Tech gadgets like phones and laptops are pretty expensive devices, so they have tantrums regarding care and protection. Some of these accessories may seem a bit overkill, but keyboard covers are something you should never ignore.
Silicone covers are widely used mainly for laptop keyboards to prevent dust and accidental water spills from ruining your device. So, it’s pretty common to find them on high-end devices like MacBook Pro and other systems.
Even the people who have silicone covers often complain about dust and dirt on their keyboards. So, there are numerous questions about effectively sticking a silicone cover on the keyboard to avoid moving away.
You will find answers to such questions in this post.
How Silicone Keyboard Covers Protect the Keyboard
Most of us get casual when we work on laptops. So, we like enjoying our movies in bed, with some snacks and drinks. Likewise, a lot of people prefer their cup of coffee right next to their laptop on their workbench.
Since accidents can happen anywhere, your subsequent coffee spill may be just around the corner. So, why should your keyboard suffer because of it?
So, silicone covers will make sure that there are no accidents that can potentially lead to disasters. They just don’t let anything liquid or solid penetrate through to the keys and beyond.
The Benefits of a Silicone Keyboard Cover
Even though the benefits are pretty obvious, here is a quick view of how silicone covers can help.
Prevent Food and Liquid Spills
Therefore, keyboard covers can save the day and essentially your job (because a spilled coffee can ruin your system too). So, it’s best to get one of these fantastic inventions for your laptop.
Get Rid of Dust and Dirt
Moreover, Silicone covers also prevent the build-up of dust and other particles between the keys. If there is considerable dirt beneath the keys, they may not press effectively anymore.
Keeps Your Keyboard New
Everything loses color with time. Generally, exposure to the environment will cause color fading in most gadgets, so a protective cover will ensure that your keyboard still looks new after years. In addition, it’s beneficial if you regularly sell and purchase laptops.
Cleaning a Silicon Keyboard Cover
Cleaning a silicone keyboard cover is quite a straightforward job. Because there are no electronic parts attached to it, you can wash it or clean it with any detergent or cleaning agent. Here is a quick look at how to clean silicone keyboard covers:
- Prepare a mixture of water and detergent. You can also use dishwashing soap.
- It works even better with lukewarm water because cold water may cause cracks in the cover.
- Remove your keyboard cover from the keyboard.
- In case you previously used an adhesive to stick the cover, gently remove it with a blade.
- Remove any dust particles or crumbs from the cover by gently dusting them off.
- You may want to use a small toothbrush to remove any stubborn particles from the cover surface.
- Put the keyboard cover in the soap-water mix.
- If there are any dried stains of liquid or food spills, leave the cover in water for about ten minutes.
- Gently swish the keyboard cover and start scrubbing to remove the stains.
- Rinse the cover with water and leave it to dry.
- After drying, remove any tiny water droplets and make sure it’s scorched before reinstalling it.
How to Install a Silicone Keyboard Cover
Installing a silicone keyboard cover is quite a straightforward process. So, instead of paying some professionals, you can do it on your own. However, if you aren’t too gentle at holding delicate items, it is best to call a professional or ask someone else to do it for you.
To install a silicone keyboard cover, firstly, the body should fit the keyboard size. Moreover, every laptop can have a different keyboard layout. For instance, MacBook Pro or MacBook keyboard layouts can be slightly different from the other models.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to let your vendor know about your laptop model.
So, let’s say you found the right keyboard cover, and it’s time to install it. How do you go about it?
Follow these simple steps to install the keyboard cover and make sure that it sticks perfectly.
- First, clean the keyboard and wipe it thoroughly with a cloth so there are no dust particles.
- Ensure that the keyboard cover matches the keyboard size. So, cut off any extra lengths of the silicone cover.
If you’re using a colored silicone keyboard, then the sticking material will be different. So, you can use double-sided tape to stick a colored keyboard skin.
- To stick the silicone cover using double-sided tape, stick its pieces on the keys randomly. Ensure that you use the keys from all parts of the keyboard.
In the case of a transparent keyboard cover, you’re better off using transparent glue to stick the cover.
- Once you apply any of the adhesives, gently place the silicone cover on top of the keyboard.
- Remove any bubbles you can see on the entire keyboard.
- If the cover doesn’t sit on the keyboard properly, remove it and place it again.
Press Some Keys
Often, if you stick the cover too tightly, some keys may remain pressed permanently. So, it is a good idea to touch and feel the height of the keys. Moreover, try pressing each key to see if it works fine.
Some key also tends to remain pressed under the cover, so it’s an excellent idea to open a word document and check the performance on the screen.
If you have got a pressed key after installation, it is time to take off the cover and install it back again.
Benefits of a Double-Sided Tape
One of the advantages of dual-sided tape is that it prevents the cover from bubbling up. Unfortunately, there will be spots on the keyboard where the cover will bubble up, and there is nothing much you can do about it.
However, if you use dual-sided tape, it prevents the cover from rising anymore. Also, it adds more stability to the cover, ensuring that it stays in its place.
The only drawback is the residue. Often, when you remove the cover, the sticky residue may not come off quickly. Therefore, it’s not the right option if you frequently change your silicone covers.
Some Useful Tips
The installation process seems quite simple, but the following tips can help you do the job more efficiently.
Remove Air Bubbles
Air bubbles tend to cause unwanted and ugly spots on the keyboard. So, make sure you remove the bubbles with a flat and hard material like a card, etc. You can also use a cloth to clear the air bubbles.
Use Scotch Tape
If you don’t want any residue or glue on your keyboard, the next best option is to use scotch tape as an adhesive. It may look a bit messy because it shows on the surface, but it’s pretty durable.
Super Glue is Both Good and Bad
Super glue is another good option for an adhesive. It will make sure that the cover stays in place. But, it’s a little tricky to remove it in case you want to change the cover.
Do Silicone Keyboards Work?
Silicone keyboard covers are meant to protect the keyboard, so they should never hinder the actual keyboard operation. Furthermore, since they only form the outer protective layer, there should be no problem with using the keyboard itself.
As far as the silicone cover performance is concerned, think of these pads as emergency protectors against accidental liquid spills. Moreover, they also prevent dust and dirt from accumulating between the keys all the time.
Whether it’s a mac keyboard or a generic keyboard, silicone covers will keep them all clean and fresh.
A Silicone Cover Hack
Silicone covers are perfect when it comes to protection. However, there is a minor problem that people found related to their MacBook. Since silicone covers provide complete protection, they can trap air inside the system.
Therefore, there is insufficient ventilation causing overheating in systems, especially MacBook. However, getting around to heating problems isn’t too tricky.
So, you can try making tiny holes in the corners. This way, you will allow some breathing space for the laptop. Moreover, you may not need this hack if you have some other laptop because the ventilation mechanism could be different.
Conclusion
Silicone is an excellent material in terms of protection because it can virtually stop anything from penetrating through. So it’s quite a material when it comes to preventing ‘unwanted visitors’ from reaching places.
Moreover, a silicone keyboard cover is easy to manage, and you can use the same unit until it finally tears apart. Finally, it’s washable and doesn’t weigh too much, so it’s always a lovely addition to your laptop or MacBook.
Now that you know how to stick a silicone keyboard cover, it shouldn’t be a problem if you want to install or change it on your laptop keyboard.
However, please make sure to use a quality silicone cover that doesn’t tear off easily.
