take a look.

COMPRESSED AIR
Consider this a go-to, as well as one of the easiest (and most fun!) ways to rid your work area
of unwanted bits. Turn your keyboard to its side and simply blow away the dirt
with a can of compressed air! The dirt will fly though, so keep a Swiffer cloth or two handy to keep your desk dust-free.

MAKE UP BRUSHES
Use a thin brow or concealer brush to gently remove dust from underneath the keys.
Need something with a bit more reach? Lifehacker suggests using a mascara wand.

RUBBING ALCOHOL
Sticky fingers? Lightly dip a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and gently rub the smudge and grime off
the individual keys. (Be sure to avoid getting the alcohol between the keys!)
Ready to take it a step further? How to Geek’s easy-to-follow tutorial is just the one for a deep clean.

SILLY PUTTY
It may provide hours of entertainment for the little ones, but this silicone-based material
comes in quite handy when it comes to cleaning up your keyboard. See for yourself.

STICKIES
Using a piece of double-sided tape (a post-it works just as well!) reach in between the crevices
of the keys to dig out dust and small pieces of debris.

VACUUMS
Dummies suggest using a toothbrush-sized vacuum nozzle to suck up all
the teeny tidbits from between the keys. Get the scoop here!

MAGIC ERASER
It’s Mr. Clean to the rescue. According to Wired, a melamine foam pad
is a quick fix to rid your laptop of sticky stains.

MICROFIBER CLOTH
When it comes to spills, CNET recommends treating the area with a microfiber cloth
to remove moisture from the keys.