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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: kaiserreich on Wed, 05 September 2012, 07:13:42

Title: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: kaiserreich on Wed, 05 September 2012, 07:13:42
I manage to snag a cheap Quick Fire Rapid, but it came in pretty dirty.
Tried some rubbing alcohol, it was a terrible idea for the back of the case, it lifted the coating.

As to the front, it seems to have some rubber layer on top of the paint. Again, tried rubbing alcohol, the dirt didn't budge at all. Anyone has any idea?

(http://i.imgur.com/BhgW5.jpg)
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 05 September 2012, 09:09:02
Hmm... seems like GH is heavily censored, which is good. um.. right.

yea, don't use alcohol because it'll damages the finish. AND make sure not to let alcohol hit the bottom of the case, because that finish is very easily damaged.

You can remove the cover pretty easily and clean it with mild soap.

Use http://www.flickr.com/photos/mondalaci/sets/72157625594565627/

as a guide, detailed photos, the rapid is identical. Just remove the single screw under the quality OK sticker.
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: Lenfried on Wed, 05 September 2012, 09:21:53
Here is a good guide I found at Reddit.

http://imgur.com/a/Yhahf#0
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: kaiserreich on Wed, 05 September 2012, 09:57:33
Thanks for the pics.
I miss them, if you know what I mean.

Actually I have taken the board apart. Let me try with dishwasher soap and see what happens.
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: TGShadow69 on Wed, 05 September 2012, 10:27:43
Another method that I have see on GH before is to use denture tablets (about 4 or 5 of them) and put them in a bowl with the keys, then put hot-warm water into the bowl and stir them occasionally, but leave them in for 15-20 minutes.  As for cleaning the actual housing just use a microfiber cloth and dip it in the denture tablet/water solution and wipe it down.  After the 15-20 minutes of soaking pour the keycaps into a strainer and then rinse them off.  I've used this method multiple times and its is by far the best.

I put the Link for the original post of this method here.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=6856.0

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 05 September 2012, 10:56:23
Another method that I have see on GH before is to use denture tablets (about 4 or 5 of them) and put them in a bowl with the keys, then put hot-warm water into the bowl and stir them occasionally, but leave them in for 15-20 minutes.  As for cleaning the actual housing just use a microfiber cloth and dip it in the denture tablet/water solution and wipe it down.  After the 15-20 minutes of soaking pour the keycaps into a strainer and then rinse them off.  I've used this method multiple times and its is by far the best.

I put the Link for the original post of this method here.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=6856.0

Hope this helps!

The best way, though time consuming, way to clean, is rubbing it with a damp paper towel. Plastic surfaces are far less durable than they appear.

Alternatively, You may consider plasi'dipping the whole thing for custom color.  :D
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: TGShadow69 on Wed, 05 September 2012, 14:42:37
Another method that I have see on GH before is to use denture tablets (about 4 or 5 of them) and put them in a bowl with the keys, then put hot-warm water into the bowl and stir them occasionally, but leave them in for 15-20 minutes.  As for cleaning the actual housing just use a microfiber cloth and dip it in the denture tablet/water solution and wipe it down.  After the 15-20 minutes of soaking pour the keycaps into a strainer and then rinse them off.  I've used this method multiple times and its is by far the best.

I put the Link for the original post of this method here.

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=6856.0

Hope this helps!

The best way, though time consuming, way to clean, is rubbing it with a damp paper towel. Plastic surfaces are far less durable than they appear.

Alternatively, You may consider plasi'dipping the whole thing for custom color.  :D
Ive done both methods on multiple keyboards with both PBT and ABS keycaps. The problem I see with just wiping it down with a damp paper towel is that it doesn't get the grease off.  If your just looking for the keyboard to have a better appearance then either method will work just fine, but if your looking for it to actually be "clean" then the method should be denture tablets or soap(as they both will clean grease, dirt, etc). 
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: kaiserreich on Wed, 05 September 2012, 20:29:40
The problem with the CM Storm QFR is that the case has a layer of rubber coating on top of the paint.

I've tried with water/alcohol/dishwasher soap, and non of them really did anything.
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: TGShadow69 on Thu, 06 September 2012, 13:11:31
The problem with the CM Storm QFR is that the case has a layer of rubber coating on top of the paint.

I've tried with water/alcohol/dishwasher soap, and non of them really did anything.
Oh, is it just the case that has this rubber coating or is it the keys as well?  If the keys are not rubberized like you described you could still use any of the suggested methods to clean them, as for the case I honestly have no idea, ill look into it though.
Title: Re: How to clean CM storm quick fire
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 06 September 2012, 20:47:39
The problem with the CM Storm QFR is that the case has a layer of rubber coating on top of the paint.

I've tried with water/alcohol/dishwasher soap, and non of them really did anything.
Oh, is it just the case that has this rubber coating or is it the keys as well?  If the keys are not rubberized like you described you could still use any of the suggested methods to clean them, as for the case I honestly have no idea, ill look into it though.
It's just the case. The keys are all normal pad-printed ABS.
Personally, I like the case, though I just got done scraping the rubberized coating off my sansa fuze with a knife. Rubberized coating on a keyboard is good (nice matte finish). Rubberized coating on an MP3 player: pocket trouble.