Keyboard key cleaning

[mikeblas]

I love old IBM PS/2 clickety "model M" keyboards.

When I buy them from eBay, sometimes they arrive dirty. And afteer I use 'em for years, they get funky. Goo accumulates on the keytops.

This article suggests removing them from they keyboard, putting them all into an old stocking, and washing them. Has anyone tried that? Does it really work? Safely?

Seems to me that the agitation and all the sharp edges would rip the nylon and my next posting would be about replacing the drain pump on the washer.

Any other methods for cleaning keys?

.B ekiM

 

[Tenchi4U]

rubbing alcohol and a towel seem to work for me as far as cleaning the keys

as for crumbs and junk under the keys, I use compressed air and turn it upside down and shake it vigorously

You could always take it apart, keyboard are pretty simple devices to disassemble (No disassemble Number 5!!!! )

 

[gud4u]

The plastic keys pull off quite easily. About once a year, I pull the keys and wipe down all sides with a paper towel and windex.

I use a wire paper clip bent U-shaped, with opposing 'hooks' about 1/16" - just like a chip-puller. If you have a chip-puller, that might work.

Hope this helps!

 

[mikeblas]

I pull the keys and wipe down all sides with a paper towel and windex.

The keys pop off the IBM keyboards very easily, so that's solved. You can just pull them off with your fingers; no tools are required. It's not the keyboard crumb tray I'm worried about; it's the key caps themselves.

I'm just trying to figure out what the best solvent is for cleaning them, or the best method for cleaning them en masse is.

.B ekiM