Keyboard cleanliness.

[AlanHo]

I was taking my morning pills while sitting at the computer today, when a piece of foil from a blister pack nose dived into my keyboard and vanished under one of the keys.

No amount of shaking, gentle bumping or intense blowing would tease it back into view so I could remove it.

I was surprised - as an uncurable meddler - that I have never seen the interior of a keyboard and I was concerned that there may be some electrics the foil could interfere with - so I carefully prised off one of the keys. It is a Microsoft keyboard and the key came away, after a "click", quite easily. I was astonished at the sight it revealed - there was enough fluff and dust under just the one key to keep an army of dust mites well fed for years and enough toasted bread crumbs to put me off eating at the computer for ever. Needless to say the foil was nowhere in sight but it was clear that the design of the keyboard was such it could do no harm anyway.

However - I decided to remove all the keys and give the keyboard a proper cleaning. First I photocopied it so that I had a record of which key went where - then removed all the keys - and with a small stiff brush, a supply of cotton buds and some Mr Muscle window cleaner (in a small dish - not the spray bottle) gave it a thorough clean - but didn't find the bit of foil. The job took me a couple of hours - yes a couple of hours - getting it almost as clean as new.

The keys all clicked back into place easily and the keyboard is working without problems.

(I eventually found the bit of foil by the way. It was on the floor. I'm not sure whether it was an optical illusion when I saw it fall into the keys or whether it was dislodged when I inverted the keyboard and gave it a jolly good bumping)

[catgate]

I was taking my morning pills while sitting at the computer today, when a piece of foil from a blister pack nose dived into my keyboard and vanished under one of the keys.

No amount of shaking, gentle bumping or intense blowing would tease it back into view so I could remove it.

I was surprised - as an uncurable meddler - that I have never seen the interior of a keyboard and I was concerned that there may be some electrics the foil could interfere with - so I carefully prised off one of the keys. It is a Microsoft keyboard and the key came away, after a "click", quite easily. I was astonished at the sight it revealed - there was enough fluff and dust under just the one key to keep an army of dust mites well fed for years and enough toasted bread crumbs to put me off eating at the computer for ever. Needless to say the foil was nowhere in sight but it was clear that the design of the keyboard was such it could do no harm anyway.

However - I decided to remove all the keys and give the keyboard a proper cleaning. First I photocopied it so that I had a record of which key went where - then removed all the keys - and with a small stiff brush, a supply of cotton buds and some Mr Muscle window cleaner (in a small dish - not the spray bottle) gave it a thorough clean - but didn't find the bit of foil. The job took me a couple of hours - yes a couple of hours - getting it almost as clean as new.

The keys all clicked back into place easily and the keyboard is working without problems.

(I eventually found the bit of foil by the way. It was on the floor. I'm not sure whether it was an optical illusion when I saw it fall into the keys or whether it was dislodged when I inverted the keyboard and gave it a jolly good bumping)

!0/10 for effort. A+ for endevour. Gold medal for ingenuity. Leather medal with a tripe centre for lifestyle.

[AlanHo]

I am toying with the idea of taking my mouse apart to see what it has been eating................

[catgate]

The old "ball" mice used to get constipated with with fluff.

[AlanHo]

Reminds me of when I popped into Boots and asked for the location of the anti perspirant.

The assistant asked "Are you looking for the ball kind"

I replied "No - it's for under my arms"

(if pops had been there I would have said it's for my axilla)

Now let's get back on topic....................

[catgate]

(if pops had been there I would have said it's for my axilla)

Wasn't he a Hun?

No not pops ...axilla.

[andsome]

You should be awarded a food parcel for your efforts.

[Lamb Chop]

I use a blusher brush to clean my keyboard. Ask your wife for one - usually have spares as they give them away - at the Dept store cosmetic counters with up market products.

They do a good job thick bristles and just the right size to clean in around the keys.

Biggest problem I have with my keyboards constantly is that I wear out the paint on the keys to blank - means no one else can use it unless a touch typist:lol:

My old Olympic electric typewriter got bashed daily for over 20 years and went to heaven with a pristine set of keys.

Dont make them like they used to!

Current keyboard came with Dell 530 and must give it some credit as it lasted 12 months before the letters went missing on most used. Most of the others didnt last more than 6 months - 1 less.

[AlanHo]

Biggest problem I have with my keyboards constantly is that I wear out the paint on the keys to blank - means no one else can use it unless a touch typist:lol:

I find that Microsoft keyboards have the most durable lettering on the keys.

One of my friends - who loves bling - has a shocking pink mouse and keyboard which has black keys. The outer edges of the keyboard are decorated with a border of sparkly marcasite. She wore out the lettering on some of the keys and her husband was having a problem typing on it - not being a touch typist. He searched for ever to find a similar replacement without success. (I'm not surprised - it's so flashy they are probably now out of fashion and no longer made)

I solved her problem by obtaining some black matt vinyl keyboard stickers from the USA - they arrived by post in just 4 days. They have survived being bashed with her long fingernails for several months and is a much cheaper solution than buying a new keyboard.

There are possibly other suppliers but I bought them from click here

[andsome]

No problems whatsoever with my TRUST keyboard, the letters are as they were when new, at least ten years ago. We once had a Smith Corona electric typewriter, and the letters started to disappear from that within a year, I insisted on a free replacement under the sale of goods act.:)

[Lamb Chop]

Biggest problem I have with my keyboards constantly is that I wear out the paint on the keys to blank - means no one else can use it unless a touch typist:lol:

I find that Microsoft keyboards have the most durable lettering on the keys.

One of my friends - who loves bling - has a shocking pink mouse and keyboard which has black keys. The outer edges of the keyboard are decorated with a border of sparkly marcasite. She wore out the lettering on some of the keys and her husband was having a problem typing on it - not being a touch typist. He searched for ever to find a similar replacement without success. (I'm not surprised - it's so flashy they are probably now out of fashion and no longer made)

I solved her problem by obtaining some black matt vinyl keyboard stickers from the USA - they arrived by post in just 4 days. They have survived being bashed with her long fingernails for several months and is a much cheaper solution than buying a new keyboard.

There are possibly other suppliers but I bought them from click here

Thanks brilliant as I have 3 good keyboards and now can remedy the current one and another Logical wireless set with mouse which I abandoned.

[crovax85]

my keyboards are quite dirty as well. So i constantly use the vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment and give it a good cleaning!! I do that for the case fans of my computer as well.