Dirty Keyboard/Sticking Keys
By webeishere
@webeishere (36313)
United States
November 11, 2008 11:36am CST
Many a time someone has spilled something inside their keyboard.
Many a time we eat at the computer dropping crumbs onto the keyboard.
But how often do we clean our keyboard?
If I spill something inside my keyboard I use rubbing alcohol and a q-tip most times. I clean the key and the area around it until it moves freely again.
Rubbing alcohol dries quickly as well. I also undo the bottom of my mouse using rubbing alcohol to clean the ball, the wheels, and the rods inside the mouse of dirt, dust and grime. I use compressed air to remove dust, crumbs, and cigarette ashes from the keyboard as well. I have an LCD monitor. These screens are very sensitive to scratches etc. I use a mild soap and water sloution and a glass cleaner towel from an eye Dr. Lint free tyoels etc must be used to avoid scratching the LCD monitors. A drop of dishsoap in a large glass is all I use. Very little soap really. So how often do you clean your keyboard? Your mouse? Your monitor?
What are the ways you clean each of these items?
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
17 people like this
42 responses
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
11 Nov 08
Grandpa Bob..
You really need to get out more.....
I pretty much do what you do to clean everything....
Just checked my keyboard.....Boy was that scary.....
I pretty much do what you do to clean everything....
Just checked my keyboard.....Boy was that scary.....
3 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
11 Nov 08
Get out MORE?
Come on now, I just came from outside cleaning the ice from my patio deck.
Soon I'll be out clearing the back porch as well of ice etc.
I get out a lot.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
Come on now, I just came from outside cleaning the ice from my patio deck.
Soon I'll be out clearing the back porch as well of ice etc.
I get out a lot.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
12 Nov 08
More than ready to a point.
Got my shovels handy.
Ready to start my snowblower soon also.
All I need is gas/oil mixture.
Some ice melt.
Then I am ready.
Got about an inch of snow so far tonight. (Tuesday)
But I am ready in all terms actually.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
2 people like this
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
11 Nov 08
Grandpa Bob...
I was just joking...I know you get out all the time...Are you all ready for winter?
3 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
11 Nov 08
As far as for LCD screens, manufactures recomend a
mixture of dishsoap and water at the ratio of 100 to 1.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I take the bottom off of my mouse too. I have an older moniter so I just spray some glass cleaner in a microfiber cloth and clean the screen. For the keyboard, I unplug it. I then take a butter knife or a screw driver and very carefully pop off a few keys. They just pop off, then you can get under them and clean. I don't take too many off, you have to be careful and get them back in the right places. I take the hair dryer and blow the dust out, I have also used the vacuum and sucked the dust. Rubbing alchohol is good to use for cleaning the keyboard and mouse. For inbetween the keys and in between good cleanings. I take a cloth and wrap it arond the end of a butter knife and get in between the keys. I normally use glass cleaner sprayed on the cloth. Rubbing alchohol is good here too. You can also use a toothbrush, here is another good thing to use, I do this too. Use a cheap paint brush that is just for cleaning between the keys, it works real good.
3 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I go to an eye clinic and ask for their free optical cloths.
I say it's fopr my glasses and they give me one or two usually.
The one I use now is from Target Optical Department.
Here's my cleaning items.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
2 people like this
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
12 Nov 08
My keyboard is filthy, and I "clean" it all the time. Both my son and I are guilty of eating at the computer, so it can get to be quite a mess. I turn it upside down and shake all the crap out on a regular basis. I also use compressed air on it a lot too.
Graphite (pencil lead) works GREAT on the mouse connections, I think it's better than alchohol because the qtip sometimes leaves lint behind. I have a trackball mouse so I have to clean out the contacts around the ball pretty frequently. The oils from your thumb get into it quite a bit.
Now, my monitor, I don't know when I last cleaned it. I normally take a slightly damp, lint-free cloth to get the dust off. You should really only use water on the monitor, you don't need anything stronger. Mine is the "squishy" kind, so I have to be very gentle with it.
3 people like this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
11 Nov 08
I never clean any part of the computer because i don't want my husband to have a heart attack, which he surely would (ii would never get it back together). I did put heavy duty sarane wrap around the keyboard to keep food, drink and whatnot out.
3 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
11 Nov 08
The only thing I take apart is the mouse.
Just a small cover and the ball is all there is to the mouse.
The keyboard just gets a blast of air and it's cleaned.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Well, I tend to leave my keyboard on the tray under the desk, to keep more stuff from falling in it. The main thing I get out of my keyboard is cat fur - even tho I try to keept the cats out of this room - well, Taj comes in.
