Keyboard Cleaning

[dirtybuck]

I've heard and read keyboards can harbor quite a few germs, so I'm wondering what methods some of you use to clean yours.

Although canned air does do a good job of blowing the dust out, it really offers nothing in the form of disinfecting. I'm SERIOUSLY considering popping all the keys off (but taking a picture of the board first to make sure I put the keys back in their proper space) and letting them soak in a mild solution of antibacterial Joy or Ajax. While that is being done, the area underneath will be cleaned with the vacuum cleaner, followed by a damp rag or Clorox Wipe.

After the soak, the keys will then go into a colander for a good rinsing in moderately warm water.

I also try to wipe down the mouse at least every week and a half to two weeks.

 

[jetsystem1200]

These work very well! It's called Cyber Clean and it's basically an antibacterial putty/goo that you move about the keyboard which also gets the gunk from in between the keys. I've posted a link to the Amazon US page.

http://www.amazon.com/Cyber-Clean-25055-Office-Pop-up/dp/B00375JBL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319294672&sr=8-1

 

[foraloysius]

There are several threads in the archives that mention keyboards being cleaned in the dishwasher.

 

[dirtybuck]

foraloysius:

The dishwasher here is manual...ME!

More than likely what I'll do is take the keys and put them in a colander, fill the sink up with water and put the colander in the soapy water, swishing them around periodically. Same thing will go for the rinse as well.

 

[aquarius8000]

I use blutack to get inbetween the keys. works. water can break the keyboard, my old one broke doing that.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Senseless to deep clean a keyboard, that's an area that you will never touch (under the keyboard)!
Blow with air then wipe keys with Clorox/Lysol antibacterial once a week or less if you're the only one on it and daily if it's a work/library pc.
Don't forget to do the mouse and pad!

 

[whirlcool]

I have resurrected keyboards by putting them in the bath tub before!
A friend had a keyboard that he spilled fish sauce into. The keyboard stopped working and he bought a new one. He have me the old one. I took it home, put in in hot water in the bath tub. Swished it around a little bit. Then used pressurized air to blow all the dirt and moisture out. Hung it up in the garage for a month.

I then took it in the house, plugged it in and it worked perfectly!

But then again it wasn't a cheap keyboard either, it was a heavy duty Keytronics similar to the early IBM PC keyboards.

 

[DADoES]

 
I have run a keyboard through my dishwasher.  Micro Innovations brand, it was given to me by a friend, very grungy.  Left it to dry for several weeks, works nicely.

 

[lordkenmore]

I'd say a surface wiping should be good enough. I THINK I've heard official suggestions about Chlorox Wipes from manufacturers. My local library uses--or used to use--isopropyl alcohol. Although the alcohol MIGHT, one supposes, harm printing on key caps or something. But I never noticed any problem.

 

My big worry about taking the keyboard apart is whether it could be put back together and work. It seems like a lot of modern stuff is made so it can't be serviced.

 

[whirlpolf]

depends on what is expected

1. dust-off: using a vacuum regularly, duster tool. gets rid of all the dust and the fluff

2. anti-sticky keys: wipe off with window cleaner, if wanted then even between the keys.

3. malfunctioning keyboards (when letters are missing when pressing down a key): complete disassembly: keys off (poke them out with a knife or a flat screwdriver, soak in all-purpose cleaner). then: disassemble contact pad: take out and give it a thorough wipe-down with denaturated alcohol (wash alcohol), repeat on the capacitor contacts within the frame. Meanwhile: Wash and dry keys using a good brush (old toothbrushes or similar).
dry off the capacitor pad with paper towels or blow dry the whole unit on low or medium heat. Reassemble keyboard.

Depends whether the customer is a Mac user (they pay for their beloved thingies) or a PC user (they usually go for a new keyboard as can be had for some 15,- € and up, depending on multimedia switches).

I personally don't care about who cares for what method: Baby wants a dummy? Baby will GET a dummy! We will do anything.
Done, paid, thanks again next time. *Shrugs* Next one!

 

[dirtybuck]

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Here's what it looked like after all the keys were removed.

GROSS! However, the vacuum cleaner (with the upholstery brush attachment) and a damp rag handled the job quite well..

So now, it's all clean. When I can, I'll buy a small bottle of white model paint and a very thin haired paint brush to touch up some of the letters and numbers. Persistent typing on some of those letters has caused the decal to fade and wear off.

It was a good thing I took pics of it before I took the keys off. I had trouble remembering where some of the "odd" keys went.

 

[whirlcool]

We call that stuff "keyboard dandruff".

I can get quality Keytronics keyboards for next to nothing if anyone is interested. Brand new in the box w/warranty. E-mail me is interested.

One type of keyboard you have to watch out for is the ones with the keys in little tubes. Sometimes removing the keycap will remove the plunger in the tube. This may or not permanently break the keyboard, so be careful!

 

[mattl]

My keyboard is getting a little grungy, but I'm not going to risk it in the dishwasher.  It's a split section Onmikey by Northgate, and they are rare.  Have not found a keyboard that I like as much.   It has the ALPS switches for the keys, so they are firm and have a good, solid click.

 

Here is a picture I found, mine has a track pad in the middle that I never use.

 

[beekeyknee]

I put the round brush on the Kirby and give it a good vac every couple of weeks and then wipe down with Lysol sprayed on a lint free cloth. Seems to work just fine.

 

[spookiness]

dishwasher!

I am bad and eat at my desk too often, so keyboard can get gross.

Yep, I'm one of the folks who just puts it in the dishwasher (no detergent), then lets it dry a good long time with the help of a fan. Its never damaged a keyboard, and even if it did, I already have spares that have accumulated.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I Wish I Could--or NEEDED TO--Do This More Often!!!!!!

Fortunately a nail file, a business card or even a hunk of paper can get my keyboard clean...!

The "junk" in there might be a bit disgusting, but I have never imagined a more enjoyable past-time, than the fun of getting "the little crappies",--which mostly are dust!--from in-between my computer keyboard's keys!

-- Dave

 

[maytagbear]

This is a laptop

so, putting the keyboard in the dishwasher would not be a splendid idea. At all.

However, I have started to use the crevice tool of my Miele Capricorn on the keyboard at least twice a week.

Gotta keep those toast crumbs at bay!

When I think of it, I use an alcohol injection prep wipe on the keys once in a while. (Mostly after peanut butter toast.)

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[iheartmaytag]

Our tech guy at work puts ours in the dishwasher.   Top rack, 1/2 detergent, no heat boost short wash.

We recently had an employee that had her stomach release it's contents on the keyboard.  I honestly thought the keyboard was trash.  He put it in the GE and 45 minutes later.  good as new.   Ok, actually it was more that 45 minutes. The 45 mintues was just for the wash.  He let it set for a few days to dry out before plugging it back in.

 

 

[aladude]

I find the most effective way to remove the keys is with a spoon. Then I soak the keys in a weak soap and warm water solution over night, and then let them dry completely. My Apple keyboards with the clear plastic housing need cleaning fairly often since you can see so much more debris.