keyboard cleaning/lubing

[Vondoom]

My Logitech keyboard started getting really sticky so I finally decided to clean it. This was my first time taking apart a keyboard so I didn't know where to start or how to even clean it. I ended up grabbing a bowl of water and a handful of qtips and started scrubbing away.

I didn't think about taking pictures until I had the whole thing apart already.
Since the pics are rather large I'm hosting them on my site....

Dirty pictures..
1 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080035.JPG)
2 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080036.JPG)
3 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080045.JPG)
4 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080049.JPG)
5 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080048.JPG)


After Cleaning scrubbing for a little while.
6 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080052.JPG)

Here's after it is put back together.
7 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080067.JPG)
8 (http://www.thesmclan.com/pics/PC080068.JPG)

Now all I need to do is find out a way to loosen up the keys a bit.. Compared to the new board I bought they are a little stiff.. Maybe some vaseline or some silicone lube? Are there any mods that you guys would recommend for this keyboard?

[Murdochs_mad]

Someone told me that most keyboards should survive a spin in the dishwasher, on low heat, dunno if it works haven't got one so I had to clean my keyboard by hand here (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=488507). As for lubing, cleaning mine seemed to be enough, but I supose that red or green grease you get inside electrical items (personal stereo's/VCR's) would be ok but haven't a clue what its called try here (http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/search2/browse.jsp?N=500015&Ntk=gensearch_001&Ntt=silicone+grease&Ntx=&_requestid=231734)

[Strida]

I'm pretty sure the only keyboards that have a chance at surviving the dishwasher are the uber clicky ones. The ones with the rubber domes get water trapped between the rubbery stuff and the electronics.

If you ever have a chance to nab a clicky old fashioned IBM keyboard, go for it. They're amazing!

[Murdochs_mad]

I did have a v old IBM keyb, but it didn't survive 'attack by Guinness' :(

[fhanderson]

I clean keyboards by taking the top off and soaking the top in liquid auto dishwasher soap disolved in hot water. After rinsing , I blow them off with a shopvac. I've only had one keyboard that was sticky after cleaning, I used some silicone spray to lub the keys.

[Oroka Sempai]

I just cleaned my keyboard, and i think I reconnected somthing wrong... after I was finished, it seemed to work fine and I went to work, my GF came home, went on my computer, and I got a call at work about the compute being possesed cause it was doing all sorts of random stuff on its own (like constantly typing 'yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy' :D )

[z0n3]

After cleaning my keyboard a few months ago I put two of the keys back in the wrong places. It took me a good week or so to figure out that every time I hit PrtScn that Scroll Lock was turning on. :)

[Susquehannock]

I'm pretty sure the only keyboards that have a chance at surviving the dishwasher are the uber clicky ones. The ones with the rubber domes get water trapped between the rubbery stuff and the electronics.

If you ever have a chance to nab a clicky old fashioned IBM keyboard, go for it. They're amazing!
Agreement on all points. Many rubber dome keyboards can be extremely hard to get fully dry inside after a run in the dishwasher.

And heck yeah! IBM 'model M' keyboards are where it's at unless you want quiet operation. They can be quite noisy.
< "click - click" > that is me typing this post :D They are also arguably the most ergonomic keyboard made. And they set the standard for durability.

This IBM 'model M' circa 1986 survied a friend spilling a 16oz soda pop on it a while back. These things are fairly easy to disassemble. After half an hour it was good as new.

[bizhar]

Least Expensive: Compressed Air
Best: Just Buy a New One

[Oroka Sempai]

Best: Just Buy a New One

Where is the fun in that? Sounds like you need to be trained in the art of 'If it aint broken, fix it some more!'.

[Malpine Walis]

Well, I remember a few years ago I had that annoying event where you wake up in the middle of the night and you have that feeling in your throat where you just know that you are going to hurl and have to make a mad dash for the bathroom. And of course I did not quite make it.

WHAM!!! all over the keyboard, from three feet away.

Now that was several keyboards ago and I do not recall what I had back then. However, it went in the shower right after and it was just fine afterwards.