Cleaning a keyboard

So how would you do it? I was listening to the radio (PBS) today and they were talking about using the dishwasher, and letting it air dry for a week. I got in late on the story, so I don't know if they used any soap or not.

After a couple of years (decades?) mine looks pretty grungy, but works fine. I had one previous that I spilled a diet drink into it, but worked fine after airdrying.

The hard part for me is the sides of the keys. I can see where a dishwasher might have some appeal.

Thoughts?

 

I saw that dishwasher advice, too. rolleyes What I did was pull ALL the keys off (carefully prying under them) and soaked them in a good safe cleaner, wiped them with a rag to remove any stubborn stuff, rinsed, let them dry, and then replaced them. Under my keys was the last screw I needed to get at (the rest were on the backside), so that I could open the case and get to the pad and wipe it off also.I suppose you could throw the keys and top casing into a dishwasher, but I would be leery about throwing the whole thing in. One more thing, have a diagram of where the keys go back to.

 

They are actuall fairly simple to disassemble and clean, but you can find them new for around $10, a bit more for fancier ones.

 

Yeah, but I'm too cheap to buy a new keyboard just to clean it. Don't really fancy taking it apart either, though I've done it on older rarer computers, the kind you can't get parts for anymore.

The dishwasher idea sounds interesting, I might try it just to see how it works. But you can bet I'll have another keyboard in reserve to replace it while it dries, and possibly doesn't bounce back.

 

Could end up buying one anyway, if it doesn't work. LOL Let us know the result.

 

I expect someone had been reading the book
'Repairing & Upgrading your PC' by RThompson and B Thompson.

The dishwasher technique is discussed at some length and with photographs on pages 346/7

Basically they suggest no keyboard disassembly
Cool program plus normal dishwasher stuff
Air Dry finish

Then the good part bake in the oven for 2 hours at 150 deg F

Garnish with olives and serve with Frascati.



Studio T

 

Local thrift stores have working keyboards for one to three dollars. I usually disassemble, clean, reassemble. Chocolate syrup is the worst.:banghead

 

Ah, a man of experience. I have found regular sodas to be catastrophic, but diet doesn't have any sugar. Sticky is bad.

I have LOTS of spare keyboards, you tend to get attached to one after a while, hence the grunge.

On others I've tryied cleaners like 409, but they can remove the labels clean off.

If I do this I'll let you know how it goes.

 

dishwashers work, just make sure u take them out before it starts to dry otherwise=melted keyboard