WD40 on kreyboard

Well, my friend instead of putting of using a can of air to dry it off (she spilled sprite on it) she used wd40. She didn't read the label. So I told her to turn it off and turn it over to let it dry out. Any other help?!?!?

Since WD40 is oil based, it will not completely dry,
You will need to open up the keyboard and clean the connectors with a clean lint free cloth. I would clean all parts if I was you.

Bummer! :shk:

I would even take it to a professional and have it cleaned. There's probably all kind of gunkification in there from the sprite and wd-40 and dust and cat hair...

And, uh... no more drinks around the computer.

And, some glasses for your friend.

If its really bad, just toss it and buy a new one. Keyboards are fairly cheap. Unless this is a quality one you own.

Might want to pop it open and clean it out. Its a good idea to clean them out once in awhile anyway.

Dulcimer I todl her to do that.. but then she was like... MY DAD IS GONNA KILL ME... haha... well... I think the best bet for is to get a new keyboard. Thanks for the help.

Ok she has a backup keyboard at least. Well her dads wants to salavge this one. Well he calls the tech service peopel and they say to put it in the dishwasher and wash and dry it. o.O

Too much of this - And too much of this - :w:

I used a butter knife to pop the keys off and just tossed them into a sink full of water with a bit of dish soap. They cleaned up great.

I used windex on q-tips and paper towels to clean under the keys after giving it a going over with a vacuum and fluffy brush attachment.

I was very surprised at how gross it was down there after popping the keys off. YUCK

I used a second keyboard to put all the keys back in the proper place and my only problem is a sticky backspace button. (nothing a little WD40 won't take care of)

Next time though, I'm spending the $14.00 to buy a new one.

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I'm using an old IBM keyboard that's built like a tank. I think it predates the invention of the mouse or something, so the keys are incredibly sensitive, never get stuck. It make loud clicky noise when I type, like a typewriter. Top quality, so I take great care of it. Unlike cheap keyboards "made in China" nowadays.

Once every couple months I take it apart, I remove the electronics, and I clean it in the bath with soap and water. I remember seeing on the Discovery channel they said a regularly used keyboard that never been cleaned is dirtyer than a toilet seat. Ewww! Envoy eating that fruit with your hands while you're typing!

Mod Edit: Image Size – Please Review This Link.



[edit on 9/10/2005 by Mirthful Me]

Originally posted by ufia
I'm using an old IBM keyboard that's built like a tank. I think it predates the invention of the mouse or something, so the keys are incredibly sensitive, never get stuck. It make loud clicky noise when I type, like a typewriter. Top quality, so I take great care of it.

Once every couple months I take it apart, I remove the electronics, and I clean it in the bath with soap and water.

Wow, I have one of those with an old 486 in my garage! How do you go about giving it (or most other keyboards for that matter) a thorough clean aside from popping the keys off and cleaning them? For my laptop I am a little worried in case I can't get my keys back on again and leave the keyboard bit with gaping holes on my otherwise nice looking laptop!

Today I took all the keys off my keyboard and gave it a thorough clean and wipe down. I kenw it was gross down there... but no that gross!

Originally posted by Infidellic
Wow, I have one of those with an old 486 in my garage! How do you go about giving it (or most other keyboards for that matter) a thorough clean aside from popping the keys off and cleaning them? For my laptop I am a little worried in case I can't get my keys back on again and leave the keyboard bit with gaping holes on my otherwise nice looking laptop!

You need a picture of your keyboard to put keys back in the right place. My keyboard is easy to open with screws in the back, I know some newer keyboards are "clipped" so you have to force it open, hoping it will not break in the process.

Unfortunally, I doubt laptop keys are removable. I think if you try to pop out a key it will break and you will never be able to put it back again. But I have no laptop handy to test that, I can't confirm.

I can't believe what I read. Windex??????
Argh!

There is a cleaner that has a specific "no flash point" that keyboards, telephones, and other electronic components can be deep cleaned with. Laptop keyboards generally cannot be taken apart key by key, btw. Usually it is one complete piece.

I can't believe what I read. Windex??????
Argh!

