Cleaning a dirty keyboard... how?

raydouble · 07-01-2005, 07:42 PM

The keys have dirty rings around them from dirty fingers.

How can I get them back to normal? I don't wanna get any liquid in there... plus I don't want to pull any keys off. Any ideas? Maybe a Q-tip with some kinda solvent? Thnx

vancenase · 07-01-2005, 07:44 PM

i normally use windex or rubbing alcohol with a q-tip or rag/tissue of some sort. no apparent damage so far!

kwsanders · 07-02-2005, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vancenase


	i normally use windex or rubbing alcohol with a q-tip or rag/tissue of some sort. no apparent damage so far!

Yea, as long as you do not just pour the alcohol onto the keys out of the bottle, this should be fine. I eat at my desk, so I have noticed a few crumbs in the bottom of the keyboard. I need to get a can of compressed air and clean mine out.

JDV · 07-02-2005, 09:45 AM

I routinely clean keyboards (although I'm not convinced it wouldn't be cheaper to buy new keyboards than the amount of time I spend), but there doesn't seem to be any problems in removing the key caps if done carefully. In some cases, that's the only way to clean a "sticky" key. (Until recently, the area was not a smoke-free zone, and the combinantion of cigarette ash and general tars from smoking can really gum up the works.

If you DO remove the key caps, you can use a mild detergent to clean them and long as you dry them carefully. There are a few products out there for cleaning the surface using a plastic rod with essentially an alcohol swab on either end, but I see no great adavantge to those over Q-tips and alcohol (in moderation, of course! and preferably without too many flavor-enhancers).

The keycaps come off with minimal extraction force and snap easily back into place. I use compressed air to clean the dust, ashes and crumbs that accumulate in the plastic casing. It is POSSIBLE to remove the casing with a tiny hex wrench, but probably generally not worth it. So, unless your are brutal about your attempts to remove the keycaps, it is highly unlikely that you'll damage the board. I haven't yet, and I've cleaned a fair number.

Joe VanZandt

acme.mail.order · 07-02-2005, 10:28 AM

People, it's a keyboard, not the Crown Jewels. It's a collection of injection-moulded plastic parts with a low replacement cost if you wreck it.

Pop off the keys with anything convenient. Many convenient things are found in the kitchen. Start in one corner and work your way across. Dump them in a small mesh bag like the laundry bags used for delicates. Hand-hot water and whatever soap is convenient. Soak, shake, rinse, dry.

Photocopy the kbd first so you know where the odd keys go.

JDV: I've done full disassemblies for beer/cola contaminated boards, it is cheaper to buy a new one

I used to repair parachutes in the 90's. I loved the expression on people's faces when they asked me how to clean oil of the parachute, and I promptly dumped a generous amount of lighter fluid on it. Didn't hurt the nylon at all.

vancenase · 07-02-2005, 12:03 PM

i guess i've never tried this ... do the keys on the iBook or PowerBook 'pop' off?

acme.mail.order · 07-02-2005, 08:11 PM

Sadly, laptop kbds are different. They may, or may not, be designed to come off without damage. And they're a lot more expensive. When I clean a laptop kbd I pull it from the machine and use the aforementioned qtips to get into the crevices.

giskard22 · 07-02-2005, 09:49 PM

The keys actually come of pretty easily on recent Mac portables if you're careful. On the aluminum PowerBooks the keys are attached with metal pieces. You can remove the keys fairly easily without damage. On iBooks and Titanium PBs, the mounting brackets are plastic. You need to be just a bit more careful.

On all models, I believe it's appropriate to pry from the left or right sides of the key, not the top or bottom.

giskard22 · 07-02-2005, 09:50 PM

BTW, someone told me they clean desktop keyboards by putting them through the dishwasher without detergent and let them dry thoroughly. I think I'd be comfortable doing that with an old serial keyboard, but probably not a nice Apple one with a USB hub in it.

