Best way to clean a filthy keyboard

Jamesyboyjim · 2 Mar 2017 at 16:29

Hi all, I've been given a pretty decent Razor mechanical keyboard as mine recently broke and this was going spare, really generous except the keyboard is filthy, the old owner spends pretty much all his time on the computer so I expect all his meals were eaten at his desk, the keys all have a layer of something around them, no idea what!

Just dirt and grease build up I guess, I'd like to attempt to give it a good clean but just trying to figure out if there was some kind of 'secret' easy way of doing this, how do you guys clean your keyboards or is simply purchasing a packet of Dettol wipes / bottle of spray and scrubbing around every key the unfortunate answer. I'm by no means a clean freak but this really needs doing!

tom_e · 2 Mar 2017 at 16:32

Burn it, it won't just be his meals on there...

hornetstinger · 2 Mar 2017 at 16:35

Lick it?

tom_e · 2 Mar 2017 at 16:37

Pop all the keycaps off and stick them in a net bag and throw them in the washing machine/dishwasher?

Jamesyboyjim · 2 Mar 2017 at 18:19

tom_e said:
Pop all the keycaps off and stick them in a net bag and throw them in the washing machine/dishwasher?

I had no idea the keys popped off (never owned a mech. keyboard before) perhaps I'll take the keys off and get the marigolds out!

I hope its just food on them... :eek:

Tupro · 2 Mar 2017 at 21:34

i use isopropyl alcohol and a micro fibre cloth on my keyboard and mouse
but in this case i would suggest taking all the keys off and clean each key with disinfectant
i would not recommend tom's idea of putting them in the washing machine or dishwasher.. that would most likely damage the keys with all the banging about they would do

and if the top of the keys are that bad, its only going to be worse underneath them

Rannoch · 2 Mar 2017 at 21:35

Aren't keyboard and mice supposed to be dirty lol

Jamesyboyjim · 2 Mar 2017 at 21:45

Vargas said:
Aren't keyboard and mice supposed to be dirty lol

haha yes but there are limits!

tonight I scratched the surface as it were and removed the alphabet, top numbers and F keys, so much hair underneath and pretty much an entire large Domino's pizza base which had gone soggy and sticky, gave it a quick go with the hoover which got most of it and gave the keyboard a wipe with some dettol, turns out it's a shiny keyboard, it was matt black before, wish I took some pictures, I'll have a proper go at it this weekend.

All this to save myself one hundred quid, its gotta be worth it to spare me from using the Logitech k120 keyboard I got from Tesco to tide me over!

Thanks for the suggestions so far! been really helpful!!!

deFiniLoGy · 2 Mar 2017 at 22:50

Remove keycaps.
Use compressed air & a brush to remove large chuncks of dust, and then use things like CyberClean to remove the tiny ones.
Lastly use IPA to wipe down the keycaps and the plate, and there you have a brand new keyboard

Temujin · 3 Mar 2017 at 10:58

Denture tablets are good for cleaning keys once they are off, put them in a bowl with some and add lukewarm water, rinse and repeat until all the funk is gone.

Jamesyboyjim · 3 Mar 2017 at 11:24

akaFonzie said:
Denture tablets are good for cleaning keys once they are off, put them in a bowl with some and add lukewarm water, rinse and repeat until all the funk is gone.

That's a good idea! I'll get some wipes at lunch and have a look for some denture tablets in Tesco

Temujin · 3 Mar 2017 at 13:35

There's a lot of information here on the mech keeb subreddit, which is where i got the denture idea from. That should cover all your questions.

I got mine in tesco, think they were about a quid or something. The minty smell doesn't last for long so don't be put off by that

Jamesyboyjim · 3 Mar 2017 at 14:30

akaFonzie said:
There's a lot of information here on the mech keeb subreddit, which is where i got the denture idea from. That should cover all your questions.

I got mine in tesco, think they were about a quid or something. The minty smell doesn't last for long so don't be put off by that

haha thanks, I'll have a read!

Denture tablets purchased, indeed they were a quid, I was a bit concerned by the 'mint fresh' flavour so I hope you're right about the smell not lasting long

sniperone · 5 Mar 2017 at 08:47

I want to see pictures of said keyboard

Jamesyboyjim · 5 Mar 2017 at 11:33

sniperone said:
I want to see pictures of said keyboard

Before:

After:

Pretty pleased with how it turned out

Legend · 5 Mar 2017 at 13:21

Jamesyboyjim said:
Before:

Pretty pleased with how it turned out

Impressive. Clean enough you can now go back to eating your dinner off it...

Jamesyboyjim · 5 Mar 2017 at 14:50

Legend said:
Impressive. Clean enough you can now go back to eating your dinner off it...

Among doing other things

Tupro · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:07

good result, looks new again!

i dont know how anyone can let their keyboard get that dirty... nevermind using it in that state

Jamesyboyjim · 6 Mar 2017 at 12:24

Tupro said:
good result, looks new again!

i dont know how anyone can let their keyboard get that dirty... nevermind using it in that state

Tell me about it. It was literally making my hands smell just handling it.

sniperone · 9 Mar 2017 at 12:29

Wow i would have just binned that .Wanna come clean my car ?