Use Keyboard Lockers To Clean Your Keyboard Without Restarting

If you need to give your keyboard a quick wipe-down, you can use child lockers to temporarily shut it off instead of restarting your computer entirely.

Every once in a while, your keyboard gets a little grimy and needs a quick cleaning. Of course, you rarely realise this when your computer’s off, and it’s not really worth restarting since it’s a 10-second job. If you want to clean it without pressing a ton of keys, just use a key locker like previously mentioned Kid-Key-Lock — it’s portable, so you can start it up just for a few seconds while you wipe down the keys. It also locks your mouse and drive doors, so you can give your whole machine a quick cleaning without turning it off.

Lock your Keyboard, Mouse, Drive Doors while cleaning your system [Technospot.net via GHacks]

Discuss

(10 Comments)
  • [–]

    Stewart Walker

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    How about just unplugging it? Or doing it before your PC is turned on? Or taking the batteries out (if wireless)?

    • [–]

      Stove

      Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 12:20 PM

      Don’t be silly, installing third-party software is much easier than unplugging a usb cable or disconnecting a bluetooth device.

  • [–]

    Kai

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    This is why my wireless keyboard had to have an off/on switch.. So easy to switch it off and then go to town wiping it down..

  • [–]

    Tom

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    Or, if you windows you could just hit Windows key + L to lock the machine.

    • [–]

      Lauren

      Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 2:42 PM

      This is genius! You have just creat my g-to method.
      Thank you.

      • [–]

        Lauren

        Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 2:42 PM

        Woops – *created

  • [–]

    Dean

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    Seriously? Windows+L all the way, no need to make things more complicated than they need to be.

  • [–]

    Stephen

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 9:27 PM

    Why not just lock the machine?

  • [–]

    Jackson Bison

    Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 8:03 AM

    totally, like I find the best way to clean my computer screen without turning it off is to:

    1. Don some insulative gloves
    2. Remove rear screws
    3. Disassemble said screen
    4. Remove all delicate electrical components
    5. Wash all plastic parts in a hot bath of soapy water
    6. Blast with a couple of bottles of deionised spring water to rinse
    7. Allow to air dry thoroughly over 48 hours
    8. Reassemble.

    Woot – not powering off required!

  • [–]

    Sabrina

    Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    Can anyone suggest a Mac alternative?

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