I tend to mostly just take a pointed object, like a nail file, and scrape the fur out of the keyboard. I have a laser mouse, but it still gets gummed up, but I tend to rub it on my jeans to clean. I also have an old style monitor and so I kind of scrape the worst of the dirt off with my fingernail...
A house keeper I'm NOT!
2 people like this
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
11 Nov 08
I don't clean them that often, I usually dust them with a dusting cloth at least once a week, I try not to set drinks by the computer because I know somebody will go and spill it.
2 people like this
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
11 Nov 08
I try not to eat at my keyboard, but it's VERY full of crumbs and stuff! I have a special kit which has cleaning fluid for the monitor and an air-puffer brush for the keyboard - but most of the time I turn the keyboard upside down and give it a good shake. Seems to do the trick!
2 people like this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
11 Nov 08
Hi GRANDPA BOB,
I know how dirty the computers can get, but I never eat and drink when I am on my LapTop as I always say to people, food and drink don't go with computers, but I must say my LapTop still gets very dirty and I am gett a spec ial cleaner and cloth from the computer shop next week, then I would do all my cleaning on it.
Tamara
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I am always eating, smoking, and or drinking while on my computer.
So mine gets dirty really quick.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Hi grandpa bob! I have been cleaning my screen with lens
cleaner and I'm glad that you told me that I'm doing it wrong.
Where do I get that compressed air thing? I shake the keyboard!
I'm not doing anything right!I keep saying I won't eat or smoke
near the computer, but I do! Shame on me! I wouldn't dare take
anything apart, not even the little mouse! But I will try the
soap thing on the screen. But first I want to try to get glass
cloth wipes. I don't think the lens cleaner is too bad since
it cleans glasses. I just don't have the right thing to wipe
it with.
2 people like this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
12 Nov 08
Any store sells compressed air.
I get mine at WalMart in the compouter department.
They cost around $4 to $5 a can but last a long time actually.
I get a 4 pack for about $9 to $10 at Best Buy sometimes as well.
Stores sell cloths especially for LCD screens as well. But any lint free cloth and a mixture of 1 part dishsoap to 100 parts water works. Or close to that mixture. A loittle bit of soap and a lot of water will work.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
2 people like this
@mayhem23 (185)
• Canada
11 Nov 08
Yes, I do spend a lot of time by my computer and eat, drink, and even nap by it! I always have napkins handy to keep my hands clean before I touch the keys after a meal or snack. I usually take a duster and clean my keyboard about on an adhoc basis. It really depends how dirty is. Sometimes I could wait 3 weeks, sometimes 3 days. I keep a small duster handy by my pc, so I can easily clean my mouse and keyboard at anytime!
3 people like this
@gauthami (137)
• New Zealand
11 Nov 08
I will clean the screen with soap water witha cloth,and remove all the key and clean every single key..when it dries i will adjust it..some times some food goes into the keys it really annoys me everytime i think not to drop on the keyboard but happens sometimes..and i use air compresser to clean my mouse it is a gud thing to do..thx for ur ideas of cleaning
2 people like this
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
11 Nov 08
I am using the spray clean safe dust rmover with the spray. Its harder to clean with because you have to hold it back when you spray it. Your way sounds better. Appreciate the tips!
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
12 Nov 08
I turn my keyboard upside down and shake like crazy. If it is sticky, I just wipe with a damp cloth. As for the monitor, I just a newspaper damp with vinegar and water solution -barely dry in case someone believes it is dripping wet. I find that it works well. I have a lasar mouse so do not need to take out the ball.
1 person likes this
@elitess (5070)
• Ipswich, England
12 Nov 08
I do sometimes (not often) clean my computer's keyboard - i take off all the heys and clean them individually. I should probably clean the laptop as well but i have not in ages now. The monitor i clean quite often as the dust bothers me and the mouse i have now it's new, so no cleaning needed *yet*.
Speaking of which, i will "dust off " the keyboard from both laptop and desktop computer more often, as this doesn't take a lot of time.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
12 Nov 08
I haven't actually cleaned my keyboard in a long while. However, I did recently learn something from youtube! There was this chap and he mentioned that you could put your keyboard in the washing machine and it would come out looking spotless! The only problem is, you have to have a spare keyboard in order to do this. The keyboard will still work but you have to give it at least a week in order to dry completely. I am quite strict when it comes to cleaning the inside of my pc though. I open it once a year come January and I remove all the dust buildup from inside. Andrew
1 person likes this
@ravitejareddy (101)
• India
12 Nov 08
I don't seeing my objects dirty. For monitor there will be LCD cleaner i use. For mouse and keybosrd i will clean with me hands and cloth.
1 person likes this
