Keyboard....

[Lucky13]

My chair collapsed under me last night...(stop laughing)...while having a smooth cuppa. Now some of the keys are rather, well you know.....they're still working.
Is it safe to open the keybaoard up and clean it?

(I said stop laughing!)

 

[Airframes]

Not much in there apart from a PCB, so if you're careful, it should be OK. But, if it hasn't shorted anywhere, it should dry out itself anyway - unless there's a lot of crystalized sugar in there!
Mine keeps getting full of things like biscuits crumbs (don't even ask!), and I just turn it upside down and give it a shake now and then!
Worst case scenario is a new keyboard, from about £6 or £9 upwards from Argos etc, or I have a spare one if you need it.

 

[Lucky13]

Much obliged young man....it's the sugar thingy that's messing things up, otherwise it's working.

 

[Airframes]

Just leave it until the sticky stuff dries out and hardens, then it should fall out! Personally, I wouldn't take it apart, especially if it's a slim design, as they can be a real b*gg*r to get back together, keeping everything aligned - unless you've got a 15 year old Chinese person around, who will assemble probably 100 per hour!!

 

[bobbysocks]

i have had to tear a couple apart and clean them. i only did this when i had no other option. turn the keyboard over and leave keys down...take a picture of the key placement ( just in case..). slowly separate the back and do not force anything. basically your keys are proped up by a cone shaped spring. they have a conductive rubber tit on the bottom that completes a connection on the circuit board. clean everything with a good grade rubbing alcohol and use cotton swabs for the hard to reach places. its tedious work....good luck.

 

[Lucky13]

Crikey!

 

[mikewint]

Don't know about what is or is not available where you are but ENDUST brand make a special spray for electronic items. i spray it over everything with no problems once it evaporates. If you can, spray into the keyboard and let the excess drain out. maybe that way you'll flush the crud out.
And further, considering your "materials failure" perhaps there is another issue you'd best attend too...

 

[Thorlifter]

.

 

[comiso90]

Consider picking up a wireless keyboard. Its knida nice to lean back in your chair and put the keyboard on your lad once in a while.

 

[mikewint]

perhaps if you were not on the "naughty list Santa would get you one of these

 

[Wurger]

Oh boy ...have you put on flesh Jan?

 

[BikerBabe]

I once spilled a whole glass of coke in my keyboard.
I unplugged the thing, wiped off the worst mess, opened the thing, wiped everything off with a hard-wrought kitchen rag, cleaned the insides and the keys with isopropylalcohol, and let dry for a day while using my spare keyboard.
Reassembled it all, plugged it in again, it worked for another year or so.

 

[Gnomey]

Cleaning it isn't too much hassle at the end of the day. Plus if it does break, new ones are pretty cheap. Just got to find a keyboard design you like...

 

[RabidAlien]

demineralized water and/or isopropyl alcohol (its the kind you don't drink, Lucky) will clean out the sticky stuff. Let it dry overnight, and you should be good.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Jan, it looks like everyone here has it covered. I'll be on my way.

 

[Marcel]

Some nice ideas for a new keyboard :

 

[Wayne Little]

Jeez Jan you really do get yourself in a bind....some great ideas to fix the problem though....

 

[mikewint]

marcel, that middle one is pretty wild, except you'd have to type everyting one handed
I like the angled ergonomic keyboards and I also came across this bad boy with no keys requiring no finger action at all

 

[RabidAlien]

marcel, that middle one is pretty wild, except you'd have to type everyting one handed

Well....this IS Lucky we're talking about here.

 

[pbfoot]

wash it \in soapy water and let it dry , better yet if you gave a dishwasher it works great