Re: Cleaning the Case

["Ernest" <ernestls@attbi.NOSPAM.com>]

"Simon Williams" <DON'Temail@luddite.ca> wrote in message
11231612.KKENCMXO@news.telusplanet.net">news:11231612.KKENCMXO@news.telusplanet.net...
> On Sat, 23 Nov 2002 21:16:40 GMT "Ernest" <ernestls@attbi.NOSPAM.com>
wrote:
> ..you could probably do an OK job by just dropping the
> > keyboard into the hot soapy water and scrub the keys off that way. Either
> > way, rinse it off well, and set it (on end) on a towel, near a heater
vent
> > and allow it to dry for a few days.
>
> Really? I mean, will the KB survive a dousing like that? I ask because I
> have a KB that *someone* spilled coffee on and after spraying a whole
> can of contact cleaner into it, the keys still stick. I'm drawing the
> conclusion that I could soak it in a bucket of soapy water for a few
> hours and it may fix it... let me know if I'm wrong.
> It would be nice to fix this one, as it's the old style //e with the big
> letters on the keys :)


Yes, your keyboard should be fine. There are no absolutes but I haven't had
any problems with doing this at all. I have taken apart and cleaned every
system in my collection, and I usually just soak the keyboards that aren't
very dirty, and use a paint brush to scrub between the keys. Obviously,
removing the keycaps allows you to clean between the keys better but that's a
more tedious job that I save for really filthy keyboards.

Some people even run them through the dishwasher, and remove them before the
hot, drying cycle begins. I haven't tried this with a keyboard but I have run
small computer cases through the dishwasher (top shelf.) I choose not to do
this anymore because the bleach in the detergent can cause discoloration
sometimes. For example, I ran a Tandy Coco 2 through, and the bleach faded
the colors on the case label. Now it looks like crap. Plus, the dishwasher
doesn't scrub between the keycaps the way a paint brush can -it just bleaches
the dirty grime to a less obvious color.

The only real issue is to make sure that you allow the keyboard to completely
dry before trying to use it. Shake the water off, and then stand it on end
near a heater vent or open window (away from the sun.)

E.
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