i just flip it upside down and whack the keys a bit until all the junk falls out, the wipe it down with a damp cloth with window cleaner.

I take the keys off and stick them in a bowl of water with a laundry tablet in. That cleans the keys at least.

Once I have done that I take a hoover to the rest of it!

I don't bother, but then again, I don't find that my keyboards get very dirty or collect much junk. However, I would simply use a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool if I were cleaning someone else's keyboard (but turning upside down and giving it a good shake or "six of the best" sounds good to me unless were talking about laptops).

Kaled.

Air dusters work well and quickly. A spray can full of compressed air, get one with a straw to attach and you can put it between the keys. Close your eyes and mouth before you spray!

P.S. The also can dislodge the dust trapped in your computers fan without pulling the whole thing apart - useful for laptops where you need a degree in computing construction to get inside them!

[edited by: PCInk at 12:44 pm (utc) on Oct. 16, 2008]

i use compressed air.
i've heard of dishwashers being used.
there's this:
[webmasterworld.com...]

I use a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaner can be dangerous; once it sucked volume button of my television set, when I was a kid.

Most times, I use a little wet cotton cloth or handkerchief to clean keyboard. Sometimes, I apply a liquid solution to keyboard, mouse and screen, that I'd purchased from an optician, for my specs.

useful for laptops where you need a degree in computing construction to get inside them!

Some (most?) laptops have a removable keyboard which should expose some inner components such as the fan. This also aids in cleaning out the keys, obviously.

Also, make sure if you're using any liquids on the keys to let them dry before reassembling and using them. ;)

just bang it with a hammer until all the keys fall off, then wash it in the river.

If it is a laptop I pull the keys and turn it upside down and use some air.

BUT.... if it is for your desktop then you can look at some of the newer keyboards that are dishwasher safe!

I got some for the office and they work great and you can submerge them in water and still type and it works... the maker made a long cord and tested it from the bottom of his pool with the monitor and tower at pool side.

There was a newsletter I used to subscribe to that recommended putting the keyboard directly into the dishwasher. You just had to let it dry out sufficiently afterwards.