What's the Best Way to Clean a Computer Keyboard?

Some of them can be cleaned this way, provided you let them fully dry - it takes a lot longer than you'd think. Compressed air can clean out some gunk, but usually does not fix a destroyed key. If it's a membrane-type keyboard, contact cleaner can work. Usually, they simply get physically degraded over time and wear out. What kind of mac keyboard is it? The laptop-style ones are much less user-serviceable.

Canned air will likely be your best bet if your problem is just external grunge preventing full motion of the key. If the contacts though are getting lousy, there's no telling which key will be next. I Googled several Mac compatible keyboards under $25.

I think I'll try the dishwasher, though I wonder about how much soap to use?

I believe the neighbor has a dishwasher machine.

Any idea on soap, and drying technique and time?

Thanks very much guys! P.S. The Keyboards are for I Mac and G 4 machines. I'm holding off from proceeding till soap issue is answered, though if I don't get more info think possibly something like an eighth to quarter normal dishwashing detergent sensible.

Just a little soap. Or a citrus cleaner.

I would just soak the keyboard in hot soapy water for 20 minutes , or so. Swish it around and move it so that the water/soap/citrus solution moves around inside.

Then, remove from the solution and dry the keyboard by letting it drain by holding it up vertically. You can "sling" the keyboard around your head to accelerate the drying process.

Rinse in hot clean water. DI/bottled water is ok.

Then rinse in isopropyl alcohol/water mix. let dry in the vertical position for a day.

You can "sling" the keyboard around your head to accelerate the drying process.

Or, buy a new keyboard.

Transcendian,

What is the key in the lower right corner of your defective keyboard?

I am not familiar with IMac and G4 keyboards.

Jon

A good way to get water out of (or off of) something is to put it in a vacuum chamber. The lower pressure accelerates the liquid/vapor transition. Do you have one at work?

One thing to keep in mind is: if the item you put under vacuum has any sealed devices (that are maybe internally at around atmospheric pressure) they could rupture due to the pressure difference. Of coarse 1 Atm. is not much pressure.

Canned air and a little Pledge on a 1 1/2 in paint brush. The brush can loosen up quite a bit of crap that has gotten under the keys. It may be best to take apart and do this.

My wife used cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol, and it is working for her.

She said she spent about 20 minutes on it.

This implies that Del's Tv needs to be looked at by Mrs. Del., before he shoots it with the Chinese Repeating Crossbow.

It had crossed my mind to send it to him on a slow boat, for artistic target practice events.

The monitor will be pierced by Del's arrows. Regardless of condition. The bolt is cast!

Yes, he does want to shoot it.

Still he might fake it, as was the Moon landing Faked!

I think Mrs. Del may well be the decider. This is especially proper since Mrs. Del is likely to be Director of Photography.

Bashing and beating of the Monitor will increase dramatic impact, along with multiple other weapons of destruction and lethality being applied to the misbehaving, non working, monitor.

I did one time throw a TV off a bridge.

It was not a particularly satisfying event.

A year later I got a Red Plastic Sylvania B&W 19 inch Television.

We watched the TV, me and my girl that first night of possession of a working TV.

Can't remember anything of what was on that night, but I myself had vivid dreams.

There is the great Cadillac TV Crash Photo orchestrated by the video sculptor Nam Jun Piak that is an expression of our love and hate relationship with our modern machines, and the lives they give us.

-pretty sure that is Piak, but you have likely seen the picture of the Cadillac running into a wall of televisions.

I may eventually get to the deeper meanings of these impulses, and possibly find something profound to say, but not today.

"Still he might fake it, as was the Moon landing Faked!" Don't go there!!!

Somewhere near Amarillo Texas, there a dozen or so old Cadillacs buried about half way into the ground, all at about a 30 degree tilt off vertical.

Never figured that one out.

Unless you have a really high-end keyboard, PC replacement keyboards are generally cheap. I dont know whether MAC keyboards are more expensive or not.