Then again, it's only a $29 experiment.

07-01-2005, 07:42 PM	#1
raydouble Major Leaguer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 353	Cleaning a dirty keyboard... how? The keys have dirty rings around them from dirty fingers. How can I get them back to normal? I don't wanna get any liquid in there... plus I don't want to pull any keys off. Any ideas? Maybe a Q-tip with some kinda solvent? Thnx

07-02-2005, 09:45 AM	#4
JDV Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 3,194	removing keys doesn't seem to be a problem I routinely clean keyboards (although I'm not convinced it wouldn't be cheaper to buy new keyboards than the amount of time I spend), but there doesn't seem to be any problems in removing the key caps if done carefully. In some cases, that's the only way to clean a "sticky" key. (Until recently, the area was not a smoke-free zone, and the combinantion of cigarette ash and general tars from smoking can really gum up the works. If you DO remove the key caps, you can use a mild detergent to clean them and long as you dry them carefully. There are a few products out there for cleaning the surface using a plastic rod with essentially an alcohol swab on either end, but I see no great adavantge to those over Q-tips and alcohol (in moderation, of course! and preferably without too many flavor-enhancers). The keycaps come off with minimal extraction force and snap easily back into place. I use compressed air to clean the dust, ashes and crumbs that accumulate in the plastic casing. It is POSSIBLE to remove the casing with a tiny hex wrench, but probably generally not worth it. So, unless your are brutal about your attempts to remove the keycaps, it is highly unlikely that you'll damage the board. I haven't yet, and I've cleaned a fair number. Joe VanZandt Last edited by JDV; 07-02-2005 at 09:47 AM. Reason: correct spelling

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07-01-2005, 07:44 PM	#2
vancenase All Star Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: OH Posts: 934	i normally use windex or rubbing alcohol with a q-tip or rag/tissue of some sort. no apparent damage so far!

07-02-2005, 10:28 AM	#5
acme.mail.order Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,285	People, it's a keyboard, not the Crown Jewels. It's a collection of injection-moulded plastic parts with a low replacement cost if you wreck it. Pop off the keys with anything convenient. Many convenient things are found in the kitchen. Start in one corner and work your way across. Dump them in a small mesh bag like the laundry bags used for delicates. Hand-hot water and whatever soap is convenient. Soak, shake, rinse, dry. Photocopy the kbd first so you know where the odd keys go. JDV: I've done full disassemblies for beer/cola contaminated boards, it is cheaper to buy a new one I used to repair parachutes in the 90's. I loved the expression on people's faces when they asked me how to clean oil of the parachute, and I promptly dumped a generous amount of lighter fluid on it. Didn't hurt the nylon at all.

07-02-2005, 12:03 PM	#6
vancenase All Star Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: OH Posts: 934	i guess i've never tried this ... do the keys on the iBook or PowerBook 'pop' off?

07-02-2005, 08:11 PM	#7
acme.mail.order Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,285	Sadly, laptop kbds are different. They may, or may not, be designed to come off without damage. And they're a lot more expensive. When I clean a laptop kbd I pull it from the machine and use the aforementioned qtips to get into the crevices.

07-02-2005, 09:49 PM	#8
giskard22 Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,251	The keys actually come of pretty easily on recent Mac portables if you're careful. On the aluminum PowerBooks the keys are attached with metal pieces. You can remove the keys fairly easily without damage. On iBooks and Titanium PBs, the mounting brackets are plastic. You need to be just a bit more careful. On all models, I believe it's appropriate to pry from the left or right sides of the key, not the top or bottom.

07-02-2005, 09:50 PM	#9
giskard22 Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,251	BTW, someone told me they clean desktop keyboards by putting them through the dishwasher without detergent and let them dry thoroughly. I think I'd be comfortable doing that with an old serial keyboard, but probably not a nice Apple one with a USB hub in it. Then again, it's only a $29 experiment.