Cleaning

SmoodCrooznSmoodCroozn Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22310Members
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Keyboards!</div> Well, my keyboard is almost 2 years old and has lots of dust and pieces of food in it so it's probably time for a cleanage. I'm wondering how to go about this: Do I want to shake it up, or do I want to go manually in and wipe everything clean? Are there parts of the keyboard that shoul not be touched? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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Comments

  • TrevelyanTrevelyan Join Date: 2003-03-23 Member: 14834Members
    edited April 2005
    two years?

    Please just buy a new one... have you any idea the crap that lurks under the keys? and the bacteria from your hands... eww.... plz just get a new one! My old keyboard I cleaned once after a year of use... and then i retired it as a backup keyboard and picked up a new one.

    Edit: You really can't "break" a keyboard by cleaning it if you don't submerge it. Pop the keys off and take a look at what I'm talking about... its safe you can pop the keys back on when you're done.

    <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    I hear throwing it in the dishwasher works wonders. :-)
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  • Seph_KimaraSeph_Kimara Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19359Members
    edited April 2005
    pop off the keys and soak them in warm soapy water for a while, let them dry, clear the gunk and dirt from the space left carefully, then reassemble it. Just don't try popping off the space bar, it's a **** to put back on right.
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  • theclamtheclam Join Date: 2004-08-01 Member: 30290Members
    edited April 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-Cyndane+Apr 7 2005, 07:30 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Cyndane @ Apr 7 2005, 07:30 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I hear throwing it in the dishwasher works wonders.  :-) <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I've heard this too. Just run it through the dishwasher with no soap and it will be clean.

    Make sure to let it dry completely before using it.
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  • ChronoChrono Local flyboy Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18989Members
    i took my entire keyboard apart once to clean it i found alot of dirt in there but once the job was done it felt like a brand new keyboard <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • ShoeboxShoebox Join Date: 2004-11-15 Member: 32817Members
    hmmm i think my keyboard is past the 2 year mark. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • LoDwkeefLoDwkeef Join Date: 2003-10-08 Member: 21512Members
    lol, my keyboard is approaching the 4 year mark and still hasnt been cleaned <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • MulletMullet Join Date: 2003-04-28 Member: 15910Members, Constellation
    Mine is 5 years old and I've never cleaned it...mmmmmmmm
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  • TrevelyanTrevelyan Join Date: 2003-03-23 Member: 14834Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Mullet+Apr 7 2005, 09:18 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mullet @ Apr 7 2005, 09:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Mine is 5 years old and I've never cleaned it...mmmmmmmm <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i dare you to lick it.

    <!--emo&::gorge::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • LofungLofung Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30757Members
    edited April 2005
    6 years, mine has been a home for cockroaches <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    Edit: omg diaplay COC*
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  • RatonetwothreetwooneRatonetwothreetwoone Join Date: 2004-03-23 Member: 27504Members
    OH YEAH?! MINE IS SEVEN YEARS OLD
    it has rat feces in it!!!

    winner!!! \o/
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  • TheSaviorTheSavior Join Date: 2003-10-14 Member: 21688Members
    6 year old compaq keyboard...

    I clean it every 3 months by hand, when I'm reformatting, which I also do every 3 months... popping off every key and scrubbing it all till' it's good and clean.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    In all honesty, I say that unless its just really funky in there, or some keys aren't working, leave it the way it is. Usually when you try to clean a keyboard all you suceed in doing is bringing the crud into a spot where its easier to see yet you still can't get it out.
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  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    1. Pick up board.

    2. Turn board order.

    3. Shake.

    4. Eat debris.
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  • ZaggyZaggy NullPointerException The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-12-10 Member: 24214Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Onos, Subnautica Playtester
    You could take off all buttons and use a rag and toothbrush to clean it all..
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  • NecroticNecrotic Big Girl&#39;s Blouse Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 53Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--QuoteBegin-Mantrid+Apr 8 2005, 05:45 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mantrid @ Apr 8 2005, 05:45 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> 4. Eat debris. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    This is a definate do, over the years all those dorito crumbs and splashes of mountain dew have formed a tangy and energy filled paste lurking just under the surface of your keys.

    But yeah, some keyboards are easier to clean than others, just pop a couple of keys off and see how easy they are to get back on if it takes more effort than you're willing to put into your keyboard than go buy a new one <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • PithlitPithlit Join Date: 2003-05-07 Member: 16120Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    If you decide to clean it and not buy a new one, please dont forget to make a dustbunny out of what you got and post the picture in the competition ^^
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  • funbagsfunbags Join Date: 2003-06-08 Member: 17099Members
    I've had my keyboard for 5 years, I bang it upside down to clear some of the larger pieces of "stuff", and did a COMPLETE cleaning job (Soaked the parts, popped all the keys of, q-tip job, etc.) once.

    It's my favorite keyboard in the entire world. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    My keyboard has some strange grooves in the Right Shift key... anyone else have this? I'll post a pic later.
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  • SoulSkorpionSoulSkorpion Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 423Members
    Take all the keys off, unscrew the case, remove the circuitry and chuck all the plastic bits (the keys, the case, everything) in a sink full of soapy water. Wash all the crap off, rinse all the soapy residue off, dry everything carefully and reassemble it. Worked for me.

    Having a spare keyboard helps if you're lazy and want to let the keys soak\dry by themselves but still want to use your computer in the meantime (believe me, character map is <i>not</i> up to the task).
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  • AlienCowAlienCow Join Date: 2003-09-20 Member: 21040Members
    You really wouldn't want to see the surface of my keyboard and mouse, let alone whatever lurks underneath the keys.
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  • V_MANV_MAN V-MAN Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 6217Members, Constellation
    I have been meaning to clean mine for ages, it's nearly 4 years old and have never been cleaned some of the keys are sticking (W especially) and I shudder to think what is making them stick.

    Some of the dirt I actually recognise, sitting just under the right control key for example there's a bit of gold foil that came off a bottle of Beer when I was playing NS on Haloween back in 2002 <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->.
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  • Cold_NiTeCold_NiTe Join Date: 2003-09-15 Member: 20875Members
    I might try the dishwasher thing.
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  • SnidelySnidely Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13098Members
    I use a can of compressed air to clear out the movable debris from under the keys. Works wonders for me.

    Never had anything that might be considered a paste, so I've never had to go as far as disassembling my keyboard. (:
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  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    I just take the top part of the keyboard off and soak it in roasting hot water for a while. Then I use a hair dryer to dry it. I haven't had to clean this keyboard yet but that method has worked well with my previous ones,
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