So I've had an Apple Wireless keyboard for a few years now and absolutely love it. I mean, it's no IBM Model M of course, but it's pretty solidly built and has served me well.
Really, my *only* complaint about it is the fact that it's white. With dirty fingers and such, it picks up grime and shows dirt so easily. It's horrible. I probably should have done more preventive care and maintenance on it over the years. But now, it is absolutely covered in grime. It's so bad, that I honestly think a new keyboard is in order.
How bad is it? Check out this photo (it's NSFW *if* you're afraid of dirt):
www.flickr.com/photos/rockbandit/3686668200/
YUCK.
So, how would you recommend cleaning this thing? I've read the recommendations on potentially cleaning your keyboard in the dishwasher. You can see a very thorough story on this over at Boing Boing:
www.boingboing.net/2005/05/30/clean-your-keyboard-...
How would you remedy this situation? And what do you think, gdgt community, should I potentially sacrifice this keyboard in the name of research?
Discussion about
How do you clean your keyboard?
I love these keyboards. My school has a few hooked up to the older eMacs, but on the newer (previous generation) iMacs, we've got the tiny aluminum keyboards without number pads. I hate those keyboards, especially because I've got huge hands.
I wish somebody would show my school how to clean the keyboard though. They are nasty.
I wish somebody would show my school how to clean the keyboard though. They are nasty.
That's a horrible keyboard but I applaud your lack of shame :P
I've only cleaned mine once since I bought it. All I did was get a bowl of warm water with some bleach in it and then rubbed the keys with a toweled cloth. You can get between most of the keys and none of the letters pealed off.
Also some compressed air to get out anything "solid"
I've only cleaned mine once since I bought it. All I did was get a bowl of warm water with some bleach in it and then rubbed the keys with a toweled cloth. You can get between most of the keys and none of the letters pealed off.
Also some compressed air to get out anything "solid"
Was wondering myself.
Dunno if any of these methods are, uh, efficacious, but hilarious thread, regardless!
Dunno if any of these methods are, uh, efficacious, but hilarious thread, regardless!
At last! Someone like me!
I get very obsessive over the cleanliness of my things (to such an extent that I clean my MacBook at least twice a day), I've heard around that rubbing alcohol may do the trick, but it could possibly wipe away the numbers also.
Through what I've learned, a typical household cleaner normally does the trick, works wonders on my 360 controller!
Hope this helps
I get very obsessive over the cleanliness of my things (to such an extent that I clean my MacBook at least twice a day), I've heard around that rubbing alcohol may do the trick, but it could possibly wipe away the numbers also.
Through what I've learned, a typical household cleaner normally does the trick, works wonders on my 360 controller!
Hope this helps
This post has been removed.
As an experiment I put an older Dell PS/2 keyboard in the dishwasher. This was a normal wash along with everything else. I let it dry for a few days and came back to it only to find it not in working order. A few months later before taking it to an e-waste recycling center along with a load of other stuff I tried it once more. Much to my surprise it was in full working condition and still sits in my basement hooked up to various machines.
That is my keyboard washing anecdote.
That is my keyboard washing anecdote.
About a week after I got my new PowerMac G5 1.8SP I spilled coffee into the wired keyboard. I disassembled it and as much as I tried cleaning it a handful of keys never came back. That's how I ended up getting the bluetooth version, which has served me well the past several years. I learned a few things back then:
- The keyboard is fairly difficult to disassemble/reassemble and get all the little rubber suction cup thingies under the proper keys.
- Apple will usually rev the product line after I buy something (the 1.8DP came out a little over a month later).
- I still drink coffee at the computer, but now I use iSkin (or equivalent) keyboard protectors ;o)
Normally I would try my best at salvaging gadgets, but I agree a flame thrower looks like option #1...
- The keyboard is fairly difficult to disassemble/reassemble and get all the little rubber suction cup thingies under the proper keys.
- Apple will usually rev the product line after I buy something (the 1.8DP came out a little over a month later).
- I still drink coffee at the computer, but now I use iSkin (or equivalent) keyboard protectors ;o)
Normally I would try my best at salvaging gadgets, but I agree a flame thrower looks like option #1...
I have an old black Pro that came with my imac from back in 2000, I will regularly pop all the keys off safely of course, do some canned air action, then a wipe down using the special camera lens cleaner solution. Then inspect the bottom of each key an use q-tips to clean everything out. Seriously not sure how the hell I lose so many damn eyelashes...
But yah thats been my main method of cleaning procedures yes its gonna take a little bit of time.. but better to have things nice and mint, then dingy and gross...
Good luck never tried to dishwash a keyboard. However my usb drives love going thru the washer/dryer...
Spin cycle FTW!!!
But yah thats been my main method of cleaning procedures yes its gonna take a little bit of time.. but better to have things nice and mint, then dingy and gross...
Good luck never tried to dishwash a keyboard. However my usb drives love going thru the washer/dryer...
Spin cycle FTW!!!
put it out of its misery. your keyboard has gone the way of Old Yeller. I'm sorry
Wow. That is just gross. Looking at that makes me want to clean my keyboard to make up for yours. I usually clean my keyboards with Fantastik or with some rubbing alcohol on a cloth. I have also heard of people using toothpaste to clean up white keys. That could be a fun experiment.
But what I really want to see is the dishwasher method. Maybe put toothpaste in the dishwasher and kill two birds with one stone.
But what I really want to see is the dishwasher method. Maybe put toothpaste in the dishwasher and kill two birds with one stone.
