# Cleaning the transparent plastic printed circuits inside a keyboard?



## Black Panther (Apr 6, 2012)

Just a quick question: is it ok to use water and leave them to dry thoroughly?

____________________

The wrist support of my keyboard got discolored with use, and I'm spraying that part.

But in the meantime, I found an old ugly beige keyboard and thought why not spray that as well while I'm on the job  

It was hideous inside, full of fluff and crumbs and mold (been stored unused for ~ 10 years!). So I dismantled it, removed the lead and PCB, popped out all the keys, cleaned all the plastic bits in detergent and water, keys included. 

My final difficulty is with what shall I wipe those flimsy transparent printed circuits...


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## caleb (Apr 6, 2012)

Nah.
I did it like 3 times and it all ended up in keyboard malfunctioning partially or even fully.
I think that water leaves certain minerals on the surface and that's what causing it.


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## AsRock (Apr 6, 2012)

Be careful of the print on some it rubs of really easy. I have a Saitek Eclipse here and it got water in it so i ripped the think apart to dry it out and by just placing the cloth on the print started to rub it of.

I been meaning to pick up some silver paint for it but Meh.


Clean the rest but watch out with the printed circuit.


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## Black Panther (Apr 6, 2012)

Gee, thanks! I never assumed it was so delicate. Guess I'll leave it as it is since it's not particularly dirty. Anyway the keyboard worked when I tested it before dismantling.


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## entropy13 (Apr 6, 2012)

How much was the keyboard? I recently washed mine with tap water, no dismantling involved though. I just poured water on the keyboard and let it spread, then let the water drip, and repeat it about six times or so.


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## Black Panther (Apr 6, 2012)

entropy13 said:


> How much was the keyboard?



Bah, I don't remember. It's been standing there for years and I'm painting it just for kicks.

And only because it's got a PS/2 connector. I've got a couple more they've got DIN connectors (like PS/2 but bigger), won't fit on any modern mobos obviously


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## entropy13 (Apr 6, 2012)

lol an old keyboard.


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## Norton (Apr 6, 2012)

Some have said that they throw their keyboards in the dishwasher to clean them... I haven't tried it myself so I have no idea if or how well it works.

In your case since you have it apart you can try to spray it with distilled water in a spray bottle (no residue) to clean out any remaining debris then blow it out with air and as a final step you can put the parts in an enclosed container with rice for about 8-12 hrs. The rice will act as a dessicant and pull any residual moisture out of the parts.

Rice works great with wet cell phones too


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## W1zzard (Apr 6, 2012)

Norton said:


> Some have said that they throw their keyboards in the dishwasher to clean them...



+1 for that. works great


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## entropy13 (Apr 6, 2012)

Norton said:


> Some have said that they throw their keyboards in the dishwasher to clean them...



You put keyboards inside people???


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## Kreij (Apr 6, 2012)

I cleaned one of my keyboards with my pressure washer (far enough away so it didn't blow off the keycaps), let it dry for a few days and it worked fine.
I've also let them soak in soapy water in the tub and then rinse them thoroughly with no ill effects.
Just make sure the batteries are out if it's a wireless keyboard.

I never tried in the dishwasher. I always assumed the heated drying cycle would cause warpage issues.

I've also destroyed keyboards with a high pressure air line, but that's a whole differnt issue. lol


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## de.das.dude (Apr 6, 2012)

entropy13 said:


> You put keyboards inside people???



welcome to the 2000s.

a diswasher is a machine. not someone who washes dishes 


and i think only mechanical keyboards would survive a dishwasher.

i used to use alcohol.

but its rare that they get dirty since they are in a sealed compartment. i do pop off the keys and clean the plastic with soapy water and a toothbrush!


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## WhiteNoise (Apr 11, 2012)

I spilled a glass of wine across my old elcipse II and washed it with distilled water; let it dry and worked fine afterwards.


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## Black Panther (Apr 11, 2012)

WhiteNoise said:


> I spilled a glass of wine across my old elcipse II and washed it with distilled water; let it dry and worked fine afterwards.



You just let it dry without taking it apart?

The old beige keyboard I mentioned in the OP had been one we used at work. One day we got a roof mishap and drop by drop the keyboard got flooded. It didn't work so I bought some other cheap keyboard instead.

It's been some years drying up now  but upon checking it before the paint-job it worked! And hopefully now looks more decent 



Spoiler


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## AsRock (Apr 12, 2012)

WhiteNoise said:


> I spilled a glass of wine across my old elcipse II and washed it with distilled water; let it dry and worked fine afterwards.



WOW, i only tipped water on mine and all the silver print just started to rub off.

Think the key ( HA ) to this is to not rub it but to me it sounded like Black Panther was on about trying,  sure might be able to get away with it with a old keyboard but be careful and not try it with newer ones and let it dry.

Then again a friend got cola on his that did not even need rubbing it just took the print right of it.


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## Radical_Edward (Apr 12, 2012)

de.das.dude said:


> welcome to the 2000s.
> 
> a diswasher is a machine. not someone who washes dishes
> 
> ...



I've put rubber dome keyboards thru a dish washer before, works fine.


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## mauriek (Apr 12, 2012)

what a coincidence, i just clean the plastic thing for my Logitech MK260 using only clean water and dry it with clean cloth..now my A and F1 char give me problem, must click it several times before they work.


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