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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Karura on Sat, 05 September 2015, 20:01:00

Title: Smoke-filled, sticky keyboard switch cleaning?
Post by: Karura on Sat, 05 September 2015, 20:01:00

Hello,

I received an ALPS keyboard, that has a coat of smokey-sticky residue from years of sitting in a smoking room, and I was wondering if it was possible that the switches are still good?

I have two identical keyboards, one in good condition, and the smokey one sounds almost the same, except it seems to be a little sticky (no it doesn't get stuck, but it "feels" slower, bouncing back).

I was thinking, I could carefully dissemble the switches, and clean them individually in alcohol or something...

Hopefully someone has an idea as to what I can do, otherwise this is going back to ebay, and I'm charging back haha.

Thanks

Title: Re: Smoke-filled, sticky keyboard switch cleaning?
Post by: katushkin on Sat, 05 September 2015, 20:21:16

The way I cleaned sticky/slow bounce back on cherry switches, was to spray iso alcohol into the switch by putting the little straw on and pushing down the switch, and spraying right inside the housing. Then I just pressed it about a hundred times to work the alcohol into the switch. I know you can't really do that on an alps switch, but it definitely worked for my dodgy cherry switches.

Title: Re: Smoke-filled, sticky keyboard switch cleaning?
Post by: Karura on Sat, 05 September 2015, 20:46:41

The way alps are built, I think the keycaps themselves might have sealed the switches and kept them relatively smoke free.

I would have to take it apart to see. But things are hopeful!