My Keyboard is All Sticky......

Bondo

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:D :D :D :D <br /><br />Well,..........Actually just a few keys............... :D <br /><br />I bought a cheap off shore "Illuminated" keyboard maybe a year ago,.... Being a typer that Has to be able to See,... It works Great........Alot better than this FloodLight I've got hanging over My desk.........<br />But over the last few weeks, it's keys have begun to drag,.... <br /><br />I'm thinking I can take it to the shop,+ Blow it out with compressed Air ??...<br />What can I spray on it to Lube things up ??<br />I once sprayed a telephone that the 7 key stuck,.. With WD-40,........... Never made another call on That Phone.............<br />There's Got to be Something Better ???<br /><br />Anybody got any Ideas ???
 

TwoWatt

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Nov 4, 2001
Messages
249
Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

If your keyboard can do this...what I do is take each key out one at a time, clean it & the hole it's in, then replace the key. Takes a while but it works. <br />The space bar is the only one that is "special" & usually has a couple springs in it. <br />I'll only do this probably once every 3-4 months, other times I'll just wet a paper towel with window cleaner & wipe it off.<br />The air compressor is a good idea though.
 

sangerwaker

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Jul 29, 2004
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Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

That's wild Xcusme! I would have never thought of that.<br /><br />I did hear from a "somewhat" reliable source to use rubbing alcohol for sticky keys. Dump half a bottle on the keyboard, (after it's disconnected, of course) and swish around thoroughly, let it soak for a couple hours, swish around again, then shake as much alcohol out of the keyboard as you can. Let it dry for a couple of days and it's supposed to be stick free. I have not tired this, nor do I know of anyone who has. If you decide to follow this, do so at your own risk!
 

Xcusme

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Apr 21, 2003
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Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

Not long ago, a lady friend, cleaned her Keytronic keyboard with spray cleaner (pump bottle). Well, she soaked it really good, after all, you HAVE to get ALL of those dust bunnies 'outta there, right?? She let it dry in the sun for a few hours. Needless to say, she plugged it back into her computer and ZAAAP! toasted keyboard. I removed the back of the keyboard to take a look. Seems this keyboard had , besides the normal PCB (printed circuit board), two thin membranes with the circuit traces etched in the plastic sheeting. The traces were laid out in a fashion so that normally, there were be no shorts. That assumes that the two membranes were kept dry. The water based cleaning fluid entered the space between the sheets (by capillary action). I seriously doubt if drying that puppy out for DAYS would have evaporated the water between the sheets. So I guess a word to the wise is in order, 'Don't believe everything you read"..duuh. Water and electronics make bad bedfellows IMHO.
 

BoatBuoy

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May 29, 2004
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Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

Back in the days of 3271 IBM terminals, an old tech told me that you could get away with just allowing a keyboard to dry if water or black coffee was spilled in it. If it was a soft drink or coffee with cream and/or sugar, take it home and rinse will in the bathtub and allow several days to dry. I thought about suggesting this earlier in the thread but I didn't know if it was proper procedure nowdays or not.<br /><br />NOTE: This is not for keyboards connected to laptops.
 

Realgun

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Jul 31, 2003
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2,484
Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

I don't know if your keyboard can take this but turn it ove keys down and lift it off the desk about 2 inches and drop it. Repeat three times. Most of the time the keys are free and you desk is a mess so wipe it clean. :)
 

lakelivin

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Aug 19, 2004
Messages
1,172
Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

"Topic: My Keyboard is All Sticky......"<br /><br />So hard to resist an answer that contains the words 'box of tissues' and 'the web sites you're surfing'. (just kidding, please don't put me on your 'no help list', lol).<br /><br />But seriously, I did turn mine over after reading this and pounded it on the sides (didn't want to actually drop it on the desk). Surprised at the crumbs & junk that came out. Then sprayed with a can of compressed air, but not much came out after the pounding. Will have to remember to do this every so often as routine maintenance.
 

one more cast

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May 6, 2002
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Re: My Keyboard is All Sticky......

Every time I run across this post I have to let out a chuckle. :D :D :D And to think I even shook you hand Bondo!
 
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