Gear rarely wears out so much as gets grimy: dust in the switches, oil on the keycaps, a pad that's lost its glide. A simple routine keeps everything feeling the way it did on day one. Unplug everything before you start.
Keyboard: the quick clean
Flip it over and give it a gentle shake, then use compressed air between the keys. Wipe the keycaps with a barely damp microfiber cloth.
Keyboard: the deep clean
Every few months, pull the keycaps with a keycap puller (snap a photo of the layout first), soak them in lukewarm soapy water, rinse, and let them dry completely before refitting. Never pour liquid into the board itself. A switch that feels scratchy or double-types? On a hot-swap board you can simply replace it — see switches.
Mouse
Wipe the shell and buttons with a barely damp microfiber cloth — never spray anything directly onto the mouse. Clean the skates and the sensor window with a dry cotton swab; a single hair stuck to a skate can make the glide feel uneven. When skates are scratched or worn thin, replace them — fresh skates are one of the cheapest upgrades there is.
Mousepad
Most cloth pads can be hand-washed: lukewarm water, a little mild soap, a soft sponge, gentle circles. Rinse thoroughly and let it air-dry flat — no dryer, no direct heat — and make sure it's fully dry before you use it again. Glass pads just need a wipe with a microfiber cloth. Don't wash anything with built-in electronics, and check the product page for item-specific care.
The habit that helps most
Clean, dry hands. It sounds obvious, but it keeps keycaps, mouse shells and cloth pads cleaner for longer than any cleaning routine. Shop the setup →