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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: snarfarlarkus on Fri, 02 October 2015, 20:32:30

Title: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: snarfarlarkus on Fri, 02 October 2015, 20:32:30
A couple of a my keyboard need a good clean so I figured the dish washer would be a good idea if the keyboard can handle it?

I have the following keyboards that need cleaning:

Model F XT
Model F AT
Model M 1391301
Northgate Omnikey 102 (blue alps)

Cheers!
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 02 October 2015, 20:47:14
No
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: FrostyToast on Fri, 02 October 2015, 20:52:25
You're going to throw blue alps in the washer?
Might as well give it to someone who will think to respect the board .-.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: fanpeople on Fri, 02 October 2015, 21:02:01
The fully assembled keyboard? or parts of said keyboard.

If fully assembled, you psychopath. I would recommend washing your mobile phone in the dishwasher also (those things get pretty dirty).

If parts I would wash by hand with warm soapy water for example the outter shell of the model M AFTER it has been dismantled. The last lot of keys I washed from a Model M I just put in a tub of warm soapy water and didn't bother actually scrubbing and they came out quite nicely.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 02 October 2015, 21:14:04
No

This.

If you have *completely disassembled* the keyboard, many of the individual parts can be subjected to soapy water if rinsed very well and allowed to dry.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: snarfarlarkus on Fri, 02 October 2015, 21:23:52
Don't worry! I wasn't going to throw the whole assembled keyboard into the dish washer... It would have just been parts after disassembling the keyboard.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: tararais on Fri, 02 October 2015, 22:15:46
That's crazy, treat the electronics gently. Soap and switches don't mix, you can use some water but soap.. probably best to avoid.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: fanpeople on Fri, 02 October 2015, 23:05:36
That's crazy, treat the electronics gently. Soap and switches don't mix, you can use some water but soap.. probably best to avoid.

You wash parts like frame with soap, you then rinse it and dry you don't physically wash the internals. How else do you remove 20 years of scum build-up?
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: Melvang on Fri, 02 October 2015, 23:13:40
That's crazy, treat the electronics gently. Soap and switches don't mix, you can use some water but soap.. probably best to avoid.

You wash parts like frame with soap, you then rinse it and dry you don't physically wash the internals. How else do you remove 20 years of scum build-up?

With 90%+ isopropyl alcohol.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: chyros on Sat, 03 October 2015, 04:10:35
Don't use a dishwasher. Take off the caps, take the boards apart, and clean all the parts separately. Caps and cases with warm soapy water, the rest carefully with iPrOH. Restoring old boards takes time and care :) .
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: Bucake on Sat, 03 October 2015, 07:18:37
Don't use a dishwasher. Take off the caps, take the boards apart, and clean all the parts separately. Caps and cases with warm soapy water, the rest carefully with iPrOH. Restoring old boards takes time and care :) .

this..!
i just don't trust the dishwasher enough. the risk is damaging something irreplaceable.. no thanks!
well, maybe you could put the case in there, but it (usually) takes little time and effort to clean something like the case. so yeah.. i just wouldn't bother.
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: Snowdog993 on Sat, 03 October 2015, 10:37:02
It's a great way to ruin it.  I won't even explain the damage a dishwasher can do.

I bought a Trackpoint II off eBay that was run through one.  Even after cleaning up the already damaged-beyond-repair mess, replacing cables, and getting it to "work", it was AWFUL.

I nearly threw it in the trash.  Instead, I had Maxx from Phosphorglow.net restore it.  I'm glad he did.

http://imgur.com/a/b4Q7Q

Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: jonathanyu on Sat, 03 October 2015, 11:29:45
(http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/8511/as-images.apple.com/is/image/AppleInc/aos/published/images/M/B1/MB110LL/MB110LL?wid=1200&hei=630&fmt=jpeg&qlt=95&op_sharpen=0&resMode=bicub&op_usm=0.5,0.5,0,0&iccEmbed=0&layer=comp&.v=1400774915255)

the only keyboard you should throw in dishwasher
Title: Re: What kind of switch type boards can you throw in the dishwasher?
Post by: absyrd on Sat, 03 October 2015, 12:03:44
Blender is always the better solution. Microwave really cleans well, too.