I put the Windex in a shot glass and dipped the q-tips in it to clean around those squares underneath that the keys sit in. I also sprayed it onto paper towel to wipe the large surfaces.

I spent about 2 hours cleaning the beer out of my board and it was actually a nice little project to undertake. Putting the keys back was like doing a puzzle or something. I put another keyboard beside it and started with QWERTY, it was a process of elimination that went pretty quick.

I also took a look at my old Toshiba laptop and I don't think the keys will come off of that, but I didn't want to pry too hard. The key I tried to remove was giving some resistance so I left it in peace.

I know we have a lot of members that know computers inside and out, but I get the impression that the opposite is true for many users.

I just want to encourage people to open up that box and take a look around.
Try doing your own hardware upgrades and save a few bucks, and do a little cleaning while your in there.
What with smoking, having cats, cooking particulate, skin cells and industrial pollution, the fan and heat sink can get pretty bad and your processor just isn't getting proper cooling. Also the power supply collects dust like a vacuum and needs to be cleaned sometimes to keep that cooling.
A small soft paint brush and a vacuum cleaner are handy tools, and a can of air helps. I also use a toothbrush for poking around in spots.

Don't be afraid to get into the guts of the machine.
If you tread lightly and research what your doing as you go along, it's a great learning experience and you can save some money.

You can always come to this forum for advice.

When I took off the keys I just set them out just like the keyboard. So all I had to do is is place them in the order of the layout i made.

What an informative thread.

I decided to clean out my 5 year old keyboard for the first time. Under the keys it looked like the inside of a vacuum cleaner.

Originally posted by Umbrax
What an informative thread.

I decided to clean out my 5 year old keyboard for the first time. Under the keys it looked like the inside of a vacuum cleaner.

Let us know how the cleaning went and if you had any problems or if it was a total success.
If that works, you can disassemble the fan on your processor and scrub the heat sink.

FUN, FUN, FUN........

It only gets better as you go along................

The cleaning went well. I took a picture of my keyboard in case I had any trouble remembering where things went.
Then I popped off all the keys and tossed them into a bowl of warm soapy water. I took a Q-tip and cleaned out the grooves on the board. Man, was it gross .
Then I scrubbed the board and keys down. After that I dried out the keys and snapped them back on.

I only struggled with the metal bar that was under the space bar, but I got it figured out.


I just got a new tower so I don't think I will need to clean out my fan anytime soon.

Originally posted by UmbraxThe cleaning went well.
I only struggled with the metal bar that was under the space bar, but I got it figured out.

I just got a new tower so I don't think I will need to clean out my fan anytime soon.

That metal bar confused me the first time, I wasn't figuring out the connection to those little plastic clips on the board.
Oh well, live and learn.
We'll remember it next time and we can pass the knowledge on to other members of our species that need clean keyboards.



Edit to add: One Rule - Maintenance is one thing, but if it isn't broken, don't fix it... :shk:

[edit on 10/10/2005 by anxietydisorder]

Glad to hear it went well. And yes, it does look nasty under there. I work in IT at a senior care facility, and man....some of the nurse's stations keyboards are nassssssssssty.

I have seen it all: fingernails, confetti, noodles from soup...

ick.

You know, a PICTURE of a keyboard layout can work too...hehe...

Unfortunally, I doubt laptop keys are removable. I think if you try to pop out a key it will break and you will never be able to put it back again. But I have no laptop handy to test that, I can't confirm.

They are, but depending on the brand, can be VERY tricky to put back on. I know Gateway laptops are a bitch....(I used to work for Gateway, hehe...) I'd recommend a professional cleaning for laptops, as the money is well worth avoiding the bother. Whoever designed the way these keys go on needs to be drawn and quartered....slowly.

Many of these have a "picnic table"-like catch.. like an "X" where you put in one leg, then the other, and snap it down firmly.

Anyhoo, best bet in such cases (with desktops) is to simply keep replace your keyboard. Honestly, $15 is far less valuable to me than the time it'd take to properly and thoroughly clean a keyboard. For easy maintenance, a can of air will certainly keep it marginally clean. You can even order replacement keyboards from Dell, Gateway, etc. that are still that cheap....so it'll still match, etc.