🚀 go-pugleaf

In <3135625b.39869759@news.demon.co.uk> nigel@openvms.demon.co.uk (Nigel Barker) writes:

>On Sun, 25 Feb 96 08:22:07 GMT, Sara Roberts
><sara@x-ferret.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>>What is the best way to clean a keyboard. Is it feasble to scrub with
>>a foam cleaner and then rinse with IPA?

>There was quite a long discussion in demon.tech.pc a few montsh ago
>about just this problem. Several people who had worked for firms
>refurbishing & managing computer equipment gave away some of their
>trad secrets. The suggestion that I liked best although I've not
>actually tried it myself yet is to put the keyboard into a dishwasher.

I dont like the idea of exposing a keyboard to the corrosive
or clogging residues that may be left around in a domestic dishwasher.

To clean keyboards, I just pull the entire thing apart.
In general, if you cant get into the little contacts then they dont
need cleaning as dirt cant get to them either.

brush the dust and hair and bits of food away
and wipe the covers and any parts your seperate from the
main board down  with ethyl alcohol (or methylated spirits).

this means I know each key and each contact is clean
and there are no large things stuck inside . vacuum cleaning and
washing may not remove hairs and bits of food and things that drop
into the keyboard. taking the keyboard apart and brushing 
will clean everything out reliably.

Ethyl acolohol (and methyl alcohol which is mixed with ethanol
to produce methylated ) will not harm any keyboard .
But it does remove all the grime and stains that may appear on keyboards.
these features make it unique :

* Ethanol  dries fairly quickly
* You dont have to have soak the keyboard in it, merely wipe a slightly damp
  rag or tissue over the keyboard.
* it will not leave a residue (except if you havent wiped all of the dirt
  off )
* it doesnt have an irritating smell. (It may may make you think you are
  in a school room due to its use in a small scale low quality printing
  process )

* for a combination of reasons, it represents only a low fire hazard.
  important characteristics are that the electric circuits in
  computers and monitors will not ignite the  vapours
  and if the liquid does ignite it burns out quickly without
  producing a  high temperature flame.

* it is cheap, widely available (in the form of metholated spirits)
   efficient (not much is needed ), effective (it cleans off everything )
  
* the worst effect on the hands is that it may dry the skin out a bit
 as it dissolves the natural 'moisturiser' in the skin, but only as
badly as washing in laundry soap. it may be a bit painful on
more sensitive skin

* it is relatively 'safe' (its only risk is of poisoning in
 large doses, ie only over a millilitre. there is no
  risk of cancer , allergy or long term build up.


* it has many more uses than cleaning keyboards.

  

>--
>Nigel Barker
>nigel@openvms.demon.co.uk

leon