I did many times this way- Disassemble key board, keep PCB and mylar foils at a side with connecting cable. immerses all plastic in warm soap water and leave for 30Minuets. rub it with some cotton and rinse twice or thrice,

Leave in sunlight for drying and reassemble again.It work very well.

Mac here---Go to Apple support, and ask them what chemicals/caustics/cleaners are deemed to be o.k.---Plastics and plasticizers are all different , and you need to find something gentle enough, but effective enough to handle the problem---I have about 5 different electronics cleaners (CRC, etc).) that advertise that they will break corrosion, , yet not harm the plastics--Good luck and let us all hear what you find---My keyboard more resembles a backporch, than an electronic device---MAC

In my neck of the woods you can buy a new keyboard for $19US or so. Why bother with cleaning it.

There are cleaners for electrical stuff. ARE U NUTS? Wouldn't recommend the sink bit. What you should do is not eat and drink while on the computer and wash your hands before using it. Give MAC a call and ask them. That's what you pay for.

Around 15 or 20 years ago, I helped a guy clean about 30 grungy Mac keyboards at an elementary school by soaking them overnight in dish washing detergent in water, then multiple rinses, air blow, and natural summer air dry. A couple worked immediately; all worked within a week.

BUT, that was back when each key actually had a separate switch. With today's membrane keyboards, it would be much more difficult to get the water out. Unless you can actually separate the membranes to dry them, I don't think it will work.

If you do choose to try the dishwasher, make sure the internal heater is OFF. The heat will almost certainly curl the membranes.

Have you tried removing the key cap and cleaning just around that key. I use a tiny flat screwdriver wrapped with a tiny piece of paper towel moistened with Fantastic to remove sticky stuff, which usually contains sugar.

Please report your results!

Why you want to clean Key Board? mine Key Board is always covered so no dust enters Key Board. I also clean my hands before using key board so it always remains chick clean.Now better buy new one "Microsoft" new model it is cheap and has latest versions.

I believe OP said his machine was a MAC. :D

Pull of all keys. There is a special tool to do that, but also a small screwdriver can do the job. Put the keys in a linnen sack. Throw it in the laundry machine together with the "colored" (ask your wife for detailed instructions). While washing clean keyboard with air and/or harmless solvent. After keys are washed, dry with air or in the sun. Push keys back onto keyboard...

Just remember to take a picture before pulling off all the keys!

If it's just the 'return' key, which gets most hammering you might have a dry solder joint to the circuit board under the switch - should be easy to check before you chuck the keyboard in the soapy water. If you ever spill coca-cola on a keyboard get it into warm water as fast as possible as it eats right through the copper tracks within hours! We used to do this with POS keyboards then dry them under the hand dryers in the gents toilet - they usually worked ok afterwards.

Hello,

If is the cheap plastic type take to wide open area sling around head 3x and let go the cord, dust off and put back in service, if performance has not improved replace it.

If is aluminium type * pry off key caps with small flat blade screw driver and then scrub all with tooth brush, be careful to return caps to original location

*note cap remove instructions

"sling around head 3x and let go the cord," Have Del pierce with arrow fired from old long bow.

"If is aluminium type" Shoot with large pistol.

Let us not be unnecessarily violent.

Why not throw it on Kris's tub or vice versa, one of them will take care of other (or both) at least you will get the key board cleaned. That's what the bath tub is meant for isn't it?

"Let us not be unnecessarily violent."? I'm not! C4 would be unnecessarily violent.

"Thermitic material" would be............ Oh never mind that.

And don't start with the bath breaking thing, again, please.

Dear Guru,

You can learn cleaning key-boards latter but first learn to manage wife. My wife will be very happy if I use her keyboard or any thing. Managing wife is an art and dividends are priceless. I am going to complete 25 yrs of married life on 22nd this month. (Note: I do not know whether she is managing me or proudly I can say I am managing her????)