This office supply will clean under keyboard keys in a jiff – CNET

No matter how often you clean your keyboard, in-between and underneath the keys are likely filthy, especially if you have pets. Flipping the keyboard upside-down and shaking probably doesn’t cut it. The best way to get underneath the edges of your keys is to use something you probably already have around your house: tape. Prepare to be disgusted. 

What kind of tape to use

Any kind of low-adhesive tape is fine. Avoid tape that has a lot off stickiness, like duct tape or aviator tape, which will leave behind a residue.

Clear tape — the kind you find in the office or use to wrap presents — is an ideal choice, since it’s thin and easy to manipulate. Sticky notes work in a pinch, too.

How to sticky your way to clean

Cleaning your keyboard with tape is fairly simple. Here’s how to stick it to those keyboard dust bunnies:

• Tear off an inch of tape and fold it in half so that the non-sticky sides are facing together and the sticky sides are facing outward.
• Slip the tape underneath the edges of the keys and rub back and forth a few times.
• Pull the piece of tape out and prepare to be disgusted.
• Repeat until all of your keys are clean.

I have done this little cleaning trick even when I thought my keyboard was sparkly clean and still was horrified every time. You just don’t realize how much dust, crumbs and pet hair can accumulate under keys.

Another creative way to clean your keyboard is by dabbing it with a special slime. Here’s how to make cleaning slime.

Editors’ note: This article was originally published on Nov. 23, 2015 and has since been updated.