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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: frvrngn on Fri, 06 December 2013, 13:50:57

Title: Ink on key caps!
Post by: frvrngn on Fri, 06 December 2013, 13:50:57
I just found out my 2 yr old got a hold of a black Gel Ink pen and proceeded to draw all over my BoW DS Cherry key caps on my G80!! :mad:

These caps were mint.  Now I would say half of them were drawn on!!  Any tips on getting this crap off?       

Of course he couldnt have done this to any of my black colored boards but had to do it on my only white board!!                                                                                                                                                                   
Title: Re: Ink on key caps!
Post by: SpAmRaY on Fri, 06 December 2013, 13:52:46
I have no idea what if anything it would do....but possibly denture tabs??
Title: Re: Ink on key caps!
Post by: frvrngn on Fri, 06 December 2013, 14:11:48
I heard that works great for general clean up.  I have been searching how to remove ink from ABS since it happened online and I have seen:

Pretty much in order to try
IPA - the stronger the better
WD-40
Goo Gone
Hairspray (!)
Magic Eraser
Ultra Fine Sandpaper followed by polish

The last two would be a last resort and I may just leave them.  I dont want to make everything super shiny!  The others I dont want reacting to the ABS.  I know Goo Gone can react with some resin plastics.  I have a couple spare caps to play with chemicals.  Funny, most threads I found were how to remove ink from LEGO's after kids got a hold of them! 

Open to any more suggestions!
Title: Re: Ink on key caps!
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Fri, 06 December 2013, 15:17:58
Those gel pens are generally water soluble, so some dish soap should do the job really. Denture tabs would be the next step. In any case the sooner you get the ink off the better so it doesn't have more time to stain.
Title: Re: Ink on key caps!
Post by: frvrngn on Fri, 06 December 2013, 15:43:31
Soap and water didnt do much if anything, tried that using full strength Dawn and a rag.

IPA - helps but doesnt get rid of all of it.  I got the heavy stuff off with it.

What is working best that I have on hand - Tom's Natural Toothpaste...  It has Baking Soda and Bamboo Powder as polishing agents in it.  Damp rag, a small amount of that and lots of scrubbing are getting the finer lines off.  Still not perfect so I plan on trying some other items.  At least this weekend is supposed to be rainy so I can just hang out and scrub key caps!

All pens are going WAY out of reach from now on!  Of course has has climbed on top of my desk in the past as have my other two boys at his age. 
Title: Re: Ink on key caps!
Post by: riotonthebay on Fri, 06 December 2013, 16:44:50
Any pictures of the carnage?