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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Verty on Sat, 26 December 2020, 15:20:45

Title: Is 99.9% rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning switches?
Post by: Verty on Sat, 26 December 2020, 15:20:45
Recently I bought a NTC-6251 in the Optimus branded version sold in Poland. As of now the DIN > PS/2 cable hasn't arrived yet, so I was just cleaning the thing, it was extremely dirty.

The keyboard overall felt like crap, so I gave it a throughout clean - it started feeling better, but still not quite what I was expecting.

I decided to desolder all of the switches, dissasemble them and clean all the individual parts. Finally, for the question.

Is 99.9% rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning switches? In my case, they're Aristotles MX. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Is 99.9% rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning switches?
Post by: hwood34 on Sat, 26 December 2020, 17:12:03
yes
Title: Re: Is 99.9% rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning switches?
Post by: ideus on Sat, 26 December 2020, 19:12:11
An ultrasonic cleaner would do much better.
Title: Re: Is 99.9% rubbing alcohol safe for cleaning switches?
Post by: Leslieann on Sat, 26 December 2020, 20:11:35
Alcohol is safe, however it's not a very good cleaner unless mixed with ultrasonic like Ideus mentioned.

This goes double if those switches were lubed with silicone lube (Aristotles likely are), if that's the case, you pretty much require an ultrasonic cleaner. You can use electronics cleaner but with the way switch housings are you will get more on you than in the switch and that stuff can be NAAAASTY. I don't mean nasty in the needing a shower way but in the needing medical attention or coroner kind of  way. A little of this is one thing, doing all switches and stems, no thanks.