Washing Keyboards

someone reads slashdot

theres alot of minerals in water that when left behind after a washing could cause problems.

ive never done it personally, i just wiped it down when unplugged with a good clean and damp cloth.
 
But there's shit underneath the keys... friend doesn't want to hand wash with q-tips lol
 
i washed one of my old keyboards, came out looking brand new. i didnt use any soap, and i took it apart and let it dry out for a few days.
 
lohkie said:
Heard that it was OK to dishwash them, just looking for a confirmation.
Click to expand...

I read that here once and tried it. It looked swell when it came out but it never worked again! :D

GL
 
Papa-Ming said:
I read that here once and tried it. It looked swell when it came out but it never worked again! :D

GL
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm out a Logitech Elite keyboard, using a regular dell one :(
 
I took mine apart and washed everything but the small bit of electronics inside it. After drying, I put it back together and now it works fine! (To think my wife wanted to throw it away because of some spilled orange juice)
 
Just pop the keys off and wipe it off with a rag. That takes a lot less time when you factor in how long it takes to dry if you use the dish washer.
 
I just use the handheld sprayer; puts out enough pressure to wash under the keys without hurting anything. An old toothbrush is good for the keycaps.
 
I tried that once. Didn't work for me... it was hosed afterwards.. I press one key and another key displayed... that's basically how it went for the whole keyboard. :D
 
Hmmmm, handheld sprayer as in the one off the kitchen faucet?
I have an old ms natural keyboard, that a couple of keys are kind of sticking, I may be willing to try that on, you know, take one for the team, so to speak.

It just might work if it's allowed to dry long enough, a week or so, and the internals aren't "swimming"
 
oboyco said:
Hmmmm, handheld sprayer as in the one off the kitchen faucet?
I have an old ms natural keyboard, that a couple of keys are kind of sticking, I may be willing to try that on, you know, take one for the team, so to speak.

It just might work if it's allowed to dry long enough, a week or so, and the internals aren't "swimming"
Click to expand...

Yeah, from the kitchen faucet.

I do this to keyboards from a very high-use environment, occasionally from very filthy users who don't give a shit about the hardware. Of course, washed or not, those keyboards tend to last about a year before they show serious problems; the washing just makes that year a little more pleasant. Under better conditions, I'm not sure how much impact the washing would have.
 
lohkie said:
Heard that it was OK to dishwash them, just looking for a confirmation.
Click to expand...
Washing a keyboard is like washing a car with new paint. You can soak it down, but work fast to dry off the water with a towel before it dries and leaves water spots.

Same with keyboards, I just threw mine after I tore it apart into the bathtub/shower with hot water before I went in. It was soapy in there, and I needed to get the tobacco out of the keys (it was a free keyboard given to me).

I washed it, took it out, and soaked up the water with a towel. Air from an air compressor would help too. But in the end, the keyboard works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top