The best way to clean your keyboard

I tried the dishwash trick some time ago on my old old white Logitech Internet Navigator keyboard that needed desperate replacement. From white + disgusting dirty before the dish wash process. After the process it turned out to be this lovely yellow'ish white color that just says "Please, burn me, buuuurrrrn me!". But the keyboard was clean.

I take off the top half of my boards and clean them in the bath tub with warm water and soap.

Windex glass cleaner, active ingredient Ammonia. Or 91% alcohol. Vaccum, not air pressure, for the dust.

Elbow grease works best I find....

I've only cleaned my main keyboard once (fully), I took it all apart and cleaned each key individually with a sponge and detergent. I left it to dry and put it all back together.

The keyboard looked almost new afterward and of course, still works. It was a complete PITA to take it all apart though - something to do on a boring weekend. :)

Anyone tried diet coke? Since it has no sugar it's not sticky, and the phosphoric acid will clean anything...

Originally Posted by mystvearn
I noticed that on my toshiba laptop, after using it for 5 years now, keys which are constantly being used becomes shiny. No idea why. The keyboard is black in colour.

the oils from your fingers make the most used keys shiny.

the newer microsoft keyboards come apart pretty easy- even designed so you can spill water all over it and it'll run out the bottom.. the innards don't get wet.. they should design all keyboards like that

I like the gas cans , always work to me

Originally Posted by thehippoz
the newer microsoft keyboards come apart pretty easy- even designed so you can spill water all over it and it'll run out the bottom.. the innards don't get wet.. they should design all keyboards like that

yeah if you think about it you can kinda just pour water onto it and let is wash out most of the dirt. Then just wipe the top with a cloth and viola.

Originally Posted by Flibblebot
Why the focus on antibacterial cleaners?

Not to sound like some crazed fool, but you do realise that this over-reliance on antibacterial products - something wholly created by companies like Unilever that produce said products - is probably to blame for the increase in allergies seen over the last 10-15 years?

I admit that a dirty keyboard doesn't look paricularly nice, but it's unlikely to be the cause of any serious infection. Short of a dust and a shake every now and then, I don't clean my keyboard at all, and I have yet to succumb to the keyboard plague :p

dont fool around, this was a great article, something nice and different from the usual hardware. i'll go clean my keyboard right now.

Originally Posted by Flibblebot
Why the focus on antibacterial cleaners?

Not to sound like some crazed fool, but you do realise that this over-reliance on antibacterial products - something wholly created by companies like Unilever that produce said products - is probably to blame for the increase in allergies seen over the last 10-15 years?

I admit that a dirty keyboard doesn't look paricularly nice, but it's unlikely to be the cause of any serious infection. Short of a dust and a shake every now and then, I don't clean my keyboard at all, and I have yet to succumb to the keyboard plague :p

You have a point with the alergies there. But then its not an excuse to not clean your keyboard.

"Naturally, when you’re talking about cleaning an electronic item, your first reaction isn’t to pop it in the dishwasher next to last week’s empty tea mugs and leave it for 60 minutes."

Reminds me of time my Nan washed her phone in a bucket of water and was miffed when it didn't work afterwards!

IBM Model M removable keycaps+hot water+washing powder (for clothes) = really clean.
Shop air is nice (no condensation).
95% Alcohol for the body and quick clean also does the trick !

I always thought the canned air was such a waste of money. Blow dryer, Nice!

I have always washed everything in the sink. I maintain a light clean but eventually everything but my drives go in for a bath every 6 months.

People, don't bother taking the keyboards apart! I used a dishwasher-brush ( http://www.norskdesign.no/getfile.php/Bildearkiv/Mottakere%20av%20designpriser/Historisk%20(1961-1999)/Jordan%20Oppvaskb%C3%B8rste%20-%20modell%201230.jpg ) , first with Isopropanol, then with normal soap. This made my keyboard brand new and i didn't need to disassemble the keys or anything. Also got rid of the shiny-key effect.

I prefer this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Gxuar3D58

Don't do this at home!

*Raises hand* umm this is my keyboard
I'd like to stick it in the dishwasher, there's a distinct crunch when i hit certain keys, but at the same time I'm just very very afraid of the worst case scenario

I have some Cyber Clean. It's awesome, I let my girlfriend loose with it on her keyboard today and she was impressed with the results, and it was a pretty manky keyboard!

My keyboard has never gotten that bad before, ever, I hardly get any grime on mine. I give my keyboard a good blow out with the air compressor every now and then to get the dust and crumbs and such out of it, then I wipe it down with a damp cloth, works great.

instead of buying 10 pounds of cleaning stuff and take a few hours of your time to clean the keyboard. Buy a new one for around 12 pounds. Unless you have some kind of fancy gaming keyboard...

I once found a cleaning kit for keyboards (sponge, cleaning liquid) which you can clean your TFT too (similar to this one http://www.com-tra.de/shop/de_DE/produkt/lID_is_45347_and_Office-Box_PC-Reinigungsset_Mikrofaser-Schwamm__50ml_Pumpspray.html#).
Works like charm.

What do you do if the keyboard doesn't disassemble so you can't wash it? I used to 'explode my old keyboard and wash it, but this Lotitech Ultra Flat only goes down to the keyxs' rim being removed.

I have the G11 ( i know, i know...) And I remove the keys with a jewelers screwdriver, pop the keys in some water or if they're really bad, water with alka seltzer, and use baby wipes on the rest. Works really good. Glasses Cleaner works good too.

I would be careful about using dish detergents in with your electronics. Alot of them can etch your pieces as they are designed for tougher materials ie. glass, metal. Also some of them contain alot of phosphates.
On the same note, especially if it is an older dish-washer, you can get away without using any cleaner as there is usually alot of buildup inside your machine already. Try the first wash without the cleaner, see if it works. If not, you lost <1hr; simply do it again with a cleaner if you want.
I use clorox wipes about once every other month, and everclear, (95% grain alcohol) every other year or so.

It all depends on the keyboard and your threshold for pain. I'm working off a Unicomp keyboard. The plus side is that each key has a 'cap' that can be easily removed and cleaned. The downside is that you have to remove each 'cap' to clean it. A washcloth, some Windex/cleaner, and a bit of time and the keyboard is as good as new.