How to Clean a Keyboard Spill

Thank goodness someone finally said this out loud! That's what I do. I always use an ergonomic keyboard and keep an old extra one in case of emergencies. Many times I've spilled my coke on the keyboard and I always put it in the upper portion of the dishwasher upside down with nothing else in the dishwasher, run it through a full cycle, then dry it upside down for a few days on the carpet. It works like magic! Previously semi-stuck keys become unstuck, and the keyboard works like brand new!

Fortunately, my particular brand of keyboard didn't require prying off the keys. I was able to unscrew it from the back, clean up the spilled milk (can cause keys to stick), dry, and reuse almost immediately.

So, check the back before you pop the front!

I wish I had known about these cleaning tips I spilled something on mine that made the keys stick. I went out and bought another. If I had known that it could be cleaned, I would have opted for that. I'm on my computer a great deal of the time because I have an internet Shopping Mall. I have to constantly change banners and content to keep up to date with my affiliates
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Forget the dishwasher thing. It is stupid. If I spill a STICKY drink on the keyboard, I dump it off and then pour some bottled water on it. It washes the sticky out. Shake it out good then turn the keyboard upside down for the night to dry.

Fortunately, my particular brand of keyboard didn't require prying off the keys. I was able to unscrew it from the back, clean up the spilled
milk (can cause keys to stick), dry, and reuse almost immediately.So, check the back before you pop the front!

I've worked in I.T. for twenty years and get a call for keyboard spills constantly. I haven't tried the dishwasher yet. I'm sure it works but I've found that running it under water or even a hose works well. Let dry for 24 hours and you're good to go

Well now, all you folks that think the diswasher idea is dumb or ?, it works. I used that method in years past before some techie decided to make a movie about it. As for buying a new one, now tell me, just where can you buy a new click board like the one I use and have used for many years...and type over 100 wpm on it. Can't do it on the newer spongy keys. Too soft, no response, too many mistakes.

I wonder what he'd recommend for a spilled piece of blackberry pie????? Yup, it happened to me.

is the cord removable since are putting it in the dishwasher??

i happen to be the smartest bear here. i drink diet one (pepsi) from an old emptied 20-24 oz. plastic soda bottle and to drink it, one must unscrew the top. it sits with the lid screwed on at all times, i pick it up, unscrew the lid, take a sip, screw lid back on. i've dropped this on the keyboard, desk, floor, and at times after falling, it can roll up to 12 feet from me. not a drop is spilled!! i use the same bottle in my auto, while outside, and am never seen without it in my hand. as for keyboards, i have a very expensive hp computer but it's keyboard was made in china for sure. keys a,d,and e have big holes in the tops of them from my fingernails. i don't pound the keys, they just collapased, hah. also, every letter has worn off except q, z, and x. i have 3 computers so have two other perfect ones and also have the microsoft one that the mouse doesn't have to be hooked up to. someday i might pour syrup or molassas into this cheap one, gum it up real good, and then toss in into my burn barrel and let mr. fire clean it up, right down to being a wee blob of plastic. then i'll hook up one of the other three that i have.

Hmmm...my solution to the problem is a little different....I just have one of those keyboard covers....clear plastic sheath that covers your keyboard so nothing can get into it....fits snuggly and conforms to the keys...voila...no messes in the keyboard

FIRST: If anything electronic gets WET where it should be DRY, immediatly REMOVE all power/batteries! With power connected, corrosion takes place very FAST, and, of course posibility of electrical damage or shock increases. If other tha CLEAN water, remove/rinse the offending sustance, and thorougly DRY before attempting to restore power!--Bob

Never tried the dishwasher... but have turned it over then taken the back off, used alcohol to clean the actual mat it self with, 30 minutes later you are back in action.

You can replace Laptop keyboards, aaaaaai replaced 2 of mine, bought for about $45.00

I spilled coke onto my keyboard one time. I immediately took it outside, sprayed it down with the water hose and then left it outside to dry in the 100+ degree Texas heat for 24 hours.
It worked like new! So.....a dishwasher is not always necessary to repair a coke spill!
Lynne

They used to make clear vinyl covers for keyboards - "Keyboard Protectors" - that fit over the keyboard and you typed right on top of the keys through the clear cover. Anyone remember them? Anyway, when they got grungy or you spilled on them, you just rinsed it off in the sink, dried it with a towel and put it back on the keyboard. Why don't they make them any more? Too many keyboard configurations?

I don't buy my own computer at work so I wouldn't go buy a new keyboard. My IT Dept would find me a replacement right away.

>.< sigh

All you have to do, and it takes less time, less effort, and more common sense, is to FIRST unplug it immediately so it doesn't nuke the USB or PS/2 port on your PC...next, flip it over and, typically, use a Phillips screw drive and take out the 2, 4 or 6 screws from its underside...carefully flip it back over and remove the top cover, setting it [with attached keys] aside, and carefully wipe off the plastic "circuit board" with a clean, damp cloth. In rare circumstances [dried-on sugar] you may need to instead use rubbing alcohol. Just be gentle with the circuit board. If any keys are sticky, pop ONLY the offenders off one at a time and use the cleaning method he describes [Q-Tip with water on it] and clean the hole the key goes into along with the underside of that key. Reassemble and PRESTO! No dishwashers, no letting it dry overnight - you're in & out in 5-10 minutes. :)

Oh yeah, Wal-Mart and/or BigLots! typically has replacement kbds for like $9, but if your kbd is a nice, expensive unit, cleaning is obviously the way to go with your investment. Cheers!

The keyboard is a very simple device. If it gets when, which has happened to mine many times. Turn if over and remove all the screws and take the two halves of the plastic keyboard apart. The keyboard mechanism(s) consists entirely of 3 mylar sheets. Separate the sheets carefully and clean each with rubbing alcohol on both sides of each sheet, let dry and reassemble. That's all there is